Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anderson on June 25, 2009 at 9:07am

i did two on one side and one on the other... the middle one doesn't stick out as far as bottom one but still turns alright.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Puckett on June 25, 2009 at 9:11am

Yes, I am doing two on one side and one on the other too. The single one on the other side is no problem, it is the two on one side that I am trying to figure out. Sorry if that wasn't clear originally.

Anderson said:

i did two on one side and one on the other... the middle one doesn't stick out as far as bottom one but still turns alright.

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Permalink Reply by Jkevn on June 25, 2009 at 9:30am

Look at the pictures of other's headstocks, mine included. Sometimes you need to put some type of screw or other "alignment aid" in order to make the strings lay where you want them down the neck. I try to keep all mine turning the same way... all the tops turn one direction, all bottoms turn one direction. Just so you don't need to know chinese algebra to tune it. Some angles to the nut can be handled by the grooves in the nut, some need a lil help.

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/2nd-build-3?context=user

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Permalink Reply by terri potter on June 21, 2014 at 8:32am

We are building our first cigar box guitars and the instructions are not clear at all on how to mark and drill the holes for the three tuners for each neck.  I am a complete novice to any of this, including playing an instrument.  We started out on this because I wanted to learn how to play a stringed instrument and my boyfriend wanted to learn to play the ukulele.  While pricing ukuleles, I found some super cheap, crappy instruments, so talked him into making cigar box guitars.  We have all the items to make a total of 4 and have 2 pretty close to done but have been putting off doing anything with them for weeks because neither of us can figure out how to measure and drill the holes correctly for the tuners.  Something I read says that the two that are across from each other have to be right across from each other and that you can't stagger the 3 tuners.  If we do this, we have a very tight area where it has to be almost perfect to make the space.  So I am asking all you who have made and played them, can we stagger them or are the instructions I have correct and the 2 that are supposed to be across from each other have to be just that????  Since I am new here as well, I have no clue how to post this as a new question, sorry.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 21, 2014 at 2:48pm

Terry,

There's a number of ways to do them: inline, across from each other, or you can stagger them. Take a look at a few of these pics (click on the links):

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/headstock-s-ready

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/headstock-front

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/scroll-1

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/fuente-3stringer-2

These should give you some ideas.

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Permalink Reply by Richey Kay on June 21, 2014 at 8:11pm

When you're marking out where to drill the holes for the tuners, you need to find out how much of an imprint they have on the underside of the headstock, as this will dictate how close together you can have them. I usually put mine roughly 30mm apart from each other when staggering, which is how I do most of my headstocks:

This is my de facto way of installing tuners for a 3 string. I measure 1/2" from either side of the headstock and make a line (on Ron's first linked picture the holes were a bit close to the sides for my linking). I then mark the locations of the holes for the tuners about 30mm apart, and stagger them so they are on alternating sides of the headstock. These tuners have a 10mm diameter on the bottom, and 8mm for the bushing on the top, so I transfer the markings to the underside and start from there. I mark my 10mm bit with tape as a depth guide and start the hole. Then I switch to 8mm bit and drill straight through. Remember to clamp the headstock to a scrap piece of wood to prevent tear out.

I have never needed to use a guide to steer the strings in the right direction but I'm thinking this is because of the bone nuts and steep break angle I use.

In regards to string interference, this doesn't seem to be a problem as long as the tuners are far enough apart, and the break angle at the nut is adequate.

The best advice would be to practice on some scrap wood before attacking your headstock with a drill - things could go very wrong very fast! :)

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on June 21, 2014 at 9:21pm

As you already have the tuners lay them out on a piece of paper in the position you want, draw round them and make a template, mock up the size of headstock you want to  mount them on, the problem with making cbg's is that you need to think "outside the box" and design your own layout and buy parts not specifically made for a particular type of guitar, it was hard for me to do this having played and repaired conventional guitars for ten years but i'm getting there!

...remember cog side down!

 

 

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Permalink Reply by terri potter on June 22, 2014 at 6:16am

If I can ask, what did you use in the center to redirect your upper string?  It doesn't look like a plain screw that I can see.  Which is nice because I am not happy with the use of a screw.  I know that these are just cigar box guitars but I'd like to think they have some class.  The little piece you have there does not give off the home made look so much and does give it some class.  Like it is meant to be there, not thrown in as an after-thought.  My boyfriend says we have pins from clocks that could be used.  Since we also make steampunk items.  My guitar will have real clock gears as hole covers on it btw.  We will post pics of all when they are complete.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 23, 2014 at 7:19am

Terry,

Check out this steampunk build Eric Davenport (Badfinger) made for me:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/bouree-bia-or-broke-bach-go-tul...

I used little eyelet screws for string trees on that one, as I did on this Dan Sleep 6-stringer:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/oily-s-guitar-lounge-7-desperat...

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on June 24, 2014 at 5:17am

just an eye like in hook-and-eye, they can be bought separately (-:

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Permalink Reply by Groucho on June 22, 2014 at 6:10am

These are the most recent tuners I'm putting on.  I glued some poplar to the sides of the headstock.  I put 2 tuners on one side and one on the other.  I staggered the two on the same side slightly so the strings don't get in the way of each other.....

 

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Permalink Reply by terri potter on June 22, 2014 at 6:22am

Wish we had thought of expanding the headstock, but I was thinking very simple design for our first endeavors.  I didn't think it would get so complicated.  We have everything to make 4 and have 3 started and all at some point of construction, Maybe the 4th one I will see about changing the design a bit.  The 3rd one is a gift for my granddaughter's birthday in a couple months and the 4th I was going to build to sell or donate, depending on what comes up around the time it is completed.

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