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Comment by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on September 20, 2016 at 8:51pm

I think they're guitar strings Paul. The guitar has a magnetic pickup so the solution would need to be steel strings but I'm struggling with coming up with the solution. I can leave it tuned open D but loads of lessons, if not most, are in open G and being new to playing still I kind of need those lessons.

Comment by Paul Craig on September 20, 2016 at 7:58pm

Are you using Uke strings or guitar strings?

Comment by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on September 20, 2016 at 7:27pm

Hey folks. Could do with a bit of advice again please. I have a 19" scale length CBG that I want to tune GDgb. It's currently tuned DAdf# and uses two wound and two unwound strings. I'm assuming that because of the short scale length it's been strung with the ADgb strings and tuned down loads? Am I thinking wrongly in that? Really confusing myself. The strings must be really light gauge already as even the wound strings are really thin. The question is how would you go about tuning a 19" scale length CBG to open G? If you can give a recommended brand and model number I'd really appreciate it. I can't think straight for trying to figure it out. Thanks as always :)

Comment by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on September 10, 2016 at 11:13pm

That's really helpful and all very doable in regards the headstock preparation I've done already. Thanks very much for the advice and help. I was planning quite a lot of string height which I'll now rethink and I'll remember to leave a good couple of inches or more between nut and tuner now you've advised it. I think I'll likely still brace the neck at the side or similar in order to hopefully avoid any potential for bowing. You've all been really helpful and I feel like I've been blessed with a builders masterclass crash course. Lots of lessons learned and a whole heap of appreciation for the help given. Much appreciated. 

Comment by Mark Bliss on September 10, 2016 at 3:24pm

I thought you had previously said reso, but a through neck certainly fixes some of the problems on the box end. It makes the concerns about how to attach and reinforce much easier to deal with.

One concern with your tuner plan is string routing. Inline tuners may require a robust nut design due to side forces created by string routing. (I really like to plan straight pulls from nut to tuner whenever possible.) And theres the need for a good break over the nut.

One common mistake is not leaving enough space between the nut and closest tuner shaft. Don't plan it too close. I'd suggest a bare minimum of 1.5 inches or more would avoid some common problems. You may want even more because of the previously mentioned angled string routing, nut to tuner.

Next consideration, coming back to the neck strength- The higher the strings away from the neck, the more the tension will try to bend the neck. Avoiding a design where the nut and bridges relation to the neck line is very high would be a very good idea. For example, if the neck were mounted deep in the box, and the bridge was high enough to clear some pickups or hardware, you may have a far less than ideal arrangement.

These are some critical areas of the planning I was eluding to.

Comment by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on September 10, 2016 at 2:13pm

Not sure what else to add that may help. Through neck, strings through the tailpiece, filing to 15mm thick headstock to fit tuners through and 180mm headstock length. Most of the handle is around 25-28mm thick, not sure of the wood type but as you mentioned it's a heavy duty garden tool of professional quality I'd imagine. 25.5 inch scale length, overall length of around 36 inch including headstock and tail.

I may make it four string anyway. I was always rubbish at six and I've been thinking about getting a four for a while now. Your generous help is appreciated, of course.

Comment by Mark Bliss on September 10, 2016 at 2:00pm

I think maybe the question of strength my be less of a concern than is being spent on it. Again- depending on the design. For example, a high action slide guitar where some bowing under tension isn't going to have a great negative effect.

Yes there's potentially a lot of tension. But take a look at the Mahogany neck on a vintage thin necked Gibson SG sometime. About the thickness of my finger from about halfway to the nut. Very thin at the nut.

Most tool handles as you have described are Ash. Pretty tough stuff.

Again, hard to judge without knowing much more about the design. And as to the reinforcement idea, it would depend very heavily on the installation. I cant imagine much benefit in using an angle like that, but a flat piece embedded properly might add rigidity if desired. Machined groove, epoxied in with slow cure. Depends on the design and implementation. May be overkill.

Comment by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on September 10, 2016 at 1:50pm

Thanks for helping and commenting Mark. It's going to be a slider guitar with the strings hovering above. No chance of fretting. More or less just like Seasick Steve's hubcap guitar style minus the hubcaps. Tuners six a side lined up end to end. I'm a lazy player and on a normal neck I have a bad habit of letting my thumb lay on top of the neck, neck running along the webbing of my thumb and hand. Held like a regular guitar rather than like a lap steel. Thanks again for helping out. Much appreciated.

Comment by Slow Blues Dani & Ol' Grey Bear on September 10, 2016 at 1:43pm

http://www.diy.com/departments/ffa-concept-anodised-aluminium-squar...

What about something like this to strengthen the neck from above the nut and down into the box along the back of the neck so it's out of sight? Not sure this is the strongest example but I'm struggling to think of what the stronger, stiffer stuff is called to shop for it. Running the length of the neck and down into the box will mean no snagged and shredded fingers. Do you think it would give sufficient strengthening?

Comment by Mark Bliss on September 10, 2016 at 1:35pm

I think it would be easier to come up with a good functional design and answer to your questions if I had some idea of the plan.

IE: Where are the tuners going to go? What's the design? From your description so far I had pictured no fingerboard and strings flying out in space for slide playing.

Are you going to play lap style? Or held in a normal manner?

How you intend to grip and where your hand, or thumb or? going to rest when fretting or holding the slide (or if applicable, steel.)This is important!

I love diverse and strange designs and methods, but think of function first and foremost. I have found it pretty critical for myself to have a pretty well thought out plan and I even draw a scale drawing to get my angles, heights and such pretty close to sorted out before making parts. just winging it has too often led to a result of hitting a stage of the build and being frustrated.

"Damn, should have thought that out better" has been muttered a time or two in my life.

But heres my suggestion, though I wish I had a pic to explain it better...

For a pole neck slider build, I made a maple headstock that was angled, with a hole drilled through to go over the dowel, and left the "nut" end long enough to shape and add a slot for something to be inserted to create a nut and guide, fret wire, a piece of metal, bone, bolt, whatever works for you.

The hard part is jigging up to drill the hole at an angle. Kind of helps to have a big drill press and the ability to make jigs and fixtures.

(BTW, I love taking the zero fret concept one step further. Big fan of ZerOglides. Though they don't really fit in with the home made look or ethos, they just work!)

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