Andy's "Build an 8 String" Thread

Andy Henriksen · From: Michigan, USA

Hi there forumites,

I have resoloved to build myself a D8.

[EDIT: I've decided that for now, a Single neck will be my goal, so a few of the questions below no longer apply, but I would still be interested in people's opinions.]

I've never built a guitar before, but I like to think that I have enough woodworking common sense and such that I can make it work. Even though several of you would likely advise me to make a simple/cheap guitar to work out the kinks, I am instead going to jump in with both feet and make my dream guitar.

So, in general terms, I am thinking something stringmaster-ish, but I will likely go with a different headstock - probably the stairstep-style with individual tuners (like many Georgeboards gits). I will also likely go with a string-through design because it seems simpler, less likely to fail, better sustain (maybe?), and allows more wood to be exposed, which I like.

I am in the very early planning stages and would welcome the following:
1. Links to threads from others who have done this (I've stumbled upon and learned from several already)
2. Suggestions of where to get parts.
3. General suggestions and comments

A few specific questions as I start my planning:

I want to do the two-tiered body (like most D8s). Generally, these are made from two boards glued and/or bolted together. I am considering getting one big board, and reducing the thickness of it for the thinner neck with a router. Any reason NOT to do this (other than cost, wasted wood, and perhaps wear and tear on the router/bit)?

Similarly for the heads, I'm thinking of routing out the stair-step area, rather than gluing on a seperate piece. Thoughts?

Does anyone have a parts list for a D8 that I could look at? I could come up with my own, of course, but if something exists out there, cool!

Wood? I like the idea of domestic/local woods, and am leaning toward sugar maple, possibly some birdseye if I can find it and afford it. Any concerns with that? Expectations of tone?

OK, I'll leave it at that for now. This is a project that'll undoubtedly take me 6 months+, because my shop time is fairly limited. Lots more question sure to come...

David Matzenik · From: Cairns, on the Coral Sea

I don't see any reason why a moderately talented person could not build a good guitar. I built an 8 stringer about 7 years ago. It is the only guitar I use now, and I have a Rickenbacher.

As far as using one piece for a D8. I would be concerned for later changes in the wood. Todays material is usually fast grown and prone to changes.

I believe tone and sustain are affected by body material. So I favour tropical hardwoods.

I don't believe strum room is important in placing the volume control. I would put it where you can get at it easily for volume swells.

Post some pics as you go along, its an adventure. Aloha.
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother.

Larry Phleger · From: DuBois, PA

Hi Andy. You will really enjoy building your own steel. A good place to get information is the Steel Guitar Builders Forum. You can reach them at http://steelguitarbuilder.com/forum/ucp.php?mode=login.
There are a lot of good sources for parts. Stewart McDonald has a lot of what you will need. http://www.stewmac.com/.
There are also a lot of other venders where you can find materials. I'm eager to see what your are planning. Keep us posted. Smile

Larry Phleger · From: DuBois, PA

Hi Andy. You will really enjoy building your own steel. A good place to get information is the Steel Guitar Builders Forum. You can reach them at http://steelguitarbuilder.com/forum/ucp.php?mode=login.
There are a lot of good sources for parts. Stewart McDonald has a lot of what you will need. http://www.stewmac.com/.
There are also a lot of other venders where you can find materials. I'm eager to see what your are planning. Keep us posted. Smile

Andy Henriksen · From: Michigan, USA

Thanks for the early info, gents.

So, after looking at prices of parts, I think I've already talked myself down to a single neck. lol. Tuners and pickups alone might put me over budget for a D8. Plus, there's no reason I can't make another one (or 5) down the road, right? This also makes my question about a single piece of wood vs. two largely moot.

Question 1: What I'm now debating over is round bar vs. angle/milled metal for the nut and bridge. I currently play a Guyatone D8, which I quite like, but I sometimes wish it would sustain longer. Am I correct in thinking that a piece of angle aluminum (or other metal) would sustain better due to the "clean break" off the bridge and nut, compared to round bar stock?

Question 2 - single pickup or two? So many guitars out there with just one, but being able to dial the tone in a little more precisely is appealing. And since I'm maybe saving some $ by giving up on the double neck idea...

Don McGregor · From: Memphis, Tennessee

I think you are doing the right thing in building a single first. I originally began building a triple neck for my first steel, and the logistics of ergonomics, decisions about controls, wiring, cost, and everything else combined to overwhelm me. So, I built a single neck. I am now also building a double neck, but I learned a lot from that first build, and that helps a lot.
On my single neck, I chose to rout a stair step key head out of Cocobolo, and attach it with stainless steel bolts. I like a separate key head because it can always be changed out if it gets damaged. Since I was building along the lines of the old wooden neck Sho Buds, I found a 1/4" thick X 1/2" wide piece of brass was easy to work with files and emery cloth into a nut.
I don't think sustain is too affected by a round bridge, because all pedal steel strings come across a very large diameter curve, and we know how well they sustain. However, I do prefer a small diameter rod, like 1/4", as it does seem like there may be some infinitesimal loss of sustain with the larger.
Once again, a simple piece of hard wood grooved to hold a metal rod is pretty easy to manage.
Your most important decisions, I think, are scale length, and string spacing. Longer scales can get better tone, but 22-1/2" scale, or there abouts, with a 3/8" string spacing, is considered by many to be the best for slants, especially down toward the nut. With this, I can even get away with slanting a whole fret between adjacent strings with out getting the sitar effect.
Whichever pickup you choose needs to have its pole pieces the same same spacing as the strings at the point where the pickup will sit. If you use a blade pickup, like a George L, you don't have to worry about this.
I want to try the Stringmaster pickup configuration some day, but I don't think having two hot pickups like Jerry Wallace's Truetones, or George L E66 are a good idea. One is fine.
I'd go with pretty much any good looking hardwood you can get your hands on. My first single has a 1-1/8" Purpleheart body, and a 3/4" Curly Maple thick neck. Cocobola key head, Purpleheart bridge base and fretboard, with inlaid Maple frets and binding. Jerry Wallace Truetone pickup, and Grover tuners. Legs and leg sockets came from Gary Sill at Sill Music.
Ryan at www.ruckavinaguitars.com sells brass nuts, and also makes brass bidges. He often has some of these on Ebay. I have several of his bridges that are going onto builds i am just starting. Hope some of this helps.

Andy Henriksen · From: Michigan, USA

Thank you Don! Your post definitely helped me get my head around a few things. Cheers!

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