MIMF

Hey all - haven't been around much in the last year. I've been spending more time learning music than building instruments. I started taking drum lessons about 18 months ago, have been studying a lot of theory, playing the new short-scale bass I finished during the early Covid lock-down, attended a Chapman Stick workshop last month, and waiting (and waiting, and waiting, and waiting...) for my Chapman Stick (a Railboard) to arrive, so I haven't been letting any grass grow under my feet.

I have this really nice wood shop. I've built just about all the furniture our small suburban ranch house can handle and I'm honestly kinda burnt out on furniture. I've now built three guitars that I play on a regular basis, and may have another guitar in my future. I still haven't tried an acoustic guitar, but having never been much of player of acoustic guitars (I have to clean the dust off of the one I have every time I take it down from the rack), I'd kinda like to build something that I will actually play, or learn to play.

There are all kinds of exotic stringed instruments made of wood. I was looking at a koto the other day which looks pretty cool, but seems to be pretty specialized and requires re-tuning for different compositions. They're also rather large, and I'm not sure I could squeeze one into my music room along with the drums, keyboard, guitars, amps etc. Also, I'd really rather build something on which I could play western music. Nothing against Asian music, but I only have so many years left, and I still have so much to learn about western music I should say though that some kind of hand-drum isn't out of the question, and musicians from the Middle East & southern Asia are amazing percussionists. But other then the coopering required, drums don't seem to be too much of a challenge.

Anyway, I thought some on this forum might have some suggestions as to musical instruments for me to look at as a possible options to tackle.

Thanks!

Nice to see you around, Steve. I think if you built a really nice acoustic guitar you would be quite proud of it and maybe even play it. But there are other cool instrumental options. I've always wanted to build a hurdy gurdy.

Good point, Barry. If I were to build really nice acoustic guitar it might inspire me to do more with it.

A hurdy gurdy is one thing I've thought of. Very cool instrument, and seems pretty accessible for the novice. Another is a hammered dulcimer. I've always loved the sound of the hammered dulcimer, but uncertain as to how well I could pick it up, although since taking up drumming, hitting things with sticks seems natural, so maybe that's an option.

HD's are a bit heavy. I made three of them back in the day. The problem is keeping them in tune.

Barry Daniels wrote: ↑Thu Aug 05, 2021 9:45 pm The problem is keeping them in tune.

I can imagine - like a piano with a frame made out of wood!!

Heh, heh...

Or I could build one of these!!

https://youtu.be/IOmFgIxvVzc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvUU8joBb1Q

Why not?

some mods:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b-B_Bg31Zg

Jee-sus!! You really know how to tempt a guy, don't ya?

How cool!!

Or how'bout this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CQgzqYuo04

My uncle who recently passed was something of a musical mentor for me. We spent way more time that we maybe should have watching those animated instruments.

That said, build yourself a baritone?

Intel did it, so can you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z5Z5zo1Rc4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4hjx3_A-cw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57kEK6ekKyM

Heh, heh…

All very cool stuff. But I’m really looking to make something I can PLAY!! And no, programming doesn’t qualify as “playing”! I did enough programming for a living, and it definitely qualifies as WORK!

Karl Wicklund wrote: ↑Mon Aug 16, 2021 1:41 pmThat said, build yourself a baritone?

A baritone guitar? I dunno. I already have a Squier bass VI, and built a 4-string short-scale last year (now my go-to bass). If I were to tackle another guitar it’d probably be a 5-string bass or a fretless bass. And once my Stick arrives I’ll have the low-end pretty well covered. Honestly looking to branch out into a different direction. The koto was intriguing from a visual design & construction standpoint, but again, a bit limiting genre-wise & too big to find a home in my music room.

Hey Steve,

If you go with a guitar, have you ever looked at Clay's travel guitar platform?
It's mind bendingly cool, and well thought out.

If you send me your email, I'd be happy to send you a pdf of Robert Johnson's short scale L-0.
I got it from a friendly British luthier.

-Matt

Thanks, Matthew. I'd like to take a look at that.

I'm not familiar with Clay's travel guitar.

Koto's are cool, as are it's cousin the guzheng. if you stand them on end they don't take up much space. Genre is a state of mind:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDjeY72KaSo

If you decide you like the travel guitar design I came up with I will be happy to answer any questions you may have about it. I've built them in various sizes - D,OOO,OM,OO and my favorite, size 1

Ever think about a harp guitar?

I've made a number of small lap harps over the years. They can be something of a challenge to build; there's a lot of stress on the joints and they have to fit really well, and since it's basically a triangle you need to get both the angles and lengths right the first time. They're a bit easier to tune than hammered dulcimers, since there are not as many strings, and being diatonic they're easy to learn to play. The key thing is to get the strings right: even a fairly poorly made harp with good strings can sound nice, and a bad string set on a good harp doesn't work well at all. There are a number of more or less standard designs you can make, and people out there who and calculate out the correct stringing and supply you with a set for less money than you'd think. The strings last a long time. I'd suggest something with at least 19 strings for a first effort; that will cover about 2-1/2 octaves, which is useful.

Interesting suggestions.

Something I saw on Saturday looked interesting. Tony Levin (with King Crimson) was playing a solid-body electric upright bass. A quick web search turned up very little info on building one though.

Check out the forums on talkbass.com. Lots of info there.

Carl Dickinson wrote: ↑Mon Aug 30, 2021 1:40 pm Check out the forums on talkbass.com. Lots of info there.

Thanks!