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Yeah I agree, the more I play it the more I like it. Very good power and sustain. But Oh yeah don’t get me wrong, my gourd kit and minstrel kit from you are both stalwarts in the tuning department unless its raining. I am sure I could have worked it out with further efforts, I did retighten the neck screws, add a tiny shim to sure up the neck and pot connection, and adjusted the neck angle. I was getting a very strange buzzing from the bottom string, elusively behind the bridge, but did not seem to be at the actual bridge. I was thinking it may be the way I tied it was not putting enough downward pressure on the bridge perhaps. Regardless, no further issues are happening. I purchased some cheap planetary tuners that I heard are actually good when rebuilt, so I have those on the way. With steel strings the wooden pegs are mighty touchy. I will report back if I get these tuners installed.
Brian, I have an additional question about custom necks: can/would you be able to make a custom neck that is for example the exact width of the celebration minstrel kit but with one of the other peghead styles? Just wondering as I get closer to ordering the hardware kid. Thanks.
Thank you Brian that would be amazing. I am getting close and will probably be able to order in the next couple of weeks. I’m considering the cello neck to get the extra width. Still on the fence about the pegs and stain. Excited about it. I recently made a neck for a spunover pot I got and it had a nice twangy tone when I use a maple bridge, so between the gourd kit, the celebration kit, and a mountain banjo I built I can cover quite a few different sounds. The new kit will fit right in, and allow me to play outside more without dealing with goat hides loosening.
Thank you for the answers. When I built my celebration minstrel I decided to use the 5th – 2nd of the guitar strings and actually the first string in place of the 5th. I tune it down in the D area and it sounds amazing.
I recently received a set of aquila nylguts that I am going to give a shot. They look very thin, but I may try them and see what tuning up a bit higher sounds like. My friend who also got a celebratory minstrel kit has had his tuned up around standard and it sounds good on recording, have not heard it in real life.
Do you think if I am using a bridge taller than 5/8ths to get an action I like that I should adjust the neck angle? Or is that more of a preference thing? The 5/8 bridges work okay, but I am a beginner and seem to want to pluck pretty hard. Keep in mind humidity is pretty high down here around where I am, could this be the reason for needing a little taller bridge?
Thanks
Oh yeah any quirks are definitely more charming than annoying considering the amazing price for such an instrument.
I tried to make the nut and bridge match the provided ones, but my craftsmanship is still a bit rough. I had not considered shifting the tailpiece though, I think I will do that. Thanks again.
I am in love with my special 20 year kit build. The sound and playability has me pretty captivated and I pretty much have to play it non stop. Thanks Mr. Carver.
One minor issue with my kit is the alignment of the 5th string. It is unlike my friends build in that when I wrap the string on the inside of the peg it is unevenly spaced too close to the 4th string, and on the outer side of the peg it is unevenly spaced away from the 4th string and hangs off the neck in the curves of the ogees. Not a huge deal as I wind it on the outer of the peg. Perhaps its the spacing or maybe just my preference for a peg that comes out parallel to the finger board and just a small pip that doesn’t get in the way of fretting the 5th fret on the 4th string. Either way, as I said I am floored by the instrument. I have made a Wenge nut and padouk bridge and it is just beautiful.
Thanks again.
Yeah I went ahead with the build sans glue, and it is great as is. I have made a wooden nut and bridge. I think the finishing touch will be figuring out fret markers. Thanks!
