Dolando

Thank you so much! Glad you like it.

Thought I’d let you know that I will be at the North West Guitar Show on 21st May. I will be taking this resonator along with a few other builds if you’re in the area and fancy coming to try it out.

So it’s taken a while to get to this, I’ve been busy, (Iceland/Star Wars Celebration). Finally got a chance to do some last finishing touches… I’ve added the dots to cover the neck bolts. I also added a tiny bit of lock tight to the neck bolts to prevent any movement from use. It really finishes it off and gives it that classic reso look!

Thought I’d add some full length photos and the headstock.

Thank you! Having pots on the plate won’t affect tone at all I reckon. Just make sure they don’t touch the cone underneath. Could always use mini pots just in case.

I’m trying to film some videos of it. Acoustic and plugged in, so I will make sure to share it here. Sound killer through my blues junior and my prince of tone!

Thank you!! Yea I decided to go with something sensible I’m afraid.

Thank you! I’m hoping to do some videos at some point. So will be sure to share them here. It’s a whiteside spiral cutter. I got it from routercutter.co.uk. Yea it’s 50mm depth bit. Radian Tools also sell them, so worth looking there too.

Thank you. Been playing it most of the weekend.

And she’s done! Strung with D’Addario 12-56. Just need to let the settle in and then add the dots to cover the bolts. It sounds lovely acoustic and plugged in.

Sorry, only just seen this. Thank you! Parts build is how I started. I put together a Fretless Jazz Bass from parts and then went down a rabbit hole of guitar building. Now this is my 10th scratch build.

Scratch plate template Pretty much done. It’s amazing how much time goes into something that looks very simple.

Wiring head on…based on circuits I’ve done before, a little different to the norm. I’m pretty sure this should work/sound ok. All passive, the controls are; - Volume - Varitone (3 settings and a bypass) 0.0068uf 0.022uf 0.047uf Bass roll off 0.0011uf These values will possibly change as I start to play it and experiment.

. I wonder if anyone has done an MDF guard? Not a bad guess and would look good. But I’ll put you all out of your misery. It’s going to be a semi transparent tort. But using a solid back so you can’t see electronics.

Hahaha! No, but what a guitar that would be… I wonder if they do scratchplate material like that, if not why should!

Scratchplate template pretty much made. Any guesses on material?

So I got a chance to get this stung up and wow what a difference. It’s been really interesting hearing it before and after I drilled the holes in the well. Before it sounded a little muted or muffled and like it was being choked, or struggling, but now sounds a lot more open. I wouldn’t say it gave it more bass response, but certainly made it sound more controlled. It was also very heavy in the lower mids but the holes have created a little more clarity in the top end, so overall a lot more balanced.

I wouldn’t say I’m an expert, well with resonators anyway, and this is very much an experiment so we shall se. When talking to more experienced reso builders than me, they all said about adding ports. Like you say I’ll find out when it’s all together. I have heard it prior to doing this so it will be interesting to see how it sounds.

You are kind of wrong but your logic is sound. It’s a little different for a reso. They act a bit like a speaker but l not really. The cone kind of vibrates back and forth, rather than moves back and forth as much as a speaker. They do get their tone from the back of the cone. If you look at a resonator the f holes or holes near the cone are put in for this very reason of letting the sound and air from the rear of the cone escape. This helps it not sound choked, a bit like a port on a speaker. Some national electric resonators have a cover plate on the back as well as the front.

Late idea…I’ve drilled holes deeper than where the cone sits. This allows air from behind the cone to come out through the front, this should make its acoustic sound even better and also help to make it a little louder.

Thank you! It certainly is

Sorry for the lack of posts, been doing the boring but necessary stuff like fret dressing. But exciting day…got some strings on today… I love how it sounds acoustically, so can’t wait to get it the pickup installed and wired up.

First finish on the body. Love a nice piece of walnut.

Neck carving and finalising the transition on the heel. Going for the acoustic look but of course bolt on.

No worries! They do licensed ones but not sure on quality. I wouldn’t say string through vs top load would make much difference. Good contact with the body makes more of a difference I reckon.