Hubcap Guitars

[StevieB]

Anyone else notice how the price of Morris Minor hub caps has risen on eBay?

[davey]

Anyone else notice how the price of Morris Minor hub caps has risen on eBay?

Sorry!

[StevieB]

Found this site which may be of use when working out fret positions.

http://liutaiomottola.com/formulae/fret.htm

Hope it helps.

Steve

[StevieB]

been given time in my shed by 'Management' working on a number of things including converting what was left of a Harmony Stella into a resonator. Having a few probs with the sound well and I found this site which I thought was very interesting. http://poxican.blogspot.com/

[davey]

Cool site - some interesting projects there - thanks for posting!

[RidingWestAndFree]

Hey that's a cool site, I enjoyed reading about his various projects.

[Boddah]

A quick question. 25 inches, equals 63,5 cm i believe, is from the nut and down to the beginning of the body, correct?

[davey]

A quick question. 25 inches, equals 63,5 cm i believe, is from the nut and down to the beginning of the body, correct?

Hiya Boddah, welcome to Steve's forum.

You're right that a scale length of 25 inches works out to about 635mm. But, it sounds like where you're measuring is wrong. Scale length is the vibrating length of the strings, so you measure from the nut to the bridge - the two points of contact the strings have with the guitar. Does that make sense?

cheers, davey.

[Boddah]

Thanks for the welcome and quick reply!

Yes, Thanks!

If I may impose with another question? WHen you wrote about the strings, what do you mean with 'From bass to treble'? Being a non-native speaker of English I do have some difficulties with the many different concepts and names

[davey]

Thanks for the welcome and quick reply!

Yes, Thanks!

If I may impose with another question? WHen you wrote about the strings, what do you mean with 'From bass to treble'? Being a non-native speaker of English I do have some difficulties with the many different concepts and names

Hiya. Sorry, my writing style isn't great - it must be hard reading when english isn't your first language. I shall try to be clearer.

Bass to treble referred to the guitar strings. Bass is the thickest string, treble is the thinnest string. So:

The thickest string is 56 gauge and tuned 'B'. This is the Bass string and plays the lowest note.
The next string is slightly thinner - 32 gauge tuned 'B'.
The next string is thinner still - 24 gauge tuned 'Fsharp'
The last string is the thinnest - 16 gauge tuned 'B'. This is the treble string and plays the highest note.

Any problems do let me know.

Cheers, davey.

[Cigarbox Henri]

First time I see this topic!!

Nice Guitar and very nice build!!

One question:

Is the scale length of e.g. a Stratocaster, or a Les Paul model guitar used?

Scale length is indeed the space were the strings vibrate in between (Between nut and bridge).

[davey]

First time I see this topic!!

Nice Guitar and very nice build!!

One question:

Is the scale length of e.g. a Stratocaster, or a Les Paul model guitar used?

Scale length is indeed the space were the strings vibrate in between (Between nut and bridge).

Hey Henri, good to hear from ya.

The hubcap guitar has a scale length of about 25 inches - thats neither standard strat (usually about 25.5 inches) or Les Paul (usually about 24.75 inches).

Cheers for now, davey.

[Cigarbox Henri]

Thanks for the welcome and quick reply!


Bass to treble referred to the guitar strings. Bass is the thickest string, treble is the thinnest string. So:

The thickest string is 56 gauge and tuned 'B'. This is the Bass string and plays the lowest note.
The next string is slightly thinner - 32 gauge tuned 'B'.
The next string is thinner still - 24 gauge tuned 'Fsharp'
The last string is the thinnest - 16 gauge tuned 'B'. This is the treble string and plays the highest note.

Any problems do let me know.

Cheers, davey.

I think with that B tuning, you will be able
to play for example Never go west, or?

[davey]

I think with that B tuning, you will be able
to play for example Never go west, or?

Yup, I've heard Steve play 'Never Go West' on his hubcap guitar tuned 'B'. He often plays 'Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks' on it, also usually also tuned 'B'.

There's also this great performance of 'Happy to Have a Job' - not checked for tuning but I don't suppose its any different :
http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/new-series-behind-the-scenes-production-office-blues?VideoBrowserMode=categories&VideoCategory=OutTakes

I have known Steve play '... Tricks' with the hubcap de-tuned a semitone too.

I don't suppose it matters too much - Steve's hubcap isn't really that accurately tuneable - John Paul Jones describes it as being tuned "B-ish and a bit less"!

Cheers, davey.

[StevieB]

Davey , looking a the two hubcap guitars it is obvious how Steve's is held together there are 4 bolts hoding the two hubcaps together. However on the other where are the bolts? How are they held in place?

[davey]

Davey , looking a the two hubcap guitars it is obvious how Steve's is held together there are 4 bolts hoding the two hubcaps together. However on the other where are the bolts? How are they held in place?

Well spotted! On the 'prototype' there are a pair of semicircle wooden blocks inside - one at the neck edge and the other at the tail edge. The hubcaps are anchored to these via screws around their rims. It makes for a nicer mating of the two hubcaps and a good solid fit. But its fiddly and slow to do, eventually the screw holes will tear out so its not as durable as I'd like, and it gives a less lively sound.

Cheers,

davey.

[StevieB]

Thanks for the reply it was keeping me awake at nights. Had been thinking of using a similar method myself, but using pop rivets. I thought I might attach the two rims with small pieces of aluminium with a rivet at either end. Clamping and drilling may be a problem though.

On another matter anyone have any experience of fitting pegs to a guitar? I’ve got an old flamenco guitar and the head is too thick to take machines and there is no trace of them ever being fitted. I’ve trawled the net but can’t find any info. If anyone has knows I’d certainly appreciate it.

[davey]

Thanks for the reply it was keeping me awake at nights. Had been thinking of using a similar method myself, but using pop rivets. I thought I might attach the two rims with small pieces of aluminium with a rivet at either end. Clamping and drilling may be a problem though.

On another matter anyone have any experience of fitting pegs to a guitar? I’ve got an old flamenco guitar and the head is too thick to take machines and there is no trace of them ever being fitted. I’ve trawled the net but can’t find any info. If anyone has knows I’d certainly appreciate it.

Hey Stevie, rivets should work and would be a nice light weight option - they'd look good too! If you need to get inside again to make adjustments or repairs then I guess you'd have to drill out the rivets and re-rivet when you're done (although thats not much of a problem - wouldn't take long!). Another thought - I wonder if the rivets might loosen with time and vibration, letting the hubcaps rattle? I've never used rivets in guitars so not sure how they'd perform long term. Anyone else out there tried it? Perhaps another option would be using small screws with captive bolts on the pieces of aluminium inside - that would let you retain access and give the option to re-tighten - but would be heavier than rivets and take more time to anchor the captives.

Sorry, never used pegs. Any ideas anyone?

Cheers for now, davey.

[StevieB]

Got the hubcap guitar up and running. Made one or two changes so far. Top hubcap bolted on using two plates as per Davey's. Had problems lining up the back, and after ruining one hubcap decided on attaching the rear one to the neck using a nut and bolt. Lining up the nut and bolt was difficult and I resorted to super gluing the nut to the neck before using the bolt. Used a Stella tail piece ala Trance wonder and a Gibson pick up, still considering options for bridge and nut. Work goes on, will post pictures as and when.

[davey]

Got the hubcap guitar up and running. Made one or two changes so far. Top hubcap bolted on using two plates as per Davey's. Had problems lining up the back, and after ruining one hubcap decided on attaching the rear one to the neck using a nut and bolt. Lining up the nut and bolt was difficult and I resorted to super gluing the nut to the neck before using the bolt. Used a Stella tail piece ala Trance wonder and a Gibson pick up, still considering options for bridge and nut. Work goes on, will post pictures as and when.

Excellent! Sounds great - can't wait to see those pics! Its a pig lining things up isn't it. Don't worry if things don't match so well - thats half the fun - they should be rough and ready! Are you enjoying the build?

All the best, davey.