Cigar Box Guitar

[The Gopher]

something i've wanted to make for a while now and finally got around to it. Aside from the tunign pegs and strings everything else is scrounged.

Neck - 1by2 oak board
Body - Cohiba cigar box (no i didn't get to smoke them all)
Guide holes/stops for strings - 1/8" pop rivets with the nail popped out.
Fret wire - finish nails
Bridge and nut - oak scraps

I need to rework the bridge, the current one is just a floating bridge and was just a quicky.

I'm not musically inclined, i just wanted to build one, I'll leave the playing to Halfrack

[HalfRack]

Hey now that's SAWEET!  Excellent workmanship as always. 

If you'd like I can lay down a backing track of 12 bar blues for you to practice slide with!  Maybe watch some Youtube Cigar Box vids.  You know you can make a cigar box amp too... 

My guitar is in the shop getting refretted from 1-5, as I've worn them out playing hard for the last 5 years so I'm in withdrawl.  Now I'll have to make one so I can practice.  Maybe Doc Fun has played one?

-Mike

[The Gopher]

i might make another one for slide, that would be even easier than this one. these are really quite easy to make. the tobacco shop by my work sells cigar boxes for a buck a piece.

i don't think i'm serious enought about playing to electrify it, just goofing around, but it's fun!

[HalfRack]

Wow, if I don't make one by the BBW, might have to have you pick up some boxes for me.  That's cheap!  Fun project!

-Mike

[Bucksnort101]

Nice. I need to get back to work on the Guitar projects that's been collecting dust for over a year now.

Cigar Jones in Minnetonka (on Minnetonka Blvd) used to give away cigar boxes. Been a few years since I've been there  so I'm not sure if they are still free.  May have to run up there are check it out again, but then I'll probably break down and buy a couple Cigars as well.

[Bucksnort101]

Hey Dan, do you remember the web-site that you used to get the fret layout for your CBG?  I think Mike will be a little upset with me if I don't make one for next years BBW.

[The Gopher]

I can't remember the exact website, but if you google fret calculator you will get lots of options. all of them should work, you just enter the number of frets and the scale length.

[The Gopher]

Hey CBG builders! here are some notes that i took when i was building mine:

- Scale length is the distance from the but to the bridge.
- Approximate bridge placement is 1/3 of box length from the back of the box. The closer to the center of the box the more "banjo-y" it will   sound and the closer to the tail the more "guitarish" it will sound.
- I used a scale length of 24.5" (622.3 mm) I found it easier to use mm when laying out the frets.
- The 12th fret is half way between the nut and the bridge.
- Even though i layed everything out as if the bridge were to be fixed, i just let it float so you can change the sound.
- I used this link to calculate my frets, just enter your scale length and number of frets.   
   http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/fretcalc/jscrptclc.htm
- I used these strings: G (.026), B (.017) and E (.013)

Good luck, post pictures and ask questions, Dan.

[Bucksnort101]

Thanks for the info Dan.

Just found and bought a sweet little cigar box on e-bay. Hopefully it will arrive by Labor day so I can get a start, but then I'll probably be out goose hunting all weekend.

[Tod_Becker]

We made some progress on Brady's last night. When you go for the tuning pegs, you may want to ask if they have any used ones. The store we went to had a whole box in the back. Eight dollars for the set of three pegs and three strings.

[HalfRack]

I'm ordering tuners, fretwire and strings so I can try to set up as low an action as possible.  May try a funky headstock to add a coolness factor.  Looking around I can't believe all the stuff available to dress these things up.  Looking at what needs to be done to electrify!  Slide?  We can get pretty crazy with these things.   

-Mike

[HalfRack]

I'm looking at the fretwire instead of the nails, it pounds in, you snip it to length then dress the ends, done.  And also the fret saw, google cigar box fret install and see it in action.  Ordering extra fretwire since I know of relatives that would get a kick out of this..  I will be making a 4 string using basically the four highest strings on a regular guitar, with the same width spacing I have on my Taylor.  I will use varying height nut and bridges to get the best result.  That way I won't have to relearn chords! 

-Mike

[The Gopher]

I've created a monster!

[Bucksnort101]

Yes you did Dan. Still waiting for my box to arrive in the mail. Debating on a 4 string or 6?   How about a bedpan guitar, AKA Crappercaster.

[HalfRack]

Dan you did create a monster!  You can make cigar box banjoes, mandolins, ukies, amps, it never ends.  Crappercaster?  I've got to see that..

-Mike