I have everything I need to start, just aint started....

[Paul Stephen Eklund]

Still reading thew articles both on this site and others. On everything from the pros and cons of an internal resonator, bridge placement, piezos, materials for nuts and bridges..and the list goes on. Yep you caught me. I’m a geek who likes to have all my ducks in a row before I start. LOL For me the challenge is the best part. I’d be no fun at all to just toss a stick of wood on a box and call it done. I realize I’m setting myself up to make a lot of mistakes. I’m looking forward to learning form them. I’ll salvage what I can from one build and use it on the next. It has to make me happy before I can be satisfied with it. Still looking at all the pride and skill that went into the musical instruments in that Tenn. museum. That’s what I want to make.

The frets and piezos from C. B. Gitty came in QUICK! I think the guy is phychic and had them in the mail wile I was thinking about ordering. LOL I have most of the tools I need now. Just making some final tweaks to the drawings.

Build plan.

11 x 8 box out of 3 ply 1/8 plywood.

24 scale 22 fret neck.

4 string.

Internal resonator supported by two thin bolts that will also support the bridge from the inside. No bracing under the thin top. still thinking about what size the resonator should be.

2 piezos in parallel just behind the bridge. still thinking about what to incase them in. I was thinking about suspending them in wax. But haven’t come up with an idea of how to keep them in one spot if the wax gets warm enough to melt. Just thoughts........

A volume pot.

Wire will be shielded by first twisting the hot and ground together. Wrapping that in aluminum foil. Covering that with shrink tubing. A third wire will be added to that to go first to the pot. Then to a metal plate at the back of the guitar where the strings go threw. I’ll be using the strings as a ground just like on an electric guitar.

Also I’ve got two books on leather tooling coming. STOKED! Wont be using the designs on this build.

Was at an auction Friday night. Really long dresser FULL of usable wood. Someone else wanted it more than I did. LOL In reality I couldn’t justify outbidding them just to dismantle the thing. They probably needed it for a dresser. There’ll be more. Looking forward to finding more on trash day too. Free is always good!