Wednesday 28 March 2012

Setting the intonation

Setting the intonation on a cigar box guitar or any guitar usually makes a big difference. Many “normal” bought guitars may not have had their intonation set. Setting this up can make a lot of different to how the guitar plays and feels.

Differences in the string width result in slightly different lengths needed so most bridges allow you to change the length on the nut to bridge. Most cigar box guitars have a floating bridge, these are typically things like bolts or tubes, as these don’t allow individual string adjustment you will only need to do the top and bottom strings. If you have sensible string gauges the strings or string in the middle will be fine.This is a good site for getting your gauges right 





First tune the string to the desired note required for you particular tuning played open, secondly fret (or place your slide) at the twelfth fret and check your tuning. As this is one octave height you will have to move the bridge until you get the same note as when the string was played open.

It as good idea to check the open tuning every time you move the bridge, eventually you will arrive a  position where by you have the same note open as the twelfth fret. Once you have done this for the top and bottom strings you have set you guitar intonation

Thursday 22 March 2012

Getto resonators

Resonators on guitars have been around for a long time. As well as making a guitar louder they give it a different tone.Drobro resonators are a classic example. I had been wanting to incorporate a resonator into one of my cigar box guitars for a long time.

I started to look at other peoples designs and builds and although they all looked very good and often sounded awesome to I was always put off by was having to sacrifice the straight through neck to achieve this. After a while I gave up on the idea.

Then one day while watching a video by Shane Speal I noticed he was playing a guitar with a simple resonator made out of a tin can lid under the bridge. I really like the sound of this guitar. So I made my own

 You can hear the guitar  being played hear  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUKbU7DMvrU&list=UUSMQga379wsMnh_AR0Zvo_g

I guess the conclusion is you can make a simple resonator out of a tin can lid and you dont need to lose the straight through neck.

Buy this guitar and other on line hear http://www.ecrater.co.uk/p/14271423/cigar-box-guitar-resonator