Piezo Installation -- 'How To' For CBGs
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Click on the link below for a tutorial on how to install a piezo pickup in your cigar box guitar.
http://totalrojoguitars.blogspot.com/2012/04/piezo-installation-in-cbg-how-to.html
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Slide Cutting Jig
John suggested I post this jig in "Special Tools" so here it is. Its just two pieces of wood joined by two hinges (?) and two brackets* to hold the Dremel. The cut off whell is a diamond coated 1.5" one. The bottle rests between two pieces of metal glued to the wood and the clamp at the right hand side holds everything on the table and functions as an end stop for the bottle, sort of.
I thought it helps to wrap cellotape around the bottle neck to prevent from too much chipping but it is still necessary to take lots of time and dont rush it - I need about 5 minutes for one cut - turning the bottle all the time and taking it very slowly with some nice laidback music in the background. If I press down too hard little pieces of glass are coming off which results in awful lot of grinding afterwards.
*can be found in hardware stores, used to fix water pipes onto walls
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CBG Tools -- Set Up Your Shop
Click on the link below to learn what tools I use in my shop.
http://totalrojoguitars.blogspot.com/2012/02/cbg-tools-set-up-your-shop.html
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Design & Decoration -- 'How To' for CBGs
Click on the link below for a tutorial on how I design my creations.
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Click on the link below for a tutorial and photos on how I build Cigar Box Amps.
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Wiring -- 'How To' for Cigar Box Guitars
Click on the link below for a tutorial and photos on how to wire various guitar components.
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Soldering -- 'How To' for Cigar Box Guitars
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Bridge Positioning Tool
Locating the bridge on a guitar isn't brain surgery, and there are several ways to do it.
One way is to use a fret locater chart and a metric ruler to mark the fret positions, and then to measure the distance from the nut to the twelfth fret. Use this distance to measure from the twelfth fret to the position where the bridge is to be located.
Another is to copy the measurements from another guitar, and mark them on your new build.
Or, you can make a special gauge from some material (wood, plastic, metal, etc.) which has little notches cut out on the edge to indicate where the frets and bridge should be. This is what I've been using, and it has worked great. But, I wanted something different and a little more sexy than a stick with notches.
If you don't mind spending $38 plus shipping, you can purchase a really cool little tool from StewMac, which will do the bridge location job very simply. But, when I looked at what I would be getting for 38 bucks, I decided I could make the same thing for about a buck-thirty-eight.
A couple pieces of discarded oak and maple, a brass rod left over from when I was using it for nuts and saddles on my earlier creations (cut long enough for it to be used on short-scale builds or on long-scale bass), and a nut and screw from the many bins in my shop, a drop or three of super glue, and voila . . . I got a real honest-to-gawd adjustable bridge positioning tool, which even looks better than the 38-buck deal, and it works perfectly.
Here it is, a simple, adjustable bridge locater.
A quarter-inch maple piece is shaped (it can be square or rectangular -- I just like things a bit more sexy) and drilled to accommodate the brass rod, which is glued in place. The rod is flush with the outside of the piece, which is the surface that will rest against the nut.
The half-inch oak piece, shaped just like the maple, is drilled slightly larger than the rod, so that it will slide easily on the rod. A hole is drilled through the top to join the other hole, and a nut is countersunk and glued in place to accept the turn screw, which will lock the slider in place.
A shallow slot is cut into the base of the oak slider, so it will rest onthe twelfth fret.
The finished tool is ready to use. Place the tool on the fretboard (after the frets are in place) with the tool resting snugly against the nut. Move the slider to a position where the notch rests on the twelfth fret, and lock it in place with the turn screw.
Lift the tool off the fretboard, turn in around 180 degrees, rest it once again on the twelfth fret, and mark the bridge position, which is defined by the end of the tool.
It's that simple, and effective . . . and only a buck-thirty-eight!
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Scarf Jig
I decided a while ago to vary the manner with which I create head stocks for my guitars.
So, I commenced to search for information about how to make a scarf joint, which is the design of most commercial acoustic guitar necks. A scarf joint is the design which makes the headstock set at an angle to the neck.
There are any number of sites that make recommendations, and most of them suggest cutting the angle with a handsaw and doing the finish planing and fitting with hand tools.
After studying the recommended process, I decided that creating a scarf joint didn't need to be such a cumbersome and labor intensive process, to say nothing about the production inconsistencies which can result.
So I built a simple jig to fit on the table of my power saw, and voila, there came a perfectly sawed and angled headstock. And, I can easily vary the angle from 7-12 degrees, and the angle of the cut remains constant from neck to neck.
In the first photo, you will see the simplicity of the jig.
The base is a piece of 1"x10" pine with a length of screen door moulding fitted to the bottom as a guide for the base to move accurately along the guide slot in the table of the saw. A dowel handle is glued into the base for safe movement of the jig through the blade.
The angle guide (protractor) pivots on another dowel at its leading end, and a small eye screw was tailored to act as a angle lock pin at the trailing end of the base. All that is needed is to decide what degree of angle to cut the scarf joint; set the pin in the proper hole; insert the blank neck stock into the guide (second photo -- notice the small retainer piece near the leading edge of the angle guide, which holds the stock in place throughout the cutting); clamp the neck firmly in place and cut the angle.
The position of the neck stock in the jig will determine where the cut is made, which in turn determines the final length of the headstock.
Once the cut is made, the neck and small severed piece is removed. The small severed piece of stock is flipped 180 degrees and glued to the opposite side of the neck, forming the angled headstock desired.
It's that simple, quick, accurate and not very labor intensive, which all works for me.
When the glue sets (usually 12-24 hours depending on what glue is used) other pieces can be added to complete the design; shaping of the headstock takes place; some type of veneer is added to the top to hide the scarf joint; and the neck is then finished and ready for installation.
Wiring Diagrams
One Humbucker with volume control.
One Humbucker with volume and tone controls.
Two Humbuckers with volume control and push/pull switch.
Two Humbuckers with volume and tone controls for each pickup, and three-way switch.
One single-coil pickup with volume control.
One single-coil pickup with volume and tone controls.
Two single-coil pickups with volume and tone controls.
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I thought I'd post a couple shots of a simple tool I made to seat fret stock into a fingerboard. I laminated a 5/16" bolt between layers of hardwood; let the epoxy set up; inserted it into my drill press, and voila, a simple way to install frets.
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Another Nifty Homemade Tool
I was cruising around the tool shed at one of the 'big box' stores the other day and bumped into what I thought would be a good addition to my shop, until I looked at the price. A bench mount 2" spindle sanding drum was only $129. Ugh!
I thought to myself, hell, I can make one of these for under ten bucks. All I need is a $8 combination set of adjustable spindles (1/2" - 2") with sanding discs (sold at the same store), and I'm set.
The spindles fit in my drill press and are recessed into a piece of wood (for convenient and accurate sanding), which is bolted to the press table. I even got crafty and built a fence to fit on the table so that I can precision sand if I want.
And the $120 I saved will buy a little Heineken to quench my thirst after a hard days work.
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Make a Guitar Pickup
Click on the link below for details on how to make your own guitar pickup.
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Building a Lap Steel Guitar
If you're interested in building a lap steel guitar, click on the link below the photo, which will take youto a site that outlines in detail the steps to follow.
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Three String Tuning
My 3-string guitars are usually set up in Open G tuning (my favorite), however, there are numerous tuning choices to enjoy, e.g., Open D or E (low growling delta blues style); Open G or Open A for a more versatile mix of low and high notes. And, if you like a Hawaiian feel, you can tune to (A-E-F#), or (A-E-G) for a smooth jazzy effect.
I use the A, D & G (5-4-3) strings from a standard light or medium acoustic string set. I like this combination because it offers a bright sound and relatively light string tension, which you'll find nice when fretting the notes, and durable enough to stand up to many hours of slide playing.
I like 3-string guitars, because playing is distilled down to a simple level. They're easy to tune and play, and you will instantly have fun. Remember, the greatest blues musicians received no formal training, and the definitely could not read music or understand theory. They just tuned their guitars to what sounded good, and played the hell out of them.
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Wiring a Single Coil Pickup
This is a very simple and effective way to wire for the use of only a volume control. Gain, tone, etc. is controlled at my amp.
When soldering the ground wires to the back of the Pot, the best way to do this is to melt a small drop of solder on the iron and apply it to the Pot, then place the ground wires on the solder spot, heat the wires with the iron until the solder melts, remove the iron and wait for the wires to cool, and you have a solid connection. Do not 'over heat' the Pot with the iron, as this may damage the Pot.
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Building a cigar box guitar is not difficult, because anything you do is OK. There are no rules. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish to make it.
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CBG Building Steps
Determine the basic design and style of the guitar you wish to build (3- or 4-string).
Choose the cigar box you will use (check out your local smoke shop or go to eBay).
Determine tuners that will best fit your needs (available at your local music store or on eBay).
Craft the headstock, neck, and tailstock to fit your design (take a look at what others have created, for ideas. I generally use 1x2 inch oak available at Lowes).
Determine design of string retainers on the tailstock (holes drilled in the tailstock, or an attachment which will retain the strings).
Determine tuner positions and drill holes in the headstock.
Finish (shape and sand) the neck.
Stain or paint the neck if that is your intention.
Cut the fingerboard to length (determined by the type instrument you're building).
Mark the location of the fingerboard on the neck, allowing for the headstock and 'nut' (the thingy that elevates the strings off the fingerboard and spaces them properly).
Locate and mark fret positions (measure any commercial guitar, or go online for a guide).
Cut fret slots with a narrow saw (I use a coping saw and a small mitre box, or you can use finish nails or even toothpicks).
Stain the fingerboard, if that is your desire.
Laminate the fingerboard to the neck in the predetermined position . . . see #10 ( I use Titebond glue and clamp in place).
Cut small openings in the cigar box to accommodate the neck (this may require some careful forethought and planning depending on the box you're using).
Fit the neck to the box and measure the 'bridge' location on the box (24-1/2" to 25-1/2" from the nut).
Locate and cut sound holes in the box (again there are no rules, so be as creative as you wish).
Finish the sound holes appropriately.
Finish the box (stain, paint, decorate, or leave as it is . . . again, no rules).
Locate 'key' fret positions on the fingerboard or leading edge of the neck and mark as you wish (inlays, cutouts, drilled markers, etc. . . these are the 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, and 15 positions).
Laminate the neck in position to the box (I use Titebond for this, too).
Create the 'nut' and 'bridge' and attach in position (I use super glue).
Attach frets to the fingerboard (cut and file to fit . . . this can be tedious, so take your time so as to not screwup the edges of the fingerboard).
Locate a strap button on the back of the box.
Drill a hole in the back of the box for an output jack, if you are going to amplify the sound electronically.
Design a plate to hold the jack securely to the box, if the material is too thick to accommodate direct attachment.
Varnish or paint the finished guitar.
For amplified sound, I use a Piezo transducer (available at Radio Shack) for a sound 'pickup'.
Remove the metal transducer wafer from the plastic housing (carefully using a pliers to break the housing edges) and sandwich the wafer between two pieces of balsa using small droplets of CA (cyanoacrylate) glue (better known as super glue) on the corners of the balsa pieces. Be careful not to get glue on the transducer, and to not damage the wires in the process. Mark the outside of the balsa enclosure to denote the side of the wafer that has the circular white ceramic conductor.
Attach (solder) the transducer (pickup) to the output jack (you may need to add wire for the proper length).
Locate the pickup position on the inside of the box lid, left of the bass string and slightly forward of the bridge location.
Glue the 'marked' balsa side to the inside of the lid in the position described in #31 above. I use CA glue for this.
Attach tuners to the headstock.
Attach strings to the tailstock string retainer and to the tuners; tighten the strings (I use inexpensive medium gauge acoustic strings, #5-4-3 for my 3-string guitars, and #5-4-3-2 for my 4-string guitars).
Tune to your desire (I tune 3-string guitars G-D-G for a nice 'bluesy sound; and 4-strings D-F#-A-C; but, you can tune your 3-string to A-E-A; A-E-G; E-B-E; E-G-E; or you can simplify the process by using Knott Lenny's method -- tune to "say, you, see" -- sing the National Anthem, 'oh, say can you see, and you have a very playable tuned instrument).
If you have questions about any details listed hereon, or if you need guidance, please email me a note and I will do my best to assist.
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Eliminating Feedback
No, this is not about shutting the door on comments for this blog. As a matter of fact, I want to hear what you have to say, so, WRITE A COMMENT, DAMMIT! And, also add your thoughts about anything to do with the CBG movement.
This is about amp feedback.
There are many opinions about how to eliminate amp feedback from your cigar box guitar, but I gotta say that I have found the best and easiest method is to line the entire inside surface of the box you're using to create your masterpiece with foil.
Now, some folks recommend copper foil tape (expensive) as the best and only real method. Others say aluminum foil tape is the ticket (expensive, too). Many also tell the story that the tape strips must be connected by the use of solder to be effective. All this sounded like overkill to me, so, after experimenting a bit, I discovered there is an easier way, less expensive, but dangerous if you are not the sole proprietor of your kitchen.
Reynolds aluminum foil is the deal. While your wife or significant other is away, sneak into the kitchen, grab the biggest roll of foil you can find, take off for the workshop, and you're ready to put the kibosh on amp feedback.
All you need in addition is a small jar of contact cement, scissors, mineral spirits (to clean the sticky crap off your fingers), a sharp knife to trim the foil to make it a real sanitary installation, and somewhere to hide the roll, when the kitchen help discovers it missing.
You're ready. Rip off a strip wide enough to fit the inside of the box. Coat the surface of the box to be covered with contact cement. Lay the foil (shiny side up) on the sticky surface, and smooth it out. Cut the corners with the knife to facilitate a good fit, and finish smoothing the small areas. Go all the way up the sides of the box with the foil as well, leaving a little foil to be rolled over onto the edge of the box (this ensures that the top and bottom of the box foil will make contact when the unit is put together. Cut away foil from pickup, tone/volume controls, and output jack to prevent careless grounding.
That's it! No numerous small strips of foil tape to screw around with. No solder (you're not trying to create an electric conductor, only a shield to prevent signal feedback from the amp to the guitar).
This method may not be what the big boys use to shield an instrument, but it works for me. And, just add a little clarity, I took my Strat apart to see what they do, and I was surprised to find the control cavity contained only a little piece of foil, apparently the solid body does a good job on its own to shield.
'Nuff said.
