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Home Made Resonator Boxes 101, v.2.0

Information

Beginning Box Building. Nothing too fancy, but functional. For people who don't have easy access to cigar boxes. Other home made non-rectangular box resonator discussions are also welcome.

Location: Planet Earth, but anyone from anywhere is welcome.
Members: 128
Latest Activity: May 18

14 members like this

Welcome to Home Made Resonator Boxes 101, Version 2.0

Updated: Oct 26, 2012

NOTICE: This CBN discussion group now has open membership. No need to get pre-approved registration to access the information contained within.

If you have ever built your 'guitar' with a home made sound box, let us know about it! Post your photos, especially any interesting construction techniques you used.

Due to my mistake of using the word "Resonator" in the name of this group, there now appears to be two groups of contributors:

1.) People wanting to discuss basic sound box construction (my intended audience):
2.) People wanting to discus building resonator cigar box guitars using metal resonators like what Old Lowe is famous for making and selling:

About This Discussion Forum

For those folks interested in building Resonator CBGs and Resonator Parts, please enter your posts under the Discussion Forum under either the "Resonator parts" discussion, or the "Placing the Resonator" discussion. Also be sure to check out my "Useful Links" which includes links to some interesting Reso-CBG related topics and photos (see below).

Most of the rest of this Discussion Forum is dedicated to people interested in discussing the various methods and styles of box building, including woodworking techniques, joinery, decorating and the like. Maybe we can have a different discussion forum for each style of box (rectangular, circular, octagonal, etc.) We'll see how the group evolves.

Useful Links:

Basic Woodworking
- Sawdust Making 101
- Do It 101 - Woodworking
Basic Box Building
- Project #13 "Boxtrot - Anything I Can Do (you can do)" by Mag Ruffman, the ToolGirl. In this article she shows how to make small wooden boxes complete with box joints using just a small fine toothed saw, a chisel and a few other simple hand tools to cut the box joint "fingers" and "holes". This is a very interesting article.
- Tom Hintz & TheNewWoodworker.com - Building Basic Boxes (using power tools). He has many other articles on woodworking, too.
- Gluing the Box Frame: Here's a diagram showing how to use two lengths of angle iron, several clamps and a web clamp to glue-up a box so that it will be nice and square. Read more about it in the Comment Wall, below.
- Harbour Freight also sells a nice web clamp ideal for box building. They describe it as a 1" x 15 ft. Ratcheting Band Clamp, Item # 66220, and it sells for only $5.99. Here's a photo: What's nice about this web clamp is that it includes 4 corner pieces which means you don't need the two pieces of angle iron used in the box jig above.
- Tony Hyman's Cigar History Museum - Types of Cigar Boxes has a lot of interesting photos of old cigar boxes that makes for some interesting viewing & reading, especially if you decide you want to decorate you home- made wooden box like an old cigar box.
Advanced Box Building
- Testing a box for bridge placement - a link to an interesting Cigar Box Nation discussion in the Super Advanced Cigar Box Building group that was started by a question posed by John Maw. The best solution was the idea of building a diddly bow in which to test your boxes for sound quality and optimal bridge placement. [Fixed link, 9/19/2011]
- Here's a challenging box design ideal for a real cool Cigar Box Guitar:
- Sound boxes don't have to be square or rectangular.They can have any number of sides. But remember that the corner joints must be cut at an angle appropriate to the number of sides the box will have. Here is a summary of that data:
  Num. of Sides = Corner Angles
  3 sided = 60 degrees
  4 sided = 45 degrees
  5 sided = 36 degrees
  6 sided = 30 degrees
  7 sided = 25.71 degrees (26 is okay)
  8 sided = 22.5 degrees
  9 sided = 20 degrees
  10 sided = 18 degrees
  11 sided = 16.36 degrees (16 is okay)
  12 sided = 15 degrees
  15 sided = 12 degrees
  16 sided = 11.25 degrees (11 is okay)
  
  Much above 16 sides and you may as well go with a circle. What ever number of sides you decide upon, the angle size can always be calculated by dividing 180 by the number of sides you want to have.
- How to bend wood to form rounded sound boxes? Check out these two web pages set up by Jim Varnum: "Travel Guitar"and "Appalachian Mountain Fiddle". Both articles describe in fair detail the process of bending wood by soaking them in near boiling water for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Another good source of information about bending wood is the Veritas® Steam-Bending Instruction Booklet, which is a free download - just click on their link "View as PDF" near the bottom of the page.
- The folks at buildyourguitar.com have a very extensive list of links for folks interested in building guitars. I'm sure there are a lot of techniques explained in these links that are applicable to building box guitars.
- (stub)
Resonator Cigar Box Guitars
- CBN Reso Group #1: How Loud Can We Make It?
- CBN Reso Group #2: How Good Can It Sound Unplugged?
- CBN Reso Group #3: Super Advanced Cigar Box Guitar Building
- Photos of Reso-CBGs (CBN photos tagged 'reso'. Tag your photos with 'reso' to appear here.)
- More Photos on Reso-CBGs (CBN photos tagged 'resonator'. Tag your photos with 'resonator' to appear here.)
- Video on spinning your own resonator cones at home by Roosterman.
Interesting Threads on Reso-CBGs
- Best Reso Tone?
- How to Install a Piezo Pickup on a Reso CBG?
- (stub)
- (stub)
Resonator Cone Makers/Sellers
- Mike Lowe (Old Lowe) High quality 6" brass, copper or aluminum cones for CBGs ($25/ea). He also is now making matching coverplates ($30/ea). Also check out his tail pieces and sound hole covers. I especially like those with the lone star motiff.
- Republic Guitars has a nice 5.75" resonator cone ($25) and cover plate ($25) which they sell in a 4-piece kit that additionally includes a biscuit and a bridge ($55). Republic also handle the large 10.25" cones and cover plates should you be interested in converting a full sized guitar. They also have a few tail piece offering.
- National Reso Phonic Guitars has resonator cones for Ukes and CBGs priced around $60, including the biscuit/bridge. They also have large reonators cones (9.5" and 10.5") for full-size guitar conversion projects.
- Delta Resonator Cones (UK) Cones for Ukes and CBGs (£40.00). They also have a large resonator cone thats 10.5" for full-sized guitars.
- Pete Moles (Molanator Guitars / Tasmania) Aluminum 'Molo Cones' for full sized guitars
- Klangbox (Austrian) 4.7" brass cones... are no longer available.
- Ben Moor's (Roosterman) Homespun Candy Cones for CBGs (£6 or £15 for 3). Measure 5.25" in diameter.
- Ziggie's Music (on E-Bay) sells a complete set of hardware for home-made resonator guitars: 7" spun aluminum cone, stainless steel cover plate, tail piece and soundhole cover all for ($75). Three patterns are available: Slot Pattern, 50's Pattern and Star Pattern.
- Note 1: Plus Shipping Charges
  Note 2: Klangbox also makes an interesting low profile magnetic pickup called the "Flatpup 3 Humbucker", which has been well received by some CBN builders.
Guitar Builder's Glossaries
- Frank Ford's "Fretted Instrument Terminology - An Illustrated Glossary"
- Tiki King's "Luthierie Dictionary"
- Ultimate Guitar Building's "Glossary of Luthier Terms". Also check out their Table of Contents as well - lot's of interesting info there.
- "Guitar Dictionary"
- (stub)

Discussion Forum

My Flying "V" Dulcimer Project

Started by Rand Moore. Last reply by Seaman Jay May 13. 9 Replies 4 Likes

Shortly before Christmas, David, the son of a teacher-friend of mine, after seeing and playing one of my paddle-box dulcimers, said he'd like a "Flying V" dulcimer (a flaming red one). So, from this suggestion came idea for this project.So, this…Continue

Tags: instructions, plans, tutorial, build, V

My CATBRO Resonator

Started by Tom Walters. Last reply by Dick Taylor Feb 24. 5 Replies 0 Likes

I realized I posted this in another discussion on piezos. Sorry for that.I am building a resonator guitar for my neighbour from a cedar box that had salmon in it (and a painting of a salmon), an old guitar neck and a cat food bowl.....hence the…Continue

My Build of a "Boat Paddle Box"

Started by Tom Walters. Last reply by Rand Moore Jan 5. 5 Replies 0 Likes

Inspired by Rand Moore's comprehensive write up on the "Boat Paddle Box, I have decided to take a crack at one myself. Here is the start. I am doing two at once. The neck is oak with mahogany strips glued on for the sides. I am going to cut a…Continue

Most useful power tool for CBG

Started by David Ford. Last reply by Larry Chapman Dec 28, 2012. 7 Replies 0 Likes

I'm struggling with space vs buying up for yet another hobby vs common sense. I currently have:a router and table. a japanese hand saw. a drill press. a rotary saw seems like making the neck, adequately, requires more power tool than I currently…Continue

Tags: saw, power, tools

Piezo Placement

Started by Doug Patterson. Last reply by Rand Moore Dec 24, 2012. 7 Replies 0 Likes

If this is not the appropriate place to ask this question, I apologize. I'm preparing my first box for a resonator cone but am unsure as to where the piezo should be placed. Is it placed on the cone itself or somewhere on the box? Any advice will…Continue

The Boat Paddle Box -- The Traditional Stick Dulcimer Soundbox

Started by Rand Moore. Last reply by Rand Moore Sep 20, 2012. 12 Replies 0 Likes

[Originally Posted: Mar 25, 2011] I have decided to call this the "boat paddle box", or simply the "paddle box" design, because of the shape of the final product. This body style is the traditional body style for stick dulcimers and was…Continue

Tags: sound box, stick dulcimer body, paddle box, canoe paddle, boat paddle

Blue Haze CBG Resonator Style--"Chicken Feed"

Started by DrByte. Last reply by Sleepy John May 31, 2012. 3 Replies 1 Like

Latest from the Blue Haze Cigar Box Guitar shop. This one is a resonator style. Four strings for ‘slide’ playing only. The resonator is a chicken watering pan that normally screws on a mason jar to supply chicks with water. Two pickups are in this…Continue

Tags: String, 4, resonator, reso, CBG

My Teardrop Project -- A stick dulcimer with a tear drop shaped body

Started by Rand Moore. Last reply by Mark Lillo May 19, 2012. 29 Replies 2 Likes

Hi All.I've decided I wanted to try my hand at wet bending wood, so I'm planning to build a teardrop shaped bodied instrument (most likely a stick dulcimer) by soaking the wood for the sides until pliable, then forcing the wood into a jig/form that…Continue

Tags: tear-drop, tear, drop, body, teardrop

Rand Moore My Mountain Dulcimer Project

Started by Rand Moore. Last reply by Phil Chestnut Jan 8, 2012. 8 Replies 0 Likes

[Originally Posted: Apr 28, 2011] I have been thinking of making a mountain dulcimer. My first idea was to do a long rectangular box or a long trapezoidal box, with the box tapering inward toward the headstock. But, with my experience with…Continue

Tags: Mountain, Galax, Dulcimer, Appalachian

Latest Resonator CBG

Started by Kevin O'Connor Dec 11, 2011. 0 Replies 0 Likes

Rand,This one is more for you. You had left a comment on one of my pics, back around May or so. I don't know if you saw this or not, so here is a link to one of the pictures...…Continue

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Comment Wall

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Comment by Michael Fred Johnson on September 22, 2011 at 7:39am: Somehow lost this image in my last comment. cbg14 front with fan struts

Comment by Michael Fred Johnson on September 22, 2011 at 7:36am: Second homemade box cbg14, fan strutted soundboard.The completed cbg has a homemade rosette.This guitar is much louder acoustically than the first probably because it has an under saddle p/u and nothing added to the front

Comment by Michael Fred Johnson on September 22, 2011 at 7:25am: First homemade box with American walnut back and sidesCedar front with pierced sound hole

Comment by Rand Moore on September 14, 2011 at 2:41am: I meant to say you could use a planer to cut the thickness of your Ouji board so that it is thin enough (1/4" or less) to be used as a sound board.

Comment by Rand Moore on September 14, 2011 at 2:36am: Hi Charles

Cedar (Spanish and otherwise), redwood, pine, basswood, mahogany, fir, and more than 50 other woods have been used to make cigar boxes. Rather than focusing on the type of wood to use, focus instead on finding low cost sources of wood in the dimensions you want to use. You can save a lot on effort if you can find wood in the right dimensions.

Here in China, I like to build my boxes out of Cherry wood that they sell in long strips cut in 2.2 meter lengths, and which is 3cm wide and 0.5 cm thick. I generally take two lengths of this wood and glue them together side edge by edge to form my sides, yeilding a box like 6cm deep. I can vary the length and width of the boxes to whatever I like. To join the sides, I like to use box joints, but 4 butt joints reinforced with corner posts also work well. For the top and bottom sides, I like to use 2mm thick plywood veneer, which I cut to size using a metal straight edge and a stout box cutter. The tops and bottom are glued onto the edge of the box frame (one side at a time) and clamped to dry. Then the rough edges are filed down, The box is then sanded and stained.

If you want the box to open like a cigar box, you will have to cut the box with some precision power saw (maybe a band saw) and jig. I've never done this, but some builders might want to. And then you need to find small hinges and clasp to be able to attach the lid to the base and latch the lid closed. That hardware might be hard to find.

If you are building a 6-stringer, the box will likely be large, so if you are using thin wood (like my 2mm plywood veneer) for the top and bottom (i.e. sound board and back board), then you will likely need some internal bracing. Otherwise look at using a thicker veneer. Cigar boxes are often like 3/16" to 1/4" thick. I am not sure how thick you Ouiji board is. You could plane it down to be fairly thing, or you could build an electric guitar, so the acoustic properties of your box won't be so important. However, the internal box bracing for a bolt-on neck needs to be pretty strong. Maybe 1.5" x 3/4" poplar (which you can get at Home Depot or Lowes) would do the trick.

-Rand.

Comment by Gadsden Guitars on September 13, 2011 at 10:16pm: How about wormwood.

Comment by charles hoffman on September 13, 2011 at 9:26pm: hello, i am building my first 6 string. i got the neck off of an acoustic guitar i found on the side of the road after hurricane ivan. i want to use a old Ouija board i have as the front piece. havent found a cigar box big enough for it. so i will build a box i guess. question is , what types of wood would be good to build it out of. i want to build it just like a cigar box. can anyone help?

Comment by Rand Moore on August 27, 2011 at 3:27am: You are welcome to follow what's going on here, Michael.

I am currently in a "Back to Basics" mode because my wood supplier B&Q is not re-ordering the type of wood I have used on most of the builds documented here. I need to locate another source for good building material, but I suspect they won't want to sell it unless it's a boat load full. I want to buy just enough for 2 or 3 jobs at a time, which is why I liked buying it thru B&Q. Fortunately, I have material enough for 3 more neck & headstock assemblies and several cigar boxes I brought from the States, so that should keep me busy for a while. I am also eagerly awaiting the arrival of Fall weather.

-Rand.

Comment by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on August 26, 2011 at 7:37am: Hi guys and gals. I'm not planning on building my own box's but the stuff you are doing could be incorporated into some ready made cigar box's to make them better. I'm gonna watch and learn.

Comment by Gadsden Guitars on July 29, 2011 at 1:58pm: Yep, i agree. There's a lot of info out there, soon i hope to build a Benedetto style archtop jazz guitar.