Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on January 20, 2013 at 12:14pm

You can attach the neck using the existing screw/bolt holes. But, since the box will not be as structurally strong as a regular  guitar body, you will need to reinforce the box. I ran a strip of hardwood along the bottom of the box and glued it down, then attached the neck to the hardwood. The string tension on a 6 string is double that of a 3 string, so you need to take care that the box does not collapse on you.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on January 20, 2013 at 3:46pm

Or you could build a frame around the outside of the box....

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on January 21, 2013 at 3:36am

Or you could run heavy metal rods from the bolts on the neck through the box. Might give you great sustain...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Shawn on January 21, 2013 at 2:47pm

This is how I did mine

Attachments:

• image.jpg, 170 KB

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Lance Williams on January 22, 2013 at 12:03am

Thanks Shawn, good professional job. Looks like the way forward - Lance

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on January 22, 2013 at 12:11am

Is the neck fixed to the block on the left? Those braces running the length of the box really need to go ALL the way through to from one end of the box to the other to give is some continuity (ie they would be better running along the sides of the neck block). I'm sure it will work..BUT...that box will tend to bend at the junction of the block and the long braces.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom Drommond on January 23, 2013 at 5:23pm

couldn't you cut a filler blank out of some red oak or poplar from Lowes.  Fill the whole box.  Then you could cut a proper neck pocket like a normal tele or strat. with a router.

That is my plan for later this spring. I'll lay out all the holes in the box. Insert the filler blank, mark through and remove.  I can route for the  pickups, string through tele bridge, control cavity and neck pocket with the blank out and on the router table and drill press.  

A tele or strat neck is about 18 1/2', butt to nut, the box is 12", that leaves 5 inches to work with to fit the bridge and the pickups.  That's plenty, my strat from strap button to nut is about 32" long.  That'll give me a true full-sized guitar that sets up  and sounds like a strat or tele, but a cigarbox shaped body.  Best of both worlds.  Kind of a spin on the Bo Diddly guitars.

My 2 cents, it's your project.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Shawn on February 8, 2013 at 6:59pm

@chickenbone you can't see it in the picture but the braces butt up to the neck pocket block and all is glued down. The box is pretty strong as it is and has not bowed in three years.

• ▶ Reply