Official Luthiers Forum!

I am getting 'close' to finishing up a couple and have a few questions...

> What strings do you guys (gals) use?
> What gauge/brand strings do you recommend? I don't want to tear the cedar tops off...
> How do you set it up? Currently I'm shooting for ~.25" at the nut and ~.3125" above the 12th.
> Case options? I'm looking to get a couple inexpensive cases and modify them. What size should I look for? OO? Classical? (dimensions: 37" overall, 10.25" UB, 8.75" waist, 15.25"LB)

Thank you in advance. This place has been a huge help along the way.

Best,
_Mike

_________________
_Mike Tracz
MCT Guitars
https://www.instagram.com/mustcreatethings/
https://www.youtube.com/mustcreatethings

I use Martin 13-56, because they can be found for not much moolah,
and they sound fine to me.
When I can find a set of Diadario baritone strings, I buy a set.
They are 14 on top.
I found a big used case at a guitar store that all of my guitars fit in, with some padding,
or Elderly sells weiss cases, or you can build one.
I built one that is just a rectangle out of 3/4" birch, and 1/4" birch top and back.
Nice looking axe there!

Hi mike where did you get plans for the weiss gtr? There are several out there ,not sure which one is the most accurate thanks ernie

Alan,
Thanks for the specs on strings. I'm going to give them a shot as I was hoping not to have to order online... I was looking at the Elderly case but am not to keen on having GoldTone spray painted on the side. I guess I could spray over that... Oh and thanks for the kind words, they mean a ton coming from a builder like you!

Ernie,
I made my own plans. I'm not sure which of the commercial available are the best... My shape is a bit different and the bracing is asymmetric.

If anyone has any other experiences with cases, strings, and setup please let me know.

_Mike

_________________
_Mike Tracz
MCT Guitars
https://www.instagram.com/mustcreatethings/
https://www.youtube.com/mustcreatethings

Case - a Beard Goldtone from Elderly (about $130) fits mine perfectly including supporting the neck nicely. Mine are "standard" size, built from the MIMF plans (with a little help from the StewMac plans). If yours is significantly different I have had great luck with custom cases from Cedar Creek (long scale small bodied twelve, wooden tricone etc). They are expensive and slow but beautiful cases that fit perfectly.

Strings depends totally on tuning and construction. There was a great article on IGS about strings for Weissenborns with Brozman and several others chiming in, but that site is currently down. I have a hard copy and could snail mail it. I'm currently running mediums on mine for open D and G, but have bumped the first up to a 16. I still "fret out" slightly (hit the side with my slide). There was some discussion that the Pearse weissenborn set wasn't the best gauges but I don't remember what was wrong with them. If you are tuning to high bass G watch those bottom two - they will be tuned up significantly.

Action - I'm about 1/4 at the nut and a bit higher at the end of the fretboard, but that is still a bit low when I put a sound hole pickup in it because the fretboard is thin. If you used a piece of fretwire for your saddle you won't have much choice - I have a standard bone saddle in mine. I'm assuming you didn't install frets (just markers) - if you did you might want to go a hair higher.

What!?

I use D'Addario EJ17's with a .014" on the 1st as standard specs out the door. EJ16 / .013" if spec'd for E, F or A tunings (although mediums are fine-ish, also).

My setup specs have been posted here and elsewhere, already - so next question!?

Cases can be ordered direct from Cedar Creek for Weissenborn shaped instruments, or you can modify a standard TKL OM or other brand case. For an inexpensive option the Guardian cases are nice because they are shallow.

Thank you everyone. I will look into the OM case and strings as mentioned.

Thanks again!!!

_Mike

_________________
_Mike Tracz
MCT Guitars
https://www.instagram.com/mustcreatethings/
https://www.youtube.com/mustcreatethings