Opinions / Advice for a first build

[Mike Amphlett]

First off I a newcomer here, and I'm well on the way to getting a design for my first build, I'm planning a 3 string with a 650mm scale(25 1/2"), but would appreciate opinions / advice on tail end anchorage for the strings, (see attached drawings). The bridge position is pretty well fixed by the size of the box and the scale length I am using, at 43mm (about 1 3/4") from the edge of the box.

I don't really want to use a through neck, just have it butt up to the inside of the box. The four drawings show what I have come up with options 1 or 2 being favorites. What I am worried about is the angle of the string from the back of the bridge to the surface of the box, will they be OK as shown? (drawings are to a scale, no idea what though). If I can find some I plan to use brass pop rivets as sleeves in all the holes through the woodwork. If 1 & 2 are not feasible, option 3 would be okay if I find a nice bit of metal. Finally 4 would be my last choice, at least for this build.

 

 Haven't even built my first one yet and I'm already planning a second, which will definitely have a through neck as its shape will form an integral feature of the design.

 

So what do you think?

 

Regards

 

Mike Amphlett

[MichaelS Country Boy Guitars]

I just finished my first and did a similar end to what you are doing, go yo my home page and look at the picture there are some details of the tail. My scale is 24" and the the bridge is about 2" from the end. I like idea number 1 and 2 also.

[Mike Amphlett]

Thanks Michael, it's wierd I'd already been looking at your photos before I posted. Planning to do a photo record of my build.

Another question you could answer, how thick is the head with the tuning pegs, I'm using a similar tuner and the neck is 3/4" thick, so I think I'll have to thin it down for the pegs. The frets are going to be on an ebony fingerboard so finished neck will be 1", with an angled head.

Mike

MichaelS said:

I just finished my first and did a similar end to what you are doing, go yo my home page and look at the picture there are some details of the tail. My scale is 24" and the the bridge is about 2" from the end. I like idea number 1 and 2 also.

[ChickenboneJohn]

Your option 3 is what I use a lot of the time, and I use whatever I've got to hand for the tailpiece - an offcut from the fretboard works well, or a piece of scrap aluminum. Really easy, just 3 holes for the strings and one for a fixing screw/endpin. With option 1 you need to drill right thru to the back otherwise you'll never manage to string it! I use this a lot with diddley bows, but a block in there so the string ball-end has something to bear against and use alu pop rivets front and back as string ferrules.

[Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates]

Even tho I do thru necks (I have a tail out the end) I have used option 3 before. I have seen this a lot. Check out MichaelS design. He really did a good job on his first.

-WY

[MichaelS Country Boy Guitars]

Mike, Where the tuner go thru it is 5/8" thick. I measured an electric guitar head for the thickness I used.

Mike Amphlett said:

Thanks Michael, it's wierd I'd already been looking at your photos before I posted. Planning to do a photo record of my build.

Another question you could answer, how thick is the head with the tuning pegs, I'm using a similar tuner and the neck is 3/4" thick, so I think I'll have to thin it down for the pegs. The frets are going to be on an ebony fingerboard so finished neck will be 1", with an angled head.

Mike

MichaelS said:

I just finished my first and did a similar end to what you are doing, go yo my home page and look at the picture there are some details of the tail. My scale is 24" and the the bridge is about 2" from the end. I like idea number 1 and 2 also.

[Larry McInnes]

Hey Mike. I just completed my first build last night and used the #4 method sort of by default. I didn't like the way it looked on paper but being a first build, I considered it to be a research and development CBG. Now that it's built, I kind of like that inch and a half tail. For my next one though, I think I'll probably do a method #3. I found some smallish cabinet hinges to use as anchors to attach to the tail end of the box. I'm also playing with the idea of a modified method #1. The modification would be to add a block of wood between the back of the neck and back of the box (inside the box), all under the bridge, and passing the strings through so they terminate at the back of the box (outside of the box). The ball ends might catch on shirts though.

[Mike Amphlett]

Found a few pictures in the gallery with the sort of thing I had in mind, I've renamed the photos to credi their creators.