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

MicCheckOne Male Long Beach, CA United States: Share; Share on Twitter; Share on Facebook

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MicCheckOne's Discussions

Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?

Thanks for the good advice, guys. After the initial sting of seeing hours of hard work snapped off at the neck, I've been able to take a deep breath and think about how to salvage this "prototype" (g…

Tagged: electronics, wiring, guitar, can, oil

Replied Jan 17

Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?

Er... yep, that's pretty much exactly what I did. Live and learn. Here are some other hairbrained things I did: • Headstock and neck are two separate pieces cut at a bevel and joined together wi…

Tagged: electronics, wiring, guitar, can, oil

Replied Jan 15

Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?

Oh, I wish it were that simple! Unfortunately it's a through-the-body neck, one solid chunk. Just failed to correctly measure the height of the wraparound bridge/tailpiece combo, so the pickups and t…

Tagged: electronics, wiring, guitar, can, oil

Replied Jan 14

Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?

Well, here it is. My very first homemade guitar. I'll post a step-by-step chronicle of how I made it in the next week or so. Then you can see up-close what a piece of @$#%&! this thing actually i…

Tagged: electronics, wiring, guitar, can, oil

Replied Jan 12

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MicCheckOne's Page

Latest Activity

MicCheckOne commented on Steve Howlin Dog Haines's photo 'Photo_060109_016'

Love the soundholes. She's a beaut'.

January 28

MicCheckOne replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

January 17

ChickenboneJohn replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

It's all recoverable...just a few tips. Tilt back headstocks are not formed by bending, they are either cut from the solid or scarf jointed - you could probably just cut a splay onto the end of the existing neck and glue on a new headstock to form a…

January 16

Randy Webb replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

@MicCheckOne That's why I call my first "The Prototype" and my second "My First" lol

January 16

MicCheckOne replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

Er... yep, that's pretty much exactly what I did. Live and learn. Here are some other hairbrained things I did: • Headstock and neck are two separate pieces cut at a bevel and joined together with dowels and glue. Did this because I wanted to a…

January 15

ChickenboneJohn replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

With a thru' neck it should be fairly simple to adjust the neck angle, as it can effectively pivot around the heel and you just alter the fixing point at the end of the 'neckstick'..unless you've done something monolithic and the bridge posts are fi…

January 15

MicCheckOne replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

January 13

L.J. replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

Looks great! Exceptional first build. And thats all the problems you came out with? Awesome! now you know better for next time. And you can still shim the neck, With the use of a cover plate you could prbably reposition your bridgeto get the intonat…

January 12

ChickenboneJohn replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

Well done..the important thing it it's yours and YOU and (your dad) made it! You can always tinker with it (it took me a dozen or so 'dry builds' and teardowns before I got the first one to work right). If the action is too high and it's a bolt on n…

January 12

MicCheckOne updated their profile photo

January 12

MicCheckOne replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

Well, here it is. My very first homemade guitar. I'll post a step-by-step chronicle of how I made it in the next week or so. Then you can see up-close what a piece of @$#%&! this thing actually is. Definitely a learning experience. But, it was a fun…

January 12

MicCheckOne replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

Amazing. You rock. Just put in a full day's work on my first oil can guitar. My dad was in town for a visit and decided this project sounded like a lot of fun. Next thing you know, he grabbed the jigsaw and was cutting out a neck for the guitar. So…

December 31, 2009

ChickenboneJohn replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

Check out your computer supplier for fan covers...

December 30, 2009

L.J. replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

Great info!!!! I just got a 1968 Texaco oil can. I was thinking of making it my first fretted build. I was thinking acoustic to not eat up too much of the can's artwork. But Im torn. Anyways Great link on the blank cans.

December 29, 2009

MicCheckOne replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

ChickenboneJohn, could I also ask where you get your decorative soundhole covers? I saw a beautiful one in one of your oil can guitar photos and was wondering if you cut it yourself, or ordered it from someplace.

December 29, 2009

MicCheckOne replied to MicCheckOne's discussion 'Oil Can Guitar: How Do I Work Inside of It?'

Chickenbone John, you're a gentleman and a scholar. Thanks so much for the valuable advice. Since this is my first oil can guitar, I think I'll go with the slightly less ambitious method of popping the top off with a can opener. That way, I shouldn'…

December 21, 2009

Comment Wall (1 comment)

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Join Cigar Box Nation

At 10:53pm on December 20, 2009, Shane Speal said…: On behalf of the entire Cigar Box Nation, I would personally like to welcome you into the community. Whether you've already built your own cigar box guitar, are going to build one or are a performer who plays one, there are countless resources in here for you to get more out of these amazing instruments.

Here's a quick 'road map' to help you start navigating thru our community...
· The Free Plans section is our archives containing historic and modern step-by-step plans to build cigar box guitars, banjos, ukuleles and many other instruments.
· The Groups section offers specialized classrooms, discussions and various sub-groups of the Cigar Box Nation. Take some time to browse around and see if there's a particular cigar box group in your area or maybe a subject you needed help with.
· The Forum section is a place for people to ask specific questions to the general community. These questions may be about building, playing, selling and/or designing cigar box guitars and other related instruments.
· There is a Chat Feature at the bottom of every page at the gray bar. Click on Chat and a box will appear with the current chat. I am on the chat many times during the day. If you catch me in there, you can ask questions on building, playing and more. Also, there are many helpful members on there who will do the same. Pop in and say hi.

If you're a musician, make sure to post your own songs in the Music Player on your profile. Also post some pictures and tell us about yourself.

I'm truly glad you joined our community and hope it helps you enjoy these great instruments. There's nothing like a cigar box guitar...

Sincerely,
Shane Speal

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