I just got gobsmacked by a video on YouTube of someone playing a Beartrax tapper guitar. I searched Google and found the Beartrax website but being a happy builder of noise makers I think I'd like some info so I can consider whether to build one or not.
So is a tapper a playing style or a guitar style? How do they work? I've never known a guitar not to be plucked or hammered. The video showed someone literally tapping on the guitar and certainly not hammering it. Is it a special pickup? Are they wired differently? Would the neck need to have a trussrod? It had lots of strings but was really wide so would the width of the neck negate strengthening? I imagine some form of extra strength would be needed. What about body material requirements? I imagine that amount of strings would snap a cigar box into twenty pieces. Solid body always? Semi-hollow maybe? What else would I need to know to try building one without giving my bank manager a nervous tick?
Lots of questions from a knowledge hungry guy. If you can find an info resource for builders then I'm fine if you post the link and tell me to be quiet and go play haha. Otherwise, got answers? Purlease! :D
Tomorrow I start with the Harp Ukulele questions haha. I saw Circuits and Strings have made one of those already. A harp ukelele. I'm amazed and intrigued. Again. This building lark is going to send me crazy. #NeverEnding.
Thanks for any help given. Much appreciated.
Tags:
It might be because they have the strings really close to the fretboard they can just tap the strings to make them ring the note.
Those things look really complicated to play, so many strings. I wonder how they are tuned.
No idea how they're tuned, Fomhorach. I think the Beartrax website said fourths? Might have been fifths.
The notes seemed to ring out really strong on the video. Can having the strings close to the fretboard affect it like that? I'm totally mistified. He seemed to be playing strings, as in his fingers moved, but a completely different tune was coming out of it. I'll try and post the video I watched if I can find it again.
Here's the video I watched. I'm totally confused. He's plucking some (as drones?) but not fretting them and tapping some at the fretboard without plucking. Like patting your head and rubbing your belly haha.
Yeah. It's hammer on technique. The strings are set so low in action that just my putting his finger on it, the note rings out.
Seems like this thing is tuned entirely to fourths or even two frets (not sure what this would be called) and would play almost like a harp. Looks like it would be fun to have a go on and years to master.
Having a really low action is quite easy with very thin strings as the string vibration circumference is very small. When you move up string thickness it gets harder to get low action. The string needs more room to vibrate. Bass players understand this and strive to get a guitar with the perfect bow in the neck so that the action can be lowered for ease of play without the string hitting the fretboard. Good players know how hard to pluck the strings. Then there's thumb strikers that use that twang from the fretboard ( mark king from level 42 for example).
A good actioned electric guitar doesn't really need the string plucked unless it's the open note. Hammer on and pull off can play almost every fast riff fom the spandex wearing twats from the 80's.
Extreme low action means I won't be building one after all. I tried to lower the action on a guitar I bought and just ended up with fret buzz from the next fretwire to the one I tried to play. No idea what I did wrong but I did learn it ain't easy. Thanks for helping out Fomhorach. Just blew my mind when I saw him playing it. I turned to CBG because I think they look cool and sound great but also because I sucked at six string. I'd probably go crazy trying to play 18. Still, it does look amazing to watch. I reckon you're right about the lifetime to learn thing. Really not sure I have long enough left to get it haha. Another reason I love CBG. More chance of playing it half decent before I croak. Not much chance but more chance than playing six string and DEFINITELY more chance than playing 18.Sheesh.
Thanks again. Much appreciated.
Looks similar to a Chapman Stick... Try Googling that one!
The body's pretty much for show.... not really needed at all!
Thanks Jim. Looks like exactly the same thing minus the body just like you said. I'll take a proper look in the morning. Too much amazement and wonder in one day gives me a headache and I'm getting light sensitive again. I appreciate the help. Looks like hours of wonderment and entertainment ahead :)
Like Jim Dickison said, it's closely related to a Chapman Stick - http://www.stick.com/
As for tuning, there's probably a lot of options, but the standard tuning has the bass tuned in fifths with the lowest in the center and the melody in fourths, also with the lowest in the center.
Here's an illustration I found when researching them a while back:
Thanks Robert. I'll have to find out what a dimper is I think as it sounds important and necessary. I appreciate the help and knowing the tuning is sure to help. Thanks again.
You bet!
I was wondering about the damper myself. I think it is used to keep the strings quiet on the nut side when you are hammering. Otherwise you'd get string tones from both ends. But I might be wrong.
Cheers!
Cheers to you! You may be onto something there. Ghosts-R-Us all up and down the neck. I doubt I'll end up learning to play it half well but I might build one just for the challenge if I can find enough info on how to do it. Experimentation is good but having a few pointers to start with or simply understanding how they work and what they are can't go amiss. Thanks for the help.
Eddie Van Halen, Jimmi Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore and Jimmy Page all did it on regular guitars. I did it on mine with the action at 3/32nds at the first fret for single hand tapping/hammer ons or both hands for hammer on/pull offs.
Takes a good bit of practice not to hit other strings. That was back in the 80's when I didn't have anything else to do but play guitar. I think everybody was learning how to copy EVH at that time.
Started by Justin Stanchfield. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 20. 9 Replies 2 Likes
Started by BrianQ.. Last reply by MadGomer Feb 27. 2 Replies 4 Likes
Started by Ian Boyd. Last reply by Ian Boyd Dec 11, 2023. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Started by Michael Myers. Last reply by Michael Myers Apr 20, 2023. 8 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Brenda. Last reply by MadGomer Dec 3, 2022. 5 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Wichita Sam. Last reply by Taffy Evans Nov 14, 2022. 21 Replies 1 Like
Started by Michael Myers. Last reply by Taffy Evans Nov 3, 2022. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Robert Killen. Last reply by Paul Craig Oct 14, 2022. 23 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Larry Sobol. Last reply by Larry Sobol Oct 1, 2022. 6 Replies 2 Likes
Started by jon neet. Last reply by Taffy Evans Aug 16, 2022. 6 Replies 1 Like
Started by Doug Laffin. Last reply by Order99 Aug 11, 2022. 4 Replies 1 Like
Started by Paul Craig. Last reply by Paul Craig Jul 17, 2022. 14 Replies 1 Like
Started by Roy Smith. Last reply by the anonymous pick May 15, 2022. 2 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Al Lobe. Last reply by BrianQ. May 10, 2022. 18 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Michael Myers. Last reply by Taffy Evans May 6, 2022. 5 Replies 1 Like
Started by Michael Myers. Last reply by Michael Myers May 2, 2022. 5 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Wichita Sam. Last reply by MadGomer Feb 23, 2022. 2 Replies 4 Likes
Started by Lionhound. Last reply by MadGomer Feb 18, 2022. 8 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Paul Craig. Last reply by Paul Craig Dec 9, 2021. 18 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Ken Hope. Last reply by Christopher G Daniels Nov 29, 2021. 4 Replies 1 Like
Posted by Vlad on March 31, 2024 at 11:48pm 0 Comments 1 Like
Posted by Vlad on March 6, 2024 at 2:32am 5 Comments 2 Likes
Posted by billy jones bluez on February 28, 2024 at 2:09pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Posted by billy jones bluez on February 17, 2024 at 11:00pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Posted by Vlad on February 11, 2024 at 1:06am 1 Comment 1 Like
May 11, 2024 from 11am to 8pm – Speakeasy Grill
0 Comments 0 LikesMay 30, 2024 from 6:30pm to 10pm – The Casual Pint of Huntsville
0 Comments 0 Likes© 2024 Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker. Powered by
Cigar Box Nation is presented by C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply, your one-stop-shop for Cigar Box Guitar parts and accessories!