Buildin´a CAJON

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Gdcast

Gdcast

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So what´s a CAJON? It´s a percussion box, and you can see one similar in action here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV1k_j99 ... re=related

Thanks to those guys, (not that particular song) I decided to learn how to build one and do it, Saturday morning I did, here is the result:





Electro-acoustic guitar strings in place:




Finished Cajon:




Rear panel:



It sounds really good and it´s great fun, now I only need a cymbal and I´m set.
Next is a video showing how it sounds :wink:
 
Those are a cool. My son's drum instructor has one that is fun to thump plus they make a good extra seat. :mrgreen:
 
Our church is a small start up church and the worship team consists of someone playing acoustic guitar and singing and another guy playing this...

@2423_79a163636910c249b43858666cca606d-690m-400m.png


It sounds awesome and it's easy to pack up at the end of the service. :mrgreen:
 
Rat Rod said:
Our church is a small start up church and the worship team consists of someone playing acoustic guitar and singing and another guy playing this...
Click to expand...

Umm......this is small ????? (sorry for the thread hijack)

church.jpg
 
Thanks for the nice comments guys!
It´s not only a great extra seat, it´s a great extra beer table that sounds good :wink:

Steve, if you go to church next to where you work, it´s still big :mrgreen:
 
Without me going through all the trouble of actually researching it myself :D how does hitting the top edge produce the snare sound and do you tune the sound with differing sound holes on the back or would that just affect volume?
 
The hole in the back displaces air inside the box, just like an acoustic guitar does.
Why exactly the hitting of the box produces different sound variations of Bass Drum and a Snare Drum I don´t know, but it happens :D
 
Gdcast said:
The hole in the back displaces air inside the box, just like an acoustic guitar does.
Why exactly the hitting of the box produces different sound variations of Bass Drum and a Snare Drum I don´t know, but it happens :D
Click to expand...

Not the answer I wanted. :mrgreen:
 
I built one with my dad a few months ago. Yours looks really nice! Instead of using the strings like yours, we used a snare drum snare cut in half, and pressed against the top edge of the front panel. I got the idea from looking inside an LP brand one, that's how they did it. It doesn't sound as nice as the Meinl ones, but it sounds pretty good for only costing a few bucks! I might have to post up a video too.. :p
 
That is really cool. you did a great woodworking job. Never heard of a Cajon before, but I instantly really like the instrument. Thanks for the new info for me.

One question, did you "tune" the guitar strings that you used? How did you tension them?

Thanks for the example youtube video, that is a really nice song and the Cajon player really knows his stuff.
The singer however drives me bananas, he sounds slightly flat to me throughout the song, and I don't have perfect pitch.
 
jerrykr said:
That is really cool. you did a great woodworking job. Never heard of a Cajon before, but I instantly really like the instrument. Thanks for the new info for me.

One question, did you "tune" the guitar strings that you used? How did you tension them?

Thanks for the example youtube video, that is a really nice song and the Cajon player really knows his stuff.
The singer however drives me bananas, he sounds slightly flat to me throughout the song, and I don't have perfect pitch.
Click to expand...

This has gotten me very excited and I've been looking at instructables and other things, I must have one! haha

Looks like tuning the strings is not important, but you do tension them. They act as a snare and some people build them with a snare inside instead of the guitar strings. Personally I think the strings would be better so I am looking into that for myself.
 
I think I have a few sets of old dead strings I could mail you for free.
But if you have music in your church, I'm sure the players will have a few sets for you in their guitar cases.
Looks like it's more a matter of steel vibrating against wood, than any kind of tuning to pitch.
But I still don't know it actually works.
(us '76 AMF guys have to stick together for projects!) :D
 
jerrykr said:
I think I have a few sets of old dead strings I could mail you for free.
But if you have music in your church, I'm sure the players will have a few sets for you in their guitar cases.
Looks like it's more a matter of steel vibrating against wood, than any kind of tuning to pitch.
But I still don't know it actually works.
(us '76 AMF guys have to stick together for projects!) :D
Click to expand...

Well, keep me in mind as you gather up strings, our church is more traditional, but we do have what is called a "blended" service with hymns and praise music. I think an instrument like this would be a great way to introduce percussion into a service alot easier than just bustin' up into the sanctuary with a whole set! haha
 
Wow guys, so nice to know you´re looking into building one!
This is my first instrument build, and my first attempt to actually play an "instrument".
I saw my first Cajon on Sunday 9/2, researched all week and build it on Saturday 9/10, so I´m not an expert. :D But, for what I´ve seen, you can use different strings configurations, snares, tape... I decided to go for strings, cause I thought it wouldn't be so radical you know.

jerrykr said:
One question, did you "tune" the guitar strings that you used? How did you tension them?
Click to expand...

I tensioned them gently with a clamp and finally with screws. I read in several tuts that the best to use are 0.38 elctro-acustic guitar strings (thickest).
This are different strings configurations:

cajon_3.jpg


yoothgeye: Go for it!! You wont regret it! I looked at several tutorials and choose the one I thought better.
This one is pretty good, but I´d look in more than one. http://caseyconnor.org/images/cajon/cajon.pdf
Let me know if I can help with pics or something else, and good luck with the build! :wink:
 
Gdcast said:
yoothgeye: Go for it!! You wont regret it! I looked at several tutorials and choose the one I thought better.
This one is pretty good, but I´d look in more than one. http://caseyconnor.org/images/cajon/cajon.pdf
Let me know if I can help with pics or something else, and good luck with the build! :wink:
Click to expand...

I was also looking at that caseyconnor.org build, as for help, do you have a larger image of that string layout above, and maybe a ruler that measures in centimeters? :mrgreen:
 

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