Tags:
I like a neck through method when I use a tin. But I tend to only take the neck down to the bottom of the tin and put a screw through the bottom end of the tin to secure the end of the neck to the tin and I use a tail piece that is attached to the wood of the neck for the strings rather that go all the way through the tin. For me, this helps keep the tin from bucking and bending under the tension of the strings. Also some tins are fairly thin and could use a couple of support braces glued to the sound board area to keep the strings from collapsing the tin through compression at the bridge. A couple of 1/4 inch square hardwood dowels running the length of the lid and hot glued in place has worked well in the past for me.
Just some thoughts.
Brian Hunt.
Hi Kevin,
One of my builds last year was with a retro Cadbury Chocolate Biscuit tin. It was similar to your JD tin but not as wide. Dimensions were about 5"w x 5"h x 14"long. I ran the stick straight through notching the lower section of the tin to accept the 'stick' and notching the stick to accept the lid so it could close. Held the lid closed with two discreetly place drywall screws. I needed to add some blocking to reinforce the tin as the whole thing flexed a good bit after I first strung things up. I'd wager you will too when you get to fine tuning it.
I drilled some 1/4" holes in a pattern in several places to 'let the sound out' as it were. I also experimented with suspending a crushed pineapple can inside the tin with the upper canning ring removed from the pineapple can underneath the 'stick' with a bolt and some washers to let it vibrate. The pineapple can with the upper 'ring' cut off with some tin snips rang like a bell and I think it added a nice resonator effect to it.
I used a 1x3" pine stick which if I had it to do over would've used a less flexible wood but one neat thing was that if you flexed the fretboard you could get kind of a 'whammy bar' effect out of it. I also experimented with using wide Romex staples for frets with all but about 1/4" of the tangs of the staples snipped off with bolt cutters and inserted into drilled holes. That was a surprising success for easy frets. Used old mandolin tuning pegs I had left over on it.
The whole thing looked really antique and primitive when i finished it. Shipped it off to a buddy who does Civil War re-enactments in Gettysburg to use around the campfire. He is very pleased with it.
Hi Kevin,
One of my builds last year was with a retro Cadbury Chocolate Biscuit tin. It was similar to your JD tin but not as wide....The whole thing looked really antique and primitive when i finished it. Shipped it off to a buddy who does Civil War re-enactments in Gettysburg to use around the campfire. He is very pleased with it.
I forgot to add that the tin is 8 1/2" wide, 10" long and 3 3/4" in depth.
I thought with that size it might twist and somekind of support would be needed.
I like the can idea for more sound.
Thank you all for your help.
Kevin
Ignore all these guys.
I recommend that you send it to me for closer evaluation, then I will tell you how to make a cool guitar from it..............
Hey, have fun. I cant wait to see the result!
Looks like a real nice tin for a guitar. With a neck-thru-the-tin design the neck ought to provide all the bracing you need. I've made some great sounding guitars that way, including the first one I ever built. I've got some pics and a description online at the following link:
http://www.airburst.co.uk/junkboxinstruments/tinguitar1/index.htm
With subsequent builds I run the neck out the other end and use it as a tailpiece - in which case the neck is attached to the box at the tail with the same sort of bracket arrangement as at the front.
Started by J. D. Woods in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by Southern Ray yesterday. 8 Replies 1 Like
Started by Southern Ray in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Southern Ray yesterday. 6 Replies 0 Likes
Started by J. D. Woods in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by BrianQ. on Thursday. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Rich Butters in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Crazed Fandango on Tuesday. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Nomad Jack in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by J. D. Woods Apr 17. 7 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Moritz Voegeli in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 14. 6 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Apr 10. 14 Replies 3 Likes
Started by Tom T in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 9. 9 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Southern Ray in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 4. 7 Replies 1 Like
Started by Timothy Hunter in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 27. 1 Reply 2 Likes
Started by Taffy Evans in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 10. 1 Reply 3 Likes
Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by BrianQ. Mar 9. 4 Replies 3 Likes
Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies 1 Like
Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Ken I in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Brian partington Mar 8. 8 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Southern Ray in Cool gear discussion - that's not cigar box related. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 6. 5 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Taffy Evans in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 5. 4 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Carl Floyd Mar 1. 15 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Joe in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by Carl Floyd Feb 29. 13 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Chance in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 22. 12 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!