AGP #460 - “Namaste” - 4 String Box Tanpura
Scale: 28 inches
Strings: .035BW .017PS .017PS .026BW
Tuned: A a a D

Firstly a “Thank You” goes out to Poorness Studios for bringing the Box Tanpura to my attention in one of his recent CBN postings, as this was a very enjoyable project to research and build.

The 37½” x 5½” x 2½” Box & Headstock is recycled Cedar Venetian Blind Slats and recycled Spruce Pine from my trusty old deconstructed Piano from many years back.
The Bridge is made of Marble, and the Tailpiece was a freeby from MGB Guitars Florida, the Sanskrit “Breathe” Symbol and Headstock writing was Pyrographed.

I could find no info on Scale Lengths or String Gauges for the “Box Tanpura” in my research, and came to the conclusion that you just make it up as you go along, the 28 inch Scale was determined by the Length of Standard Guitar Strings, and the String Gauges did take a little bit of work to determine an acceptable Tuning, while keeping the Strings as light as possible, anyway as it stands now, the end result is a 1.8kg/3½lb - $17AUD - “AGP Style Box Tanpura”.

The thought of putting an Under Saddle Piezo Rod and Onboard Preamp did cross my mind (briefly!), as did the idea of Ghosting a Mag Pup under the Sound Board, but after having a short play around with it, it will more than likely have a Gitty Flat Bucker Top Mounted under the Strings somewhere, sometime soon.

PS As was another recent build, the Pics for this one were also taken inside my Work Shed, because it won’t stop “Bloody Raining!”