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Permalink Reply by Doc Oakroot on April 13, 2009 at 3:47am

If you add a 1x2 on the top (like a dulcimer) to hold the string, it'll hold the tension.

I would also look at a dulcimer for general guidance on sound holes.

General rule is more sound hole area for higher pitch resonance, less sound hole area for lower pitch. If you're doing a typical, fairly low pitched diddley, less sound hole is better.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Carnright on April 13, 2009 at 3:52am

A 1"x2"x36 you mean? Sorry I am not picturing it. My hope is the that cube itself will handle the stress.

I was going to try for a low pitch Diddley. So small holes I guess.

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Permalink Reply by Doc Oakroot on April 13, 2009 at 3:58am

Yeah, a 1x2x36. You can see the idea in this pic:
http://www.stewmac.com/product_images/1sm/0308/Dulcimer_Kit.jpg

It's like having a neck, but attached along the top. Dulcimer fingerboards sometimes have scallops on the underside to limit their restriction on the movement of the top.


Michael Carnright said:

A 1"x2"x36 you mean? Sorry I am not picturing it. My hope is the that cube itself will handle the stress.

I was going to try for a low pitch Diddley. So small holes I guess.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Carnright on April 13, 2009 at 4:04am

Ah, my bad. I was thinking of hammered dulcimer. Well if I can detect in time that the string I put on is going to break the cube then I will detour to that route. Thanks :-)

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on April 19, 2009 at 3:55pm

What I tell my perspective customers is that what they think is a sound hole isnt.
What it really is ,is I had to cut the hole in there so I could have a way to install every song ever written in that box.So all they have to do when they get home is find the songs and pull them out.
Then I just look at them and grin,they realize I'm full of it ,we have a laugh and I collect the money and everybodies happy.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Carnright on April 20, 2009 at 2:28am

Bugger. I am not very happy with it. I want more volume out of it.... I guess that is the nature of experimenting :-D Maybe I should have made the wood thinner. Maybe I should have tried 1/8 inch, but that really lessens the glue surface.

Maybe I'll start again with 1/8 inch planks with 45 degree miters....

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on April 22, 2009 at 3:59am

I'm not sure how much volume you were hoping for so I dont know if its really enough or not.
But the method of using the neck/fingerboard to take the strain off the body of the instrument is right on.
I found that I was more or less beating a dead horse by trying to build a box/neck all in 1 piece.
With my little 1 string Didley Bowes that I build and sell I use the cheap cardboard boxes
I just re enforce the box corners and use the full neck to take all the strain.
I build and sell these things as cheap as possible and still get a nice sounding ,performing little instrument.
The market here is very demanding about pricing. They DEMAND a low price.So I'm forced to find ways to build cheap yet strong.
I also found its easier in the long run to build with the neck handling the strain, I dont spend time inventing ways to avoid a strong neck and then having to go back and re do work I've already done.
If your really wanting a strong body I think you'll have problems by having to build a thicker body,and then lose volume.
Thin bodies Do sound fuller and resonate nicer.I guess its a trade off, volume full sound for a "neckless" (more or less) design.
If you Do find a reliable way of doing it please let us all know so we can copy you!
I build and sell on the average 5 to 7 of these little 1 stringers a week, so I dont get much building or experimenting time.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Carnright on April 22, 2009 at 4:17am

I really need to get off my arse and make videos of the two I have. Then I can get feedback as to how you think they sound.

Yah, I did not realize it at the time but I guess I was making a funky dulcimer. Maybe I'll add frets to help the sound. I think because it is a single stringer I could have made the wood thinner.

In fact my first CBG really was a "dulcimer" because I fretted it in a church mode. (Lydian/Mixolydian) If I set the strings to DAA or DAD it would be set for dulcimer music.

My next idea is to do the simple dulcimer design, the two playing cards compressed look, or in other words (). I will try .12 inch thick hickory. I will not attach a neck down the middle , just glue a top and bottom on it. We'll see if it can stand the strain :-D

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