Question for Guitar People...

S q u e e ! · Post by **S q u e e !** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:20 pm

To make a story short, I have to make a 14 string guitar. No, not 14 different strings on different pitches, but 7 doubled, like on a 12 string.

So, here is my dilemma.

I can't find a bridge like that at all. I want you to tell me if you think this will work. I'm going to get individual, stoptail bridges, like these. I want to have the primary strings (root) go through these, and the secondary (octave) string go through a bridge made of corian, over the stoptails, over a second corian bridge, and into a second stoptail, like this one.

Here is a paint quicky

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:43 pm

sounds tricky, but it could work...

hm. so all the strings will terminate at the first corian bridge (at least as far as acoustics are concerned)... so why have some end in individual 'stoptail' thingies, and others end in that other thing? why not keep it consistent.

this thing will have pretty bad intonation if all the strings end in a straight line like that. even if you angle it. i guess its not that big a problem, every acoustic guitar i have ever played has terrible intonation.

S q u e e ! · Post by **S q u e e !** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:07 pm

That's what I was thinking, so I was going to ask if I would be better if I took out the first corian bridge, and replaced the second (behind the individual bridges) with a Tune-O-Matic saddle system like this.

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:38 pm

definitely better. why not use two of those?

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 6:16 am

Yes, either idea will work, but the first with bad intonattion (damn, can't sp). Either way, why do you want 14 strings? Why not just build a 12 string?

Or, if your doing an acoustic because the bridge is made of wood you can make your own like this:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_ta ... lanks.html

Also, is the nut also a problem? I'd think that it might have to be just a bit wider, but I'm assuming you've already thought of this.

And, what happened to that other guitar project you were doing? (the 3 or 4 neck guitar, can't remember, i'm sleepy right now)

S q u e e ! · Post by **S q u e e !** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 2:16 pm

No, I don't want to build a 12 string. Have you ever heard of a 7-string doubled guitar? I didn't think so. I want to be the first.

No, the nut isn't a problem, as I will be making the thing comepletely by hand.

Yes, I am still doing my other project.

watermelon · Post by **watermelon** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 4:21 pm

go to project guitar.com. those guys know everything there is to know about guitar construction.

i cant remeber ever seeing a 14 string guitar, but ive seen loads of 7strings with the bottom three doubled for more rargh.

personally id just cut six new holes in a bigsby bridge and be done with it. i dont use trem much anyway so id probably just have it fixed most of the time anyway, and just have it there to look good.

but if your going acosutic why not just have a string through? it would offer great sustain and a sharper tone, which may be preferable.

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 5:05 pm

S q u e e ! wrote:No, I don't want to build a 12 string. Have you ever heard of a 7-string doubled guitar? I didn't think so.

Actually I have. Its a project in progress, being made by a guy called S q u e e !

But actually, it is a good idea. Considering how cool 7 strings are and how cool 12 strings are its hard to believe that one hasn't been made.