Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Timothy Hunter on November 15, 2016 at 2:03am

nice rescue Taffy..looks good.

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Permalink Reply by JL on November 15, 2016 at 2:30am

Looks great!

I am curious if there is a way to use that ashtray successfully, what if you used the other side of the ashtray? clamp some bits to the workbench for a test?

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on November 15, 2016 at 3:18am

The likely reason the ashtray had a sucky sound is that your bridge was attached to two points, with not much in between. The dog / cat bowl / paint can lid / license plate resos tend to sound better, because you are vibrating an entire solid surface. That raised rim in the ash tray concentrates the vibration in that rim.

Try putting a clean tuna can upside down ( opening down) in the center of the ash tray next time.

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on November 15, 2016 at 9:25am

Hi Ron, yes I tried all that and more. In its past life it even had a wooden top covering that rim all round with the bridge on top. What is shown here is one of many bench test ideas.
The tray is made out too good a quality stainless steel and all those contours and folds do not allow a big enough resonating area.
It's like putting your fingers on a speaker while it's working, the sound just goes dull and muffled if you know what I men.
Thanks for your input though.
Cheers Taff

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Permalink Reply by JL on November 16, 2016 at 2:43am

OOh! OOh! I have an idea, use it as the back for a hub-cap guitar, or the back of a banjo? it may not be  a good resonator, but it might make a good reflector....

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on November 17, 2016 at 12:57pm

That's an interestingk idear...

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on November 17, 2016 at 12:56pm

Hmmm. How is the rim mounted? Just wondering how it would sound suspended on three wooden posts / dowels...

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on November 16, 2016 at 11:41am

Hi JL, thanks for the ideas but it may be a bit small for the hub cap I have in mind.

Taff

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on November 17, 2016 at 4:19pm

Thanks for the ideas guys, suspending the cone on postms would not make it resonate any better. I use posts in my full resonator spider bridge guitars, these support the top on which the cone sits and works in conjunction with.

To give you all an idea of the problem the ashtray has the flexibility of a brake drum. You con tap a brake drum and it will ring nicely, but imagine the size of the strings needed to drive a tone out it. Ha, Ha.
Cheers Taff

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