Electric Resonator Scratch Build

[Dolando]

Hello all,

I asked for some help some time ago with regards advise on reso cones for a build. Well I’ve made a start so thought I’d share some progress on here.

Here’s the rough design with some parts for context…





Cheers,

Adam

[Dolando]

Here’s the neck and another neck after truss rod is routed. I did both as once it’s setup I may as well do the next one I plan to build. Saves me some time down the line. 




The neck on the right is for the reso. Rosted maple paired with a lovely bit of ebony. The left will be a les Paul/tele type build that I plan to take on next. 

Below, marking out nut line and headstock shape etc. the tuners holes have also been partly drilled. The correct locations have already been worked out and in my master neck template. 

[pete1951]

Looks like you don’t need any help. The bridge position is ,of coarse , critical. I usually try to string up the body ( probably with just a top and bottom string ) before I cut the hole for the cone. I know the approx hight of the bridge ( usually the centre of the hand rest/cover plate gap) . So with a block the right hight, I can get the intonation perfect ( or as good as it gets with a narrow saddle).

Pete

I’m sure I have posted about this before sometime.

[Dolando]

Aug 30, 2022 6:56:11 GMT pete1951 said:

Looks like you don’t need any help. The bridge position is ,of coarse , critical. I usually try to string up the body ( probably with just a top and bottom string ) before I cut the hole for the cone. I know the approx hight of the bridge ( usually the centre of the hand rest/cover plate gap) . So with a block the right hight, I can get the intonation perfect ( or as good as it gets with a narrow saddle).

Pete

I’m sure I have posted about this before sometime.

Thanks for the reply. Yea it’s the critical part for any build but…it’s all in the R and D. This is my 11th build not resos, but concepts the same. The bridge has to be correctly positioned. Haha. First build with angled neck pocket so that took some thinking. It’s easier when you can mock it up with a normal bridge placed on the body.

Should be interesting build. Trying out some new techniques I’ve never done before like bindings etc.

[Dolando]

I managed to get the neck shaped and transition on the headstock done. Really liking this ebony board! 



 
Radius the board next. I have a jig to do this but don’t have the radius I want to use so slow sanding it is. Going to be a 20” radius. 

[Dolando]

Body shaping…

Here’s the final body shape…going for normal reso shape but solid body electric style. 



Here’s a little mock up of how it’s going to look. . 

[Dolando]

Made lots of dust. Routed my first angled neck pocket which took a little bit of head scratching with it being a reso cone and not a normal bridge, but I’m sure it’s right…we shall see…

I also made even more dust routing out the main cavity for the cone. Not gone full depth but tempted to step it towards the middle getting deeper. To create as much volume under the cone as possible but keeping some strength…? 

[Dolando]

Trying to do some things I’ve not done before, so fancied a double bound body. 




Bit of a learning curve bending the binding. Had to re order some as it burnt one on the last curve. A very fine line between hot enough to bend and on fire! 



Ready to be glued…

[Dolando]

I got the binding scraped back and I just say for my first effort I’m very happy with it! 


I’m also pretty pleased with the join on the rear of the bottom binding, was worried it would show a big gap or be really obvious, but pretty happy with the result. 

[calvoi]

Dolando this is shaping up really nicely. I love these kind of build threads. Thanks for documenting.

The double binding looks ace. I don't normally like white binding but with the mahogany it looks really tidy.

I did a double binding once with real wood binding - getting the heat right is really hard - I had a few scorched bits that ended up sanding out. Yours looks real tidy though. Well done.

[Dolando]

Sept 11, 2022 13:41:46 GMT calvoi said:

Dolando this is shaping up really nicely. I love these kind of build threads. Thanks for documenting.

The double binding looks ace. I don't normally like white binding but with the mahogany it looks really tidy.

I did a double binding once with real wood binding - getting the heat right is really hard - I had a few scorched bits that ended up sanding out. Yours looks real tidy though. Well done.

Thanks so much!

it’s actually false ivory binding. You can’t really see easily in the photos, if you are able to zoom you might see it, but has subtle stripes through it and is off slightly off white.

Yea I had to reorder some new binding as right near the end, I get to confident and burnt it too much.

[Dolando]

A few delays but back at it. I managed to get the cone height routed. Might need some tweaking down the line but seems about right from why I can see. I also made a bridge saddle from the roasted maple. 


I also used a big round router bit and a guide bushing to make as much of the cone cavity as bowl like as possible. 

[pete1951]

The challenge is to get some of that ‘ behind the cone’ sound out into the world, though I also suspect that the more space there is behind the cone the better . Some guitars of similar design have holes or even a flat cover plate ( with no hand rest or cone hole!) on the back.
Pete





On this mandolin I had holes linking the top and bottom, the cone sat on a 6mm ply ring

[Dolando]

Oct 25, 2022 7:35:05 GMT pete1951 said:

The challenge is to get some of that ‘ behind the cone’ sound out into the world, though I also suspect that the more space there is behind the cone the better . Some guitars of similar design have holes or even a flat cover plate ( with no hand rest or cone hole!) on the back.
Pete





On this mandolin I had holes linking the top and bottom, the cone sat on a 6mm ply ring

Those holes are a great idea! I was toying with a sound hole on the back, but that would really work, and would keep the clean look I’m going for. I assume they are still covered but the cover plate? Hmm…got me thinking now…

[Michael Messer]

The soundhole at the back is a bad idea as most of the sound ends up in your jumper. It's cool on 1950s National 1133s and 1033s, but it is not a great thing to do. The mandolin-style holes are your best option.

Shine On
Michael