Hey folks. Just finishing up my first CBG. I'm pretty happy with it but it's got an issue or two.

First of all what does it mean that it gets sharper up the neck? The notes are not getting progressively sharper, they're just one click sharp on my tuner from the first fret all the way to the last. Should I just tune it in the first fret? Seems like I've come across that issue somewhere but I don't remember where.

Also my ninth fret, all the strings are rattling and buzzing like crazy. The fret looks OK to me. It doesn't rattle or buzz anywhere else on the fretboard. Should I redo that fret?


Thanks for any advice.

Views: 461

Attachments:

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Damn autocorrect. That's CBG not CVG

If i'm reading you right Patrick, it seems like your scale length is out, all frets being sharp,seems to suggest your bridge is a little long, or your action is way high, confirm your scale length as nut to 12th fret distance x2 to bridge, as to action height, a picture might help someone advise you

Sorry about all those typos.  I posted that from my phone.  When I went back to look at it, I barely recognized it as English. 

I'll add some pics.

I meant your bridge may be short, not long, sorry

Here's a shot of the first fret and the 12th.  I think the strings may be hitting the 10th when I press on the ninth. 

Attachments:

OK, a couple of things come to mind, if you can lower the nut and 1/2 that gap at the 1st fret, it will help a lot, it will also lower the string 1/2 as much at the 12th fret, that will still be a touch high, but much better, you say that your fretting is consistantly 1/2 a note out all up the neck, that leads me to think the bridge may be off a touch, check the scale length again, making sure that on the thinnest string it is 2x nut to 12th fret to the bridge, tune that to whatever note you are chasing, most likely g, then check it at the 12th fret, if sharp, you might have to move the bridge back a fraction, or vice versa, once you have that ok, do the thickest string, if you are tuning gdg, once again a g, often to get intonation correct the bass side of the bridge may have to slant rearward a touch, then your middle string will be whatever it is, usually very close to correct. check your scale length 1st, but i think lowering the nut will be the main issue, I don't know how much playing experience you have, or if you intend to do a lot of slide playing, but for fretting, a string gap to fret distance of about 1.5 mm at the 1st fret, and around 2.2 mm at the 12th should be ok

Thanks Darryl.  I will try those suggestions. 

Um...playing experience?  None yet.  I'm trying though. 

As you are just learning, i wouldn,t lower the bridge much yet, it will make you a touch sharp higher up the fret board, but a lot easier as you learn, but definitely lower the nut

You found a nice box, wooden camacho boxes are becoming rare now, and the newer ones are MDF only...

Once you have positioned the bridge correctly, I would try to fix the ninth fret issue first before you start to lower the strings: is there just this fret a bit higher than the adjacent ones? If so try to lower it hammering it carefully. Put a strip of tape onto the first and highest fret and press a string down on the taped frets: are the frets in line? If the string touches a fret somewhere, add strips of tape until the string is free on all frets. Try with the lowest and highest string. This way you can identify problematic spots one after the other.

Wait a week or so before you start lowering the strings, let settle down box and neck under string tension.

One way to level your frets is to check them with a utility blade. You should be able to lay the blade edge across three frets (hold it vertically), and it should not rock back and forth... like others said, lightly hammer down the high frets and recheck the fret and its neighbors... I have to do this on every neck I make...

As far as your intonation (a tick sharp at each fret), anytime you adjust the string height (action), you will need to adjust the bridge for proper intonation...

The ideal length (2x distance to the 12th fret) will be a tad (1/8" ish) short as fretting will tighten the string a tad. You compensate for that by adjusting the bridge out. I adjust intonation at the 12th, then check at the 5th... if the 5th is off, I will compromise between the two...

Hope this helps.

You are using a bolt for the nut...I'll bet that's why ALL of your notes are one hashmark sharp.

the frets were likely measured & cut from the edge of the nut slot as though a bone/wood nut would be put in place with the string contact point at the edge of the nut, not the center of a bolt which sits 2 or 3 mm farther away.

go back to your fret calculator and check that, you may need to trim some fingerboard to move the bolt closer to the first fret to get the string contact point where the fret claclulatror says the nut edge or zero fret should sit.

I finally got the buzzing to stop by using a slightly bigger bridge.  1mm bigger was all it took.  But of course now my action is higher than I'd like it to be.  I see now why people put an angle on the neck.  That would help so much with string height.  Gonna try that on the next one. 

RSS

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Forum

crossover guitar.

Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 21. 11 Replies

Tune up songs

Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies

Duel output jacks

Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies

How to Get Your Own Music on Spotify

Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 21. 2 Replies

CB Bass Guitar

Started by Mi Rankin in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Justin Stanchfield Jan 27. 5 Replies

Latest Activity

smilingdog1 commented on 3 String Blues's video
42 minutes ago
smilingdog1 liked 3 String Blues's video
43 minutes ago
smilingdog1 liked Glenn Kaiser's video
45 minutes ago
Doug Thorsvik posted a video

Hail the Resurrection Day: 2-String Violin Chugger Cigar Box Guitar

Cigar Box Guitar Slingers - Spokane, 195th Zoom Mtg 03/25/24. Only 1-finger chords, free songbooks here: https://www.cbgslinger.com/download CBG SOF Songbook...
2 hours ago
A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Im Troubled (Tribute) Mc K Morganfield by BCB - A.D .Eker 2024.

"Thank you Poorness ! for loving it ! appreciated!"
18 hours ago
Southern Ray replied to Timothy Hunter's discussion just came accross this pickup idea on youtube.
" Very interesting. Thank you Timothy!"
18 hours ago
Kent Thurston updated their profile
19 hours ago
Southern Ray posted a photo

Punch Project!

She now sports gold metal CBGitty knobs, speaker and an Artec 2.5 watt speaker. Finished this in…
20 hours ago
Southern Ray posted a photo

Project Punch!

Gonna finally get back on this long-delayed project that is more than half complete. (The matching…
20 hours ago
Poorness Studios liked A.D.EKER's video
22 hours ago
BrianQ. left a comment for Rob (Uker) Porras
"Hope this helps?"
22 hours ago
Doug Thorsvik commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Dueling Flatheads

"I appreciate the kind words Papa D! I have always loved the look of these cigar boxes. Glad to have…"
yesterday

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->