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Permalink Reply by 3qt17g550yh6r on February 2, 2018 at 2:41pm

Could you clarify for us a little. When you touch the strings are the notes your hitting flat  (the pitch) OR is it the sound of the strings. Is your guitar fretted to fretless? A pic could help as well please! 

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Permalink Reply by Murray Thompson on February 2, 2018 at 5:12pm

Hi Rose

It is fret less guitar  , all the strings sound flat with little sound the notes are very flat sounds like when you push hard on a ukulele and strangle the strings if you know what I mean.

Thanks

Murray  

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• image.jpg, 1.9 MB

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Permalink Reply by Titch the Clown on February 2, 2018 at 4:12pm

May be an intonation problem.

Check nut is correctly placed. Check distance of bridge to 12 fret is a smidge longer than the distance from the nut to the 12th fret.

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Permalink Reply by Murray Thompson on February 2, 2018 at 5:26pm

Hi Titch

Thanks for the advise I've checked the measurements and adjusted the bridge but still sounds flat ?

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Permalink Reply by Timothy Hunter on February 2, 2018 at 6:07pm

is the sound board 6.5 mm ?  could be its too thick? do you have any sound holes that might help too.

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Permalink Reply by Murray Thompson on February 2, 2018 at 7:41pm

Hi Timothy

yes the sound board is 6.5mm thick.

yep 2 sound holes in the top end 1 either side of the neck the box is 30x20x8 cm the sound holes are 2cm dia each.

Thanks

Timothy

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Permalink Reply by Don Stachovak on February 2, 2018 at 10:32pm

Hi!

Usually a fretless is played with a slide only. If I fret a note on a fretless CBG it won't ring out like a fretted one, it will sound like "mwahhh". (My approxamation). Kind of dull and muddy. Hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by 3qt17g550yh6r on February 3, 2018 at 1:48am

Hey I just pulled out my fretless and tried to play it with my fingers only (which is an amazing idea if only it worked) all I got was mud. So try to find something to use as a slide ( Shane Speal uses a 3/4 inch socket) see if it rings with the slide. This is a different instrument than a regular guitar. Really fun when you learn it. So we all want to see the pics of your new ax and also a video of you sliding on i!!!! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on February 3, 2018 at 9:18pm

Hi, I feel your problem may stem from a number of the already mentioned issues. Any one on their own and you may get away with it.  Put them all together and you get what you are getting,

for example considerations are:

Bridge too close to the back  rim of the box...... Strings unable to fully excite top

Top and back too thick not flexible enough so........ not  vibrating enough to create enough sound.

Sound holes too small for size of box.......I have found that even removing the grills from a soundhole will improve volume.

No frets......... Could mean some of the strings vibrating energy is absorbed by fleshy finger.

And.........although I cant see it, a low brake angle over the bridge will contribute to low volume.

It's often said by some  there are "no rules" for  building a CBG, I maintain there are a few, and they need to be considered if one is trying for a nice sounding/playing instrument. That doesn't mean the rules cant be bent.

Cheers Taff

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Jordan on February 8, 2018 at 3:06am

Hello, I looked at your picture and I am wondering do you mean flat sounding acoustically or amplified? Looking at the pic I would say make sure your strings have enough tension for their respective gauges, so they ring well, and you may need to raise the action a hair. You definitely need to use a slide of some sort.,

I hope it turns out for the best.,.,It is a pretty build and should rock with a little tweaking.,., 

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