CA002 finished

The cajon that I built in a few days is finished. (photos available soon, my camera is out for the moment).

I conducted some different stringing experiments; after two trials with a set of guitar strings (2 wound, 1 plain) and one trial with a snare drum mat, I will now start building a nicer, slimmer, lighter version with the traditional system of three unwound guitar strings cutting through the two high corners of the 'tabla' (sound board). This cajon, CA003, will be a real, playable and polished instrument.

(CA001 is an unfinished box that I've had standing around for some time - it was too heavy so I started on CA002 instead)

More photos of the cajon CA002

Side project: cajon CA002

For some time now I've wanted to construct a CAJON, a South-American percussion instrument also much used in flamenco and gypsy music. It's a fairly easy instrument, in that it's in fact merely a "box" on which you sit. The space between your legs is the "head". Hitting it near the upward edge gives a sharp, short sound with attack, hitting it nearer the middle of the board gives more of a bass sound, hollower and longer. A few strings are strung inside the box, so that when you hit the head it leaves a short singing of clattering strings (like the snare drum of a modern drum kit).

Many different ways of construction and stringing are available on the internet, but there's no standard so some freedom is acceptable. So I started out three days ago with my own design and today it's all but finished. Here are some photos, a description of how I did it is coming up.

Another project

My colleague from work is building an electric Les Paul model guitar. Today he spent some hours in my workshop. Always fun to share some knowledge and methods together!

Small repair on a Gretsch Electromatic G5120

My friend Bart recently bought a Gretsch Electromatic G5120. There was a problem with the bridge: it didn't fit to the top of the guitar properly and therefore also slid to one side after playing... I adjusted the fit of the bridge by laying sanding paper on the top, and sanded the bridge locally to a more exact fit. The now rougher bottom side of the bridge will also prevent it from sliding so easily on the lacquer of the guitar. And of course a better fit is also a better tonality! A beautiful guitar, now also (temporarily?) featuring in my rock 'n' roll band The Kings Alive .

Progress on BA001 (baritone)

I have started planing the neck, first I levelled the two sides so that they provide a clean surface for later purposes. Tomorrow I will plane the flat, broad sides and start preparations to assemble the headstock.

Progress on BA001 (baritone)

I have been finishing up on the body shape. It's now ready to receive the cavities (for sound & weight + for the electronic parts). I will rout them as soon as I have found a proper router machine...

Meanwhile, browsing through the wood supply, I have found a 'top' (which was actually meant to be a classical guitar back) of a nice peace of European Walnut (juglans regia) and a suitable neck (long enough) of quarter-sawn Honduras Mahogany (swietenia macrophylla).

If I cannot follow up on the progress of the body, at least I can now start constructing the neck and headstock, which is a rather easy and rewarding part of building a guitar.