My first build: Solid electric to electric resonator conversion

[Justin Pruitt]

Used the straight edge from the fret board to the bridge and it meets about halfway up the bridge (around 5/16"). That seems satisfactory for now. Tomorrow I will carve the radius meeting the current, uncut top of the bridge at the midpoint between the D and G strings (i.e. do the least amount of cutting possible) and see how it goes from there. Will get the strings on, let it settle, and see how she sits.

[Justin Pruitt]

Got the tail piece yesterday afternoon but was too busy to do anything. Today I put the tailpiece on and started to work on the bridge. I shaved about 1/8" off with an exacto knife, sanded it down to about 3/32 above the radius template outline, and strung it so I could mark the string spacing and have a look at the action as it is. It occurred to me that I might rather let a professional set the intonation, bridge angle, etc. I can never seem to get it good enough and I don't want to mess up the bridge. However, I couldn't help trying to play it like it was, with no string slots in the bridge, etc. Recorded a short video of it's first sounds beside's tuning. I didn't tune it standard; I simply set the tension to "tight enough" but still very loose (want to let the cone settle in a bit) and tuned using the fretboard.

Tomorrow I'll take it to a shop and have them finish the bridge, setup, etc. Next step is trying to find a suitable cover and deciding what electronics I want and how to do it.

Link to video (crappy vid and audio using my cellphone):

http://youtu.be/giiEF3yG8Qc

[Freeman Keller]

Justin, you might want to consider getting all of your other routing (pickups, electronic cavity) done before you spend money having it setup - you'll just take it back apart anyway. As long as you think the neck angle is OK and everything is in the correct location. Also, as I mentioned before, the neck angle is really what sets your action height - you can change it slightly with the saddle slots but not much.

Good luck, carry on, post more pictures

[Justin Pruitt]

That's true and I hadn't thought of that. I've been playing it acoustically the past couple of days. It plays and sounds great but the intonation and action on the 6th string bug me. Getting a resonator sound with the playability of an electric guitar is still blowing my mind.

The electronics continue to confound me (admittedly haven't been researching much in the past few days; too busy playing). Too many options. I can find acoustic microphones but they have no preamp; online, I've read that a piezo (which is all those small mics are) requires a preamp to be worth a darn, especially when used with a regular pickup. I can find piezo bridge pickups with preamps but I'd rather have a microphone.

I was thinking I could buy the regular bridge piezo system and a "guitar/violin" mic, snip the wires to the piezo and mic, and switch them. Then the mic will plug directly into the preamp. For positioning, I was thinking under the cone in the center. Undecided whether I would mount the mic directly to the body or insulate it with a piece of foam. Not sure which would sound better but I don't want it picking up the sound of the guitar body rubbing against mine.

Once I get the acoustic thing worked out, I have to match it with the P90. I was thinking I could cut the jack plug off the acoustic preamp and hook it up to a 3 way switch with the P90 system (1 tone, 1 volume). I could later route the 3 way switch through a master volume pot. That seems the simplest thing to do.

[Justin Pruitt]

Tragedy! My electronics arrived Saturday but was too busy to get to them. I've been in Huntsville the past 3 days looking for a job and took the guitar with me. It just sounded so great acoustic and I was glad to take it; I played it a lot! However, something must have happened during the ride home. I had the case on it's side and I don't know if it bounced around in the case or what but I guess the bridge hit the case (even though it was padded) and bent my cone. %*@#! I used the bridge to roll it back into shape but I distinctly remember that trick where you can stand on a coke can until you tap it on the side and you can't do it when there is even the smallest dent. I'm thinking if I string this baby up again (even though it was in equilibrium before I removed the strings) it will just sink again. The string of expletives I want to emit right now is endless. $100 lesson learned: don't case it or move it unless it has a cone cover!! I was so looking forward to hearing it through the new acoustic electronics.

[Hans Bezemer]

Ouch....
Sorry to hear about the accident...

Good luck with installing the electronics (and hopefully the dent will not return).

Hans