Electric Resonator Scratch Build

[Dolando]

Hello all, I decided to take some influence on how the old resonators are put together. This neck is attached using a more modern approach using threaded inserts and m4 bolts. These will be hidden to keep the clean acoustic look on the back of the guitar.

 

Check out the short video below; 
 

 

Music is not my own.

Music credit: Ryan Bingham - The Weary Kind 

[ezbass]

That stealth neck attachment is brilliant.

[Dolando]

16 hours ago, ezbass said:

That stealth neck attachment is brilliant.

Thank you! First time trying this idea, I’m just glad it worked out.

[Dolando]

Side dots…so easy to rush and make them look messy, especially the 12th fret. And ish the part that the player will be looking at most. 
 

[Dolando]

Monty’s pickup has arrived…

All parcels should arrive like this! 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2022 by Dolando

[Dolando]

This may divide people…a bit of light aging…

 

 

 

[Dolando]

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

Edited December 17, 2022 by Dolando

[Dolando]

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

[Dolando]

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. 

Edited January 15, 2023 by Dolando

[ezbass]

It's getting properly exciting now.

[Dolando]

11 hours ago, ezbass said:

It's getting properly exciting now.

Thank you! It certainly is  

[Dolando]

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.
 

 

[ezbass]

Like it.

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, Dolando said:

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. ...

 

I hope I'm wrong, but I think these resonators work in similar fashion to loudspeaker cones. The vibration from the strings makes the cone move, like a piston. Air is pushed forward and back, which reaches our ears as sound. If the air pushed forward can leak around to the underside, rather than create a pressure wave for our ears, the sound output will be much less. If we suspend a loudspeaker on its own in the air, it makes just a squawking noise. Once it's attached to a baffle board, the air can no longer go around the rim, and it sounds better. It may be too late, but I would have suggested doing a mock-up trial first, just to establish the principle, before such drastic surgery. Maybe you've done that, of course.
I hope I'm wrong. 

[Dolando]

28 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

I hope I'm wrong, but I think these resonators work in similar fashion to loudspeaker cones. The vibration from the strings makes the cone move, like a piston. Air is pushed forward and back, which reaches our ears as sound. If the air pushed forward can leak around to the underside, rather than create a pressure wave for our ears, the sound output will be much less. If we suspend a loudspeaker on its own in the air, it makes just a squawking noise. Once it's attached to a baffle board, the air can no longer go around the rim, and it sounds better. It may be too late, but I would have suggested doing a mock-up trial first, just to establish the principle, before such drastic surgery. Maybe you've done that, of course.
I hope I'm wrong. 

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. 

Edited January 22, 2023 by Dolando

[Dad3353]

1 minute ago, Dolando said:

... a bit like a port on a speaker...

 

This makes some sense, with the proviso that the port dimensions and position take into account the frequencies in play. You're the expert, so I bow to your expert knowledge and courage. Bass frequencies would be the first to be lost if their air pressure can go round the rim, though. As with many things, the proof of this pudding will be in the eating..! I'm not alone in following this very original build; it's splendid, and deserves to be a wild success. Carry on, Chief, just ignore me..! 

[Dolando]

4 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

This makes some sense, with the proviso that the port dimensions and position take into account the frequencies in play. You're the expert, so I bow to your expert knowledge and courage. Bass frequencies would be the first to be lost if their air pressure can go round the rim, though. As with many things, the proof of this pudding will be in the eating..! I'm not alone in following this very original build; it's splendid, and deserves to be a wild success. Carry on, Chief, just ignore me..! 

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. 
 

[Dolando]

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. 

[Dolando]

Scratchplate template pretty much made. Any guesses on material? 
 

[Dad3353]

40 minutes ago, Dolando said:

Scratchplate template pretty much made. Any guesses on material? ...

 

Red-check gingham..? 

 

[Dolando]

12 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

Red-check gingham..? 

 

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

[ezbass]

3 hours ago, Dolando said:

Scratchplate template pretty much made. Any guesses on material? 
 

Looks like MDF  

 

OK, serious head on, aluminium?

[Dolando]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

Looks like MDF  

 

OK, serious head on, aluminium?

. 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.

[Dolando]

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. 
 

Edited January 27, 2023 by Dolando

[Dolando]

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