Cigar Box Guitars: building tips, music and the cigar box culture

Mad Scientist Lab

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Where music and invention collide...

Location: An Underground Laboratory on the planet Earth
Members: 150
Latest Activity: Feb 22

Weird Science and Beautiful Mistakes

Let's figure out some cool instruments and innovations together.

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I've tried to cover a broad range of subjects both simple and advanced.

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Discussion Forum

Piezo feedback problems 11 Replies

Any body have a clue why I get this loud squealing feedback through the amp when I try to turn up the volume? It is not corrected by moving further from the amp. This is a piezo pickup mounted to the…

Started by blues2paintby)David Fultz. Last reply by Mark Mercer Jan 25.

2 prong outlet guitar chord? 4 Replies

I was just wondering. 1/4 jacks are kinda pricey? And would it be cool to make your own pick up and wire it to a outlet plug in the box, and then have a 2 prong plug go to your cbg to your amp. This…

Started by Jerryrig240. Last reply by Mark Mercer Jan 22.

Distortion 11 Replies

I've been trying figure out how to simulate distortion effect FOR MY ACOUSTIC CIGAR BOX GUITAR--without electrifying it! Any thoughts, beyond creating cracks in the wood?

Started by Kevin M. Kraft. Last reply by Jerryrig240 Jan 12.

beer bottle caps 8 Replies

I once saw someone with a stick loosely covered in beer bottle caps that rattled when they banged it on the floor. I'm thinking of building a stomp box and want to include something that gives a loud…

Started by smojo. Last reply by Nick Jan 5.

wiring mystery 4 Replies

Hello friends! I have finished my newest build, but am running into grounding issues. It's a basic setup with vol and tone pots with a hot wound (12 ohm) humbucker in the neck position. I have resold…

Started by bucky. Last reply by bucky Jan 2.

Pick-ups 21 Replies

Ted, I like the look of your stonehenge pups and being an (ex) telecoms engineer would love to have a go at making my own for my three stringers. Can you give me some basics like what type of magnets…

Started by smojo. Last reply by PAPA CHARLIE Dec. 29, 2009.

Angled shim /fill needed -- ideas? 13 Replies

I'm working on a build where I (deliberately) cut the slot on the neck side "lower" than the tail side, in order to get a bit of neck angle: my goal is to use a higher bridge than usual (more vibe tr…

Tagged: fretboard, shim, angle, neck

Started by Tres Seaver. Last reply by Randy Beach Nov. 12, 2009.

Fretless buzz? 4 Replies

I strung up the box i posted about (see the angled shim discussion), configured for low-action fretless play. The fingerboard looks nicely parallel to the strings, with a comfortable, low action. How…

Tagged: buzz, fretless, action

Started by Tres Seaver. Last reply by Matt Towe Oct. 31, 2009.

Gremlins inside 3 Replies

Dont know if anyone else has experienced this problem, but I think I got gremlins in my box! To cut a long story short, my twin neck project tone pot just will not work. The guitar features 2 pups…

Tagged: capacitor, tone, wiring, rooster, randy

Started by Roosterman. Last reply by bucky Oct. 28, 2009.

Wire Piezo with a volume / tone anyone goe a diagram or surgestions 3 Replies

Hi all, Just getting ready to make my first CBG and as I have a duff should at the moment I thought I would start with my wiring. I have a piezo tranducer and a jack at present. I will be buying a to…

Started by Alan Robinson. Last reply by Matte Resist Oct. 5, 2009.

Comment Wall

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Comment by chris ekelman on December 6, 2009 at 12:17pm: I like science.

Comment by Doc Oakroot on July 25, 2009 at 10:21pm: Skillbilly,

Build a carry through structure and then attach the neck to it using the same hardware that held it on the original guitar. You will probably have to extend the bolt-on point outside the box for the bridge to be on the box with correct intonation, but that actually makes it easier to do.

Comment by bairfoot cajun on July 25, 2009 at 8:36pm: quote from Spider Robinson in the novel [Calahan,s Key]-------you meet people all the time who believe,deep down in their hearts,that' Madscientist' is one word,that most scientist are weird warlocks willing to risk all our lives by playing with forces they really don,t understand. but in yer heart you know that while individual humans may be fallible or quirky,science itself-the search for truth-is holy. Nicola Tesla is one of the main characters in this book.

Comment by Ted Crocker on June 15, 2009 at 2:50am: Looks like it's time for me to update a lot of sections here. Any requests?

Comment by SkillBilly on April 10, 2009 at 2:13am: Does anyone have any tips for securing a scabbed neck from a Strat, to a CBG? I usually make my own necks and they are all through body oak or maple with aspen for the fret board. Is this something that can be done internally and still have a good structural integrity?

Comment by Jacob Henry on December 31, 2008 at 11:44am: Ted, just want say thanks again fer havin Christian and I down to da shop. Awsome time dude, great instruments and shop.Tell Taxi we said hey.
J.H./C.B.

Comment by Cajun Pilot/Darren Wayne West on December 25, 2008 at 2:55am: What is the best way to cut a bottle neck to make a slide?

Comment by Jacob Henry on December 23, 2008 at 9:57am: Great room ted.

Comment by bairfoot cajun on December 19, 2008 at 1:13pm: this is the club i been waitin for,i fit real good here, ask me i,ll tell you so. i am always trying to do stuff with a scientific approach. thanks ted for the club, it has no boundarys for invention.