Saturday 6 August 2011

String theory

For those of you who I've been boring with my endeavors, pay attention, this is where things hot up! Time to string her up and hear what she sounds like for the first time.

I've fitted the tailpiece that will hold the strings. The actual tailpiece is a second hand stop bar from an electric guitar and I fashioned a steel guard to stop the metal strings cutting into the tin. It looks quite neat and tidy, if I don't say so myself.

We need to talk about nuts! To be precise, the guitar's nut which guides the strings down the neck. I've got a piece of steel I intend to use as the nut, but I've slapped in a bolt for the time being to check the hight it needs to be. The thread allows me to space the strings and move them if need be. If I make another of these, I'll maybe use a bolt for the nut as it gives a rugged industrial look.

Right! Machine heads on? Check! Bolt on? Check! Bridge on? Check! Tailpiece in place? Check! Okay, string her up and make like a banjitar god!



I now have a playable banjitar. When I say playable, I mean you can twang the strings. Without frets, I'm finding the playing of notes and chords a very tricky feat. Now, I'm no Hendrix on the old guitar, but playing my banjitar makes me feel like a complete novice.

On the bright side, I do like the tinny twang that it makes,and that's before I've cut a couple of sound holes.




In case anyone out there wants to hear how awful I sound, check out this vid and the face of a goon trying to concentrate.




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