Monday, July 27, 2009

two new CBGs finished























Just finished the two new ones. Top is the Monte. I've used the tangs of a fork, cut off from it's handle and bent back through 180 degrees as a string anchor. Works well. Neck has had white paint rubbed into the grain to give it a limed oak effect. Frets marks were cut in and filled with paint then red paint rubbed into the main fret positions. I didn't like the smoking warning on the label so rubbed most of it off with wire wool then added my own smojo stamp three times to make it more interesting. Sound holesurrounds are brass grommets. It's tuned to low open E. Sounds and plays great.

Bottom one is a Romeo Y Juliet. Similar treatment on the neck but I stamped my thumbprint in green paint on the main fret psotiotions. I've used a piece of wire mesh glued inside the soundhole which is slighty bigger than I usually make them. It has a fantastic acoustic volume for a small box. Maybe the bigger hole helps. This one is tuned to open A. They both have piezo pups and sound great.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

How wide are your fret boards? It looks like they're narrower than a 1"x2". Did you have to shave them down? If so, how?

Thanks - Your cbgs look great, I really like the everyday stuff you've used on them.

David said...

Thanks for your kind comment. I usually make them 20x30 mm (about 3/4 x 1&1/4 inches) for a three stringer. I use recycled hard wood timber like oak and mahogany. I have some planks and shelves I'm using at present and I rip them down to size on a bandsaw then plane them smooth.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I really like the look of your necks especially. That they're narrower for three strings must feel nice to play.

Thanks for the help.

David said...

and easy, only three strings to deal with helps you focus and what you play and simplify it.

Erik said...

You make some beautiful CBGs David.

I really like the fact that they are all made from recycled materials - appeals to me more than using regular necks and pickups, which seems to be happening more and more elsewhere these days.

My hat is off and tipped in your direction..
cheers
erik

David said...

Erik, thanks for your very kind comments, much appreciated.

Unknown said...

That was my question too David. So the width of the finished is only 3/4 of an inch for a 3-string? That's my next build. I came up with a beautiful red Cuesta-Rey cigar box with a pretty lady on it. Started making measurements today.

I like your the bright colored boxes you use.

I need to get a small table top planer next.

Unknown said...

Using the fork for a string anchor is a nice idea!

David said...

I tend to work in millimetres now so my 3 stringers are usually 20mm thick or close depending on what thickness wood I have available and 3mm wide. String spacing is 10mm apart so that gives me 5mm space at each edge which for me seems about right.

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