#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

Just What I Needed---Another Build

It's cold outside, even down South. Good excuse to stay inside and build something. I've admired the Black Tabak box some time and wanted to try a mag pickup and some bridge/nut ideas, so that made it okay to start another build.

It is a nice deep box that fitted up to a Maple neck and Walnut fret board. I chose a single magnetic pickup just to see what it was like. My other boxes have all been Piezo.

Even though the box is noticeably larger than my other builds, I think much of the warm, mellow tone is due to the pickup. I can really tell the difference in "box noise" between this one and my Piezo boxes. This is much quieter. I also noticed that the pickup doesn't seem to put out anywhere near the power of a Piezo. Even with the strings adjusted to less than 1/8" from the pickup at the 12th fret, I still have to crank up the amp quite a bit to equal the output I have with my Piezo boxes. Still, it is a very warm sound.

I've wondered about the value of being able to adjust individual string heights. Giving it some thought, I came up with the ideal below for the bridge and nut.

I used some 6-32 brass machine screws. I filed sting notches as I would with any other type of bridge.I did solder a wire from each of the three brass nuts on the bridge so I could ground the strings.

The nut became three more machine screws with the same notching.

With this system, I can adjust individual string heights from either end. So far, it seems to work well.

I threw in a lot of new stuff on this build (new to me in any case). I used a 24" scale instead of the 25" I normally use. So far I have been playing the "string game" trying to figure out what diameter stings work best on the shorter scale and with a mag pickup. All in all fun stuff. I think I may add a Piezo and a on-off-on rocker switch so I can hear first hand the difference between the mag and a Piezo.

1 member likes this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on February 13, 2015 at 5:35am

One reason you may not be getting the expected output from the mag pickup is your strings...they look like phosphor bronze acoustic strings. They do work w/ mag pups, but actual electric guitar strings are either pure steel, or nickel which gives a better response to the magnetic field, thus, better sound & output.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom T on February 13, 2015 at 7:12am

Good point. I have a couple of sets of nickel strings that I've never used. Maybe I'll just slip the middle three onto this box and give it a go. Thanks for the tip.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on February 13, 2015 at 5:36am

And I like your idea of the bridge & nut...screws that can adjust, very cool

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom T on February 13, 2015 at 7:12am

Thanks again. It's something I've been thinking about for a few months. Usually after fiddling with strings and frets on a new build trying to get good action from every string without buzz. A 1/4-20 brass screw looks really cool, but leaves a bit to be desired in terms of adjust ability. I figured that if it didn't work out, I could always file a groove for the 1/4-20 and build a new bridge. Fortunately, it seems to work and I can tweak each string a bit.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom T on February 13, 2015 at 7:58am

Thanks. I do spend too much time thinking about this stuff. I walk through the isles of Home Depot evaluating every item on the shelves as it might fit into a CBG.

I tend to go over the edge with whatever "thing" I'm interested in at the moment. A mild interest in antique clocks back in 2001 turned into a big web site and a 700 page book. Check out the How-too page. You may be able to use some of the techniques on builds Restoration How-to

It is interesting that you chose a 24" scale as well. I decided to give it a try after learning that Martin used it a lot on their guitars and after trying to stretch and hit a proper C on a three-stringer. I do notice that it is a bit easier to finger certain chord patterns.

Hurry up and get it finished so I can hear how yours sounds.

One thing I noticed on the pickup is that it is pretty heavy for those puny springs it sits on. I think a bit stiffer would work better at keeping the top of the pickup parallel to the strings. Or maybe it's just me.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom T on February 13, 2015 at 10:00am

Dumpster??

I just have to look in my garage storage closet. That's where I found that 1 X 4 walnut plank I've been dragging around for over forty years (just in case). Makes a lot of 1/4" X 1 1/2" fret board blanks.

But..............now that you mention it. I do live next to a construction site, so maybe a after-hours walk is in order. How would copper Romex wire work for frets? A foot or two should do three or four guitars.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Sawyer on February 13, 2015 at 9:19pm

lol, I thought of that. but copper is really soft... I was thinking of using it for side markers....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Keith on February 13, 2015 at 9:58am

Love that bridge! Full adjustable rustic! That is awesome

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom T on February 13, 2015 at 10:05am

Thanks. I filed my own slots instead of using the screw slots so that the slots were a better fit for the different string diameters. Seems to work well.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom T on February 18, 2015 at 4:34am

When I finished the Black Tabak CBG I was really surprised at how warm and mellow the tone was. "I've discovered the perfect box!" I said. Then I began to wonder. This was my first experience with a magnetic pickup and I wondered how much of the warm tone was the box how much was the pickup. After some rummaging around in the part bin I found a 20 mm Piezo and an on--off-on rocker switch. A bit of solder, some double-sided tape and I had either the mag or Piezo pickups at the flip of a switch.

I cranked up the amp and gave the guitar a try with the magnetic pickup. Nice warm tone. Very little string/slide noise. I flipped the switch to Piezo and played the same piece. Amazing difference. The warm tone was gone, replaced by the familiar sound I get from my other Piezo-equiped guitars. The sound was more raw with box noises, sting/slide noises, etc.

So, which do I like better? That's impossible to answer. The mag pickup gives a warm jazzy sound that is just pleasant to listen to. The Piezo, on the other hand sounds gritty and rough like old style blues need to sound.

In the end, I'm really glad I now have both options on this guitar. And, for the cost ($1.20 for a Piezo and $1.50 for a round rocker switch) made it a no brainer. In fact, I may go back and retrofit this setup on some of my old favorites.

All in all, a worthwhile experiment.