My first resonator

Sven

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I went with the skeleton method, since I thought that was the best way to do it. But I just read on Pete's site that he's come up with another method. Which will probably make lighter instruments. Mine will weigh 200 kilos.

This is the soundwell, made from laminated 0.4 mm plywood.

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It got a bottom, like this:

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And the skeleton was like this, when sort of completed:

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And yesterday I attached the neck and tried out the coverplate:

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High resolution pics at the blog, along with lame attempts at witticisms in a foreign language...
 
I went with the skeleton method, since I thought that was the best way to do it. But I just read on Pete's site that he's come up with another method. Which will probably make lighter instruments. Mine will weigh 200 kilos.

You might think about Pete's method-the thought of trying to play that makes my eyes water....:rolleyes:
 
Great looking build, I love the reso sound i am sure it will sound great.
Some people build resos with the cone resting just a little lower than the sound board on a recessed ring attached to the underside of the sound board. Then they have some dowels under the ring connecting it to the back of the instrument so the top is not overly stressed, makes for a lighter build as the whole inner support ring thing is not needed. some bracing is needed on the back since it is sharing the stress put on the top. Also the dowels eliminates the thing with where and how many holes to put in the inner ring to let the sound into the body of the instrument.
This might well be Peters method I don't know. I think this method requires a spider style cone and you might not be able to get such a thing in uke size.
I have some cones that allow the right biscuit height without the spider in in a uke friendly size so it can be mounted in the soundboard spiderless, so to speak. It is a bit hard to tell in the photo, you sort of have to see it in profile but the center comes up to just the right height. Cheers Ron.

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Well I put it together and strung it up, an by golly, it does make resonatorish sounds! Very very funnny. I cut two small soundholes, but didn't think of the fact that you can see the ugly plywood skeleton through them. Maybe I can find a way to limit the problem, or a long brush with brown stain will get busy.

Now I need to dismantle the whole thing and sand it and put some finish on. Didn't want to do that before checking string height and overall function.

And the scale stopped at 765 grams, not awful but the same as four piccolos. I used heavier metal tuners on this though, that explains some of the grams.

Pics will come, and maybe a vid.

Sven
 
Yup, flat as a very flat thing. It feels a little bit like holding a Melody Maker guitar when I'm playing it.
 
... I cut two small soundholes, but didn't think of the fact that you can see the ugly plywood skeleton through them. Maybe I can find a way to limit the problem, or a long brush with brown stain will get busy. ...

Most of the resonator guitars I've played had small screen covers over the sound holes. I always thought it was to keep the mice out ;) Now I realize that they also block the view inside so you don't see the skeleton... You might want to consider it.
 
I found some wire mesh, I'll see if I can mount it in a good way. If I had made the skeleton a little nicer looking I wouldn't bother, but I was in a hurry when making the back side of it.

Sven
 
Looks and sounds great. I'ma have to do one too.
 
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