Jasmine s34c guitar to bouzouki conversion

[garryireland]

Day one:
Jasmine takamine acoustic guitar s34c


Removed tuning machines and strings

Placed tailpiece but i may use the trapeze



Lovely cutaway auditorium guitar with a slim neck profile

Next job is plug the middle tuners and install the new mini tuning machines and 4new holes

[Lord of the Badgers]

You are a busy lad Garry! Cool

[garryireland]

You are a busy lad Garry! Cool

Well i had to sell my instruments there a while ago. Now ive got the om, i Always wanted a bouzar, so here it is! After this I'll be a happy chap

[Lord of the Badgers]

Nice I'm going to have to thin the herd to pay for the beast I'm getting from Nigel F... Gotta be done sometimes!
Messed up selling my octave. Will try again when I decide on selling the Buchanan (or not)

Be great to hear it when it's done mate

[garryireland]

Nice I'm going to have to thin the herd to pay for the beast I'm getting from Nigel F... Gotta be done sometimes!
Messed up selling my octave. Will try again when I decide on selling the Buchanan (or not)

Be great to hear it when it's done mate

What's Nigel making you?

[garryireland]

What's Nigel making you?

I decided to go with the trapeze instead. Pictures to follow

[garryireland]

New bridge just arrived with thanks to Dave Hynds luthier in France. Parts are coming from all over the world so this is taking some time


New trapeze just put on. Im going to cut a new saddle.
These tuners are still en route from China

[kkmm]

Excuse me for my ignorance. Can someone tell me a bit about it:
1) number of string courses
2) tuning ?
3) typical scale length
4) typical nut width
I have seen pictures but they do not worth 1000 words as the old saying.
I am curious to hear how this "bouzouki" sounds when it done.

[garryireland]

Excuse me for my ignorance. Can someone tell me a bit about it:
1) number of string courses
2) tuning ?
3) typical scale length
4) typical nut width
I have seen pictures but they do not worth 1000 words as the old saying.
I am curious to hear how this "bouzouki" sounds when it done.

Well its the same as a zouk so 4 pairs, gdad, scale is 650mm and nut is 42mm

[garryireland]

I meant to say new nut obviously. Thats the new one on the neck before i removed the guitar nut

[kkmm]

Well its the same as a zouk so 4 pairs, gdad, scale is 650mm and nut is 42mm

Thanks for the info. So, bouzouki is a mandolin family member.
The scale length is a tiny bit longer than acoustic guitar scale length.
I ask because I have never had a chance to see or touch one.

[garryireland]

Yeah sorry i assumed you knew. I'll post more pics and video but seems nobody is interested only yourself and Badger!

[keelhauled]

Garry
I'm interested. I play a Fylde signature with a fishman pickup and I'm looking to cobble together something like a takamine because they usually come fairly cheap and gave a decent pickup installed.
I wonder if I used the existing piezo pickup under the bridge would it work for the four courses of strings or would it be zoned to six strings.
Anyway keep the pics and progress notes coming
Mick
Wexford

[garryireland]

Garry
I'm interested. I play a Fylde signature with a fishman pickup and I'm looking to cobble together something like a takamine because they usually come fairly cheap and gave a decent pickup installed.
I wonder if I used the existing piezo pickup under the bridge would it work for the four courses of strings or would it be zoned to six strings.
Anyway keep the pics and progress notes coming
Mick
Wexford

Zoned for the six i would tink. Im getting the twin k and k pickup. If you want you can call down and have a play of it. I should have it done next week. You can join my new folk club too

[keelhauled]

Ok where are you based?

[garryireland]

Ok where are you based?

Outside the city. We spoke before i think. Send me a private message

[kkmm]

I wonder if I used the existing piezo pickup under the bridge would it work for the four courses of strings or would it be zoned to six strings.

Yes, the standard piezo pickup (for 6 string guitar) works well when the guitar is converted to 8 strings CBOM. I just converted one guitar to OM like this.
Initially, I had the same concern as the piezo transducer for guitar has 6 bumps corresponding to 6 string position. I have installed them on 3 dozen guitars/mandolins (but cutting them short for mandolin) and they work fine. As long as there are strong vibration applied to the transducer, it works.

[garryireland]

Yes, the standard piezo pickup (for 6 string guitar) works well when the guitar is converted to 8 strings CBOM. I just converted one guitar to OM like this.
Initially, I had the same concern as the piezo transducer for guitar has 6 bumps corresponding to 6 string position. I have installed them on 3 dozen guitars/mandolins (but cutting them short for mandolin) and they work fine. As long as there are strong vibration applied to the transducer, it works.

Thanks for the info.

[garryireland]

Well the tuners finally arrived and guess what. I was sent ones that need a 10mm hole and the current ones are 8mm. Any ideas on the safest way to enlarge the holes?

[NotMelloCello]

Peghole reamer.
Probably cheaper to sell the tuners (or return them), and get the proper size.

[garryireland]

Peghole reamer.
Probably cheaper to sell the tuners (or return them), and get the proper size.

Well i was thinking just drill it out to fit. I have to plug two of them to drill four new holes anyway.

[keelhauled]

If you try to drill you will probably splech out the holes. What you should do is superglue in sacrificial 8mm dowels into all the holes, you don't have to be too fussy trimming them flush. Drill a 2mm pilot hole through the centre of these for your 10mm bit to follow. Job done. Clamp a piece of scrap to the back of the head to reduce breakout.

[kkmm]

Well the tuners finally arrived and guess what. I was sent ones that need a 10mm hole and the current ones are 8mm. Any ideas on the safest way to enlarge the holes?

You have to plug the existing 6 holes then drill the 8 holes the way keelhauled described above or keep one hole and drill 3 more on each side. But you need to make sure, before drilling, the tuner is at the proper position on the head stock (pointing up), NOT too high, NOT too low. If not, plug all and drill all 8 new ones.
When I do the conversion, I wait until I get the tuner hardware before any drilling. And ... I practiced drilling a row of 4 holes on scrap woods 3 or 4 times until I got perfect alignment. The last "perfectly drilled" piece became my template.

[garryireland]

You have to plug the existing 6 holes then drill the 8 holes the way keelhauled described above or keep one hole and drill 3 more on each side. But you need to make sure, before drilling, the tuner is at the proper position on the head stock (pointing up), NOT too high, NOT too low. If not, plug all and drill all 8 new ones.
When I do the conversion, I wait until I get the tuner hardware before any drilling. And ... I practiced drilling a row of 4 holes on scrap woods 3 or 4 times until I got perfect alignment. The last "perfectly drilled" piece became my template.

Well most conversion I've seen have the two middle tuners plugged and then the 4 new ones drilled. Guy on YouTube used a drill bit but did it by hand to widen the holes

[kkmm]

Well most conversion I've seen have the two middle tuners plugged and then the 4 new ones drilled

This means you keep two holes on each side, and use individual tuner, not a set of 2 x 4. This is certainly easier than having to drill holes at exact distance.
Question for OP: did you order individual tuners or set of 2 x 4 ?