WTG

[Old Def Tom]

I have built a CBG before (2 actually) and I've move to Mexico. I've found a stash of old Jack Daniels whiskey tins (about the same size as a cigar box, but a little deeper). I want to make a git box from a tin, I know it's possible, but I need some advice.

Sound Holes?? I really don't want to put a hole in the top, I also want to use a pickup, Piezo or magnet pickup, both are available from CB Gitty. If piezo, how to attach? / Reinforce the tin Box, or not??

I posted on the Banjo maker's site, no info available.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tom

[The Phrygian Kid]

just do this.  the neck is bracing enuff.    I dont do soundholes in em myself, found it makes very little difference,  have fun

[Robert]

Am I correct in assuming that since the box is metal the pickup placed like this against the lid (when you put it on) works?  The whole lid acts as a pickup then?

 

[Old Def Tom]

No you never put a piezo pickup directly on anything. Separate the pick up from whatever it's attached to so it doesn't pick up (pun) any stray vibrations. Even hot glue works well.

[The Phrygian Kid]

Yeah Robert works great. But they're really live. Lotsa fun. Crank the amp and ride the noise wave. I love em. I drum all over em and all, with an open tuning and a delay pedal you can make real cool droning ragas
And stuff. Tom look again it's not a piezo I almost never use piezos any more unless I get em from an expert like randy

[The Phrygian Kid]

Ps best advice I can give you with tin guitars is don't cut the lid and where you do cut, cut small and fold to size, always double the steel back rather than leave an exposed edge. Tins are real easy to mate to a neck and everything compared to a wooden box. Drilling holes is fine if u want pots / jack etc but put a thin bit of wood (fretboard trimmings) up against like with that jack there in that pic. Oh and where the screws are, inside the tin at the tail end there, these days I'll put a bit of scrap on top to reinforce the lid just a half inch or so and the screws thru that as well, otherwise the strings between the tail and bridge can crush the edge when tensioned. It is good for them to contact the top at that point, it takes care of earthing if you don't do a metal bridge (do tho, metal bridge on metal top is really dark and evil sounding, great way to darken a tin gitt, they sometimes can be bright and banjoish otherwise. ) have fun

[The Phrygian Kid]

More like the whole top acts as a string, if you follow..
The pickup does not touch the top (it'll buzz and make nasty clicks etc if it does) its a quarter inch or so from touching the top.

Robert said:

Am I correct in assuming that since the box is metal the pickup placed like this against the lid (when you put it on) works?  The whole lid acts as a pickup then?

 

[Ted Crocker]