Twanger's Corner.

[johnrunnacles]

Yep, that's a mightily-impressive line-up Mr. Bass man. Thanks for posting.

And well done, Brian with progress on the SG, and thanks too for your updates.

All I have to offer since my last report is having fitted extra-light gauge strings to the Harmony, which it seems to be quite happy with. Still scratching my head over the broken truss rod ............

JR

[Brian Thompson]

1960 Gibson SG Junior......final jobs.

The moment of truth had arrived and it was time to attach the pickup and coil-tap switch to the scratch plate and offer it up to the guitar and see how everything was lining up....To my great relief, all the careful measuring and tweaking had worked out great, and all I had to do was a little fine dressing up on the bridge post holes to give them a little breathing room and all was ready to mark out and drill new mounting screw holes in the body. (Phew!!!)

Pic 1. The most important thing at this stage was the alignment of the pickup to the strings, so I used some string to double check position before proceeding. As the pickup is mounted to the scratch plate the two outer pole peices (the small adjustable grub screws under each string on this model, that generate the magnetic field that 'picks up' the steel strings oscilation and thus induces a small current that can be amplified) need to be in line with the strings for best results. An interesting point here is that the grub screws on this pickup (a DiMarzio 'Dual Sound' Twin Coil Humbucker) afford some adjustment to fine tune the response to each individual string as the strings are are of course different diameters and thus produce slightly different outputs....you need a good ear to tell though! Some pickup have staggered solid pole peices pre-set at different heights to achieve the same thing.

Another little job was to make up some new pickup height 'tubes' from 3mm ID plastic pipe. The pickup mounting ring is attached to the scratch plate with four small screws and nuts/washers. The pickup is then attached with the two slightly larger screws on each side of the ring which thread into corresponding captive nuts located on 'ears' on each side the pickup base. Usually, a compression spring fits between the scratch plate and 'ear', with the screw running through it. This allows overall height/tilt adjustment relative to the strings. However, I have been using plastic tubing cut to the exact length required for each side (usually the pickup wants to be a little nearer to the strings (higher) on the 'treble' side to even out the levels.

Once happy with everything, all the hardware was dismantled and removed prior to drilling the scratch plate mounting holes.

Pics 2 and 3. Scratch plate fitted, along with all the hardware....at last!!!!

Pics 4 and 5. Back plate fitted, and a rear view of the guitar.

All that was left now was to give the fretboard some attention, by way of a very light scrape to smooth and freshen up the rosewood, then a serious fret polish. I'd previuosly checked all the frets over to make sure they were all still level and none had lifted from when I originally leveled/stoned and crowned them all those years ago, so after masking the wood off, a quick go-over with some 2000 grit followed by Solvol brought them up a treat. De-mask, then some lemon oil on the wood, buff off and it was all ready for the best bit....fitting the strings!!!!!

Brian.

[Brian Thompson]

1960 Gibson SG Junior 'Hot Rod' - Project Completed!

Once I'd got the strings fitted, but not fully up to tension, I could do a rough set-up of the overall bridge height from measurements taken of the action (string height) at the 12th fret prior to stripping the guitar for it's re-build. Once in the ball-park (final tweaks will come later once everything settles down again), I tuned the strings up to pitch and stretched them in.

Straight away, I could tell the additional resonance from the new bridge, and new strings always help of course.....but yes indeed, it was SINGING!!!!! I think this guitar is going to be very difficult for me to put down.....

All that remains is those final tweaks and setting up, once it has all settled, and this will include a final truss rod adjustment to set the neck relief (back bow) and overall action, and setting the bridge up for correct intonation. Then, all I need to do is PLAY IT!!!!!

Pic 1. Before....!
Pics 2, 3, 4 and 5. After.....!!!

It's been a long time coming, but I'm so glad I finally got round to doing this, for an amazing little guitar that is full of soul and character, not to say tone by the bucket load! I'm delighted with it, and have had a lot of fun doing it. I have also learned a lot along the way, as well as picking up a few new skills and techniques, as we all do with these things. I think that is one of the most rewarding things about it, that and the satisfation amd enjoyment that comes with it, and best of all, the fun you get to have with it once it's all ready to use 'as intended' once again. This has to be the best £60 I've spent in ages!!!

I hope everyone reading this has enjoyed following the project along, and seeing the finished result, as much as I have in sharing it on here.

Right....!!! A celebration is in order I think, and really, only one track comes to mind.......and it completely sums up how I feel every time I look at and play my 'new' "Hot Rodded" Gibbo SG Junior.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2AC41dglnM

(Note to the scrambles lads.....play this through headphones VERY LOUD just before a race, and you'll be so pumped you're bound to get the holeshot....!!! )

Brian.

[floydbassman]

Had a night with the soldering iron on the AC30. I have recently got it back from a friend who bought it back from the brink after the output transformer died, taking other components and valves with it in an orgy of squeals and smoke! The only thing he said needed doing was to change the jack sockets and earthing resisters on the sockets as they were noisy. When I went to remove the old ones I found the common ground wire for the sockets was broken and just touching the adjacent connection.. I dab with the soldering iron and the amp is all good again, result! Just got to sort out the missing handles and other bits. I was going to do some bits tonight on it, but after trying it out I ended up playing through it for a couple of hours. Going to take it to our local jam night on sunday and give it a good try out at gig volume. Love the smell of hot valves... Just got to get my strength up to carry it now, thats where the Greeves comes in, my exercise bike! The bass amp is a lot lighter though. Markbass 2x12 cab and a tiny amp the puts out over 500 watts..

[Brian Thompson]

....and seasons greetings to all the twangers too....!

.....have a cool yule dudes!

Brian.

[johnrunnacles]

Nice one, Brian!

Can I join you in that greeting? All very best to All!

Take care, but take it!

JR

[Brian Thompson]

Blues Box Guitar.

Meanwhile......over in Twangers' corner.....

Here's the best £22.45 (brand new, delivered...I kid you not!) that I've ever spent on a real musical instrument in my whole life.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KMLstmDdmw (Everything you hear on this demo was recorded on the same guitar....)

I haven't stopped grinning since I got it, and considering the body (cigar box) is made of cardboard (through-neck is wood) it sounds incredible, both acoustically and especially through an amp (it's got a simple piezo pick-up inside the body....about £3 worth...!) with a bit of dirt and some reverb....fantastic bit of kit!!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1743677588/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=28LQDJSFQP57S&coliid=IZ47604Z5J1VR

Never mind Seasick Steve, I AM Bilious Brian......!!

Ah'm gonna mayke me one o'dese shovel geetars next......(I mean it!!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9-ltPsbw9g .....or maybe even one of these...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QHxWNl3TDI

Here's bit more of the excellent Justin Johnson, this time on his Cigar Box Guitar; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOUlgYCX_Uw

And here's another new discovery, the wonderful Samanatha Fish and her band; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1grjzBHgmY The girl can play...and sing!

Oh Lordy...three strings and the truth.....I am HOOKED!!!!

BB.

[dave higgins]

Just one question mate.....wot r u rolling it with?.........

[Brian Thompson]

Bob Marley Davidson.....

....one of these mate, of course.....!!

The NATO round wasn't wide enough.....

BB.

[Brian Thompson]

Slide Comments.....

Although further experiments, this time with the 50 cal., have yielded acceptable results, I've found that the only way to get through the solo in the classic 'Dog House Blues' (by the legendary Rev. Hiram D. Shuttlecock The Third) is to employ the risky 'octo-slide' technique as demonstrated in pic 2.....

Due to the centrifugal forces involved due to the extreme tempo of the peice, naturally the odd slide does tend to fly off at terminal velocity, but I soon got the window fixed *, and I usually have a least two left for the tricky phrase at the end of the solo so it all works out ok....

Incidently, I first heard of this technique when discussing the superb Allman Brothers with Kenny Sykes back in the day.....

(*...but the slide embedded in the kitchen wall will have to stay because I couldn't get it out.....)

Bilious Brian.

[Brian Thompson]

Cajon Project - Post 1 of 4.

I thought I'd share another recently completed project with the muso types on here, this time something a little different.....

Our kids bought me a Cajon kit for Christmas and I finished it a few weeks ago. What is a Cajon? Well, it's a kind of drum based on a box with a sound board as the front which has a snare sitting against it on the inside and a sound hole on the rear panel. You play it with your hands, fingers and sometimes even the side of your feet whilst sitting on the top.

Here's a little background info about the instrument....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caj%C3%B3n

...and this is what you can do with one....if you're really good! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZpFbdWvUpA

The first job was to assemble and glue up the four sides of the Cajon (see pic 3.) I used a couple of ratchet straps to apply clamping pressure, being extremely careful to ensure that everything was all squared up before the glue set.

Next, I had to glue in the four batons to the top/front inside edge that provide a surface to attach the front sound board to (pic 4.) Then, having first leveled the rear edges dead flat I glued on the rear panel with the sound hole, using weights to apply clamping pressure (pic 5.)

More to follow.....

Brian.

[Brian Thompson]

Cajon Project - Post 2 of 4.

The next stage of the build was to mark out, drill and countersink the 15 holes for the front sound board mounting screws and fit it to the Cajon (Pic 1.) Then it was a lot of sanding and filing to level and clean up all the edges.

The next job was to round off the four outer corner edges, so yet more sanding and filing. I used a £1 coin to mark the radius...the perfect size! (See pics 2 and 3.) I did it all by 'eye' and used a dremel to remove the bulk of the material (to save time) and then finished off with files and sandpaper. The laminates in the plywood were useful here, giving a 'line' to work to.

Finally....yet more sanding, and more sanding.....and even more sanding, going through the grades to get it ready for final finishing. I used a dark walnut dye for the sound board and then tung oil for the overall top coat....(Emu Oil was too obvious....besides....I didn't want it sound fowl....) I applied four coats of tung oil in total, rubbing down with ultra fine steel wool after each coat had thouroughly dried.

The last job was to fit the snare. Firstly, it needed to be attached to it's mounting baton (see pic 5.)

More to follow.....

[Brian Thompson]

Cajon Project - Post 3 of 4.

The snare assembly was then glued into the Cajon behind the top inner baton (see pics 1 and 2.) Note fitted angle to allow snare to fit against the sound board under slight tension.

Next up was to fit the four rubber feet to the base panel. Despite my best efforts, as anticipated the box was very slighty out of square....by all of 1mm exactly! To correct the tiny bit of 'wobble' I made up a simple spacer from a scrap of 1mm black plastic guitar scratch plate material. Once cut to exact size and sanded with a bit of 1200 grit paper it is all but invisible once fitted under the rubber foot and the Cajon now sits perfectly level on it's feet.

More to follow in the final installment.....

Brian.

[Brian Thompson]

Cajon Project - Post 4 of 4.

Finally, some pics of the finished Cajon.

I was really pleased with how the tung oil (and walnut dye) brought out the grain in the wood, and turned a fairly 'average' kit of pine plywood peices into something rather nice when it was all together. As a final touch I added a removeable branded neoprene pad to go on the top for a bit of extra comfort.....

It sounds great, and I've been experimenting with 'tuning' the bass response by varying the tension on the front sound board mounting screws...which produces a surprising amount of variation in the overall timbre.

I'm looking forwards to doing some recording with it later in the year, to produce some rhythm tracks to play guitar/ukulele etc etc over. It's a lot of fun to play, for sure, and I've found a couple of great tuition books to help me learn how to get the best from it.

It was a lot of fun building the kit too, and I wanted to try and do a half decent job of it to show my appreciation to the kids for getting it for me...a really nice pressie and a complete surprise!

Brian.

[johnrunnacles]

You've done them proud, Brian. Good luck with "mastering" it .............. as I know you will!