InexperiencedLuthier
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« on: January 15, 2012, 07:07:06 PM » |
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Hey guys! I'm starting a new "build" not necessarily a build but a fun little project in my spare time! It's gonna be a small cigar box guitar with the bottom 3 strings of a mandolin. I'll try my best to keep updates on it! Here is a pic of the box and the "neck" (A wooden stake I use for construction.)  |
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SecretWeapon
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« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2012, 08:15:36 PM » |
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Is that stake made from a tonewood?  Sorry. Had to.  Sweet little project though! I still have ideas for a slide mando swimming through my head thanks to you.  |
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Maybe
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InexperiencedLuthier
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« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2012, 09:10:18 PM » |
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"Honey... I don't know how to tell you this but... There's a chinese family in our bathroom."
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Baz
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« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2012, 02:21:59 AM » |
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depends what kind of wood that stake is made out of... if it's not a very strong wood it could easily bend or twist or snap under the string pressure, it's hard to say without knowing what type of wood it is
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I'm the Guitar Buildbuster, building guitars in shapes and designs so you don't have to!
Who is the Buildbuster? Me... duh, why would you ask?..
By myself I not only build the guitars, I put them to the test!... and maybe try to sell them along the way
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GPW
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« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2012, 06:19:53 AM » |
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Looks like Pine to me ... should be OK with 3 strings ...
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sonofaglitch
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« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2012, 07:13:48 AM » |
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Cool! You going to put in a pickup or is it going to be accoustic?
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Welcome to the forum, Loser! |
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InexperiencedLuthier
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« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2012, 09:58:26 AM » |
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Cool! You going to put in a pickup or is it going to be accoustic?
I'm gonna have 2 single coils in it, but I'm going to cut out a 2 inch hole near the top so it can double as an acoustic! Looks like Pine to me ... should be OK with 3 strings ...
Alright thanks! I'm pretty sure it's pine.. But I'm not all that experienced with wood. |
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SecretWeapon
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« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2012, 11:02:01 AM » |
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It looks like pine to me too. Without a truss rod its a roll of the dice but I think unless you put .11's on it you should be fine. Personally i'd go with a single coil in the neck position, single in the bridge and an acoustic style soundhole in between them, if you're going to do both. The soundhole will be a bit better placed if you do it that way I think. You also might hear some tele sounds from the pickups with that placement.  |
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Maybe
It's not too late
To learn how to love
And forget how to hate
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GPW
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« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2012, 11:18:36 AM » |
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IL, do you plan on frets or just playing with a slide ... that makes all the difference ... as SW mentioned , it may need a truss rod of some type if you’re hoping to fret it ...
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InexperiencedLuthier
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« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2012, 11:58:38 AM » |
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IL, do you plan on frets or just playing with a slide ... that makes all the difference ... as SW mentioned , it may need a truss rod of some type if you’re hoping to fret it ...
Nope, no frets.. I don't think I'm quite at that level yet. Wouldn't want to bite off more than I can chew! As I was drilling holes for tuners the headstock split.. My dad has some cherry wood I can use.. What do you guys think? |
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sonofaglitch
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« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2012, 12:06:13 PM » |
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I always like cherry wood. Maybe you can salvage the old neck by cutting it into planks and sticking them on the cigar box?
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Welcome to the forum, Loser! |
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SecretWeapon
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« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2012, 07:43:47 PM » |
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I say you plane off a piece of the front of the original pine neck and use it to make a pine fretboard for your cherry wood neck. Fret it. It will be good experience. All you need is a mitre box, hand saw (which usually comes with a mitre box) and a hammer with a plastic head. Also a few different shaped files for shaping the frets. I know it sounds like a big job but if you're looking to get good at this stuff you're gonna have to start somewhere. Where better to start than on a guitar thats destined not to sound or play very well anyway...? No offense intended of course. |
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Maybe
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And forget how to hate
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InexperiencedLuthier
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« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2012, 08:35:15 PM » |
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No, no! I completely agree with you! The problem isn't putting the frets in. I have all those tools. The problem is the intonation of the frets. Putting them in the exact right spot and everything..
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"Honey... I don't know how to tell you this but... There's a chinese family in our bathroom."
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Baz
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« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2012, 08:55:42 PM » |
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No, no! I completely agree with you! The problem isn't putting the frets in. I have all those tools. The problem is the intonation of the frets. Putting them in the exact right spot and everything..
stewmac has a tool for this here: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Saws_and_slots/Fret_Slotting_Jig.htmlit's designed to go with these for your scale lengths http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Saws_and_slots/Dual_Fret_Scale_Templates.htmlthose tools are amazing, the fret saw cuts slots so quickly and easily, they just improved the miter box to have the rollers too so getting the depth right is even easier, well worth the money  |
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I'm the Guitar Buildbuster, building guitars in shapes and designs so you don't have to!
Who is the Buildbuster? Me... duh, why would you ask?..
By myself I not only build the guitars, I put them to the test!... and maybe try to sell them along the way
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thebird55
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« Reply #14 on: January 16, 2012, 10:40:36 PM » |
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No, no! I completely agree with you! The problem isn't putting the frets in. I have all those tools. The problem is the intonation of the frets. Putting them in the exact right spot and everything..
There is a formula for spacing the frets. The variable in it is scale length. What are you going to do about the strain on the box? Neck through? |
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