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May 2009 Blog Posts (15)

d-bow building

i would like to say thanks to the d-bow builders here in this cigarbox nation if it were not fer those of you that build d-bows i would not know the fun it is to build them. cause i look at all the talent and say cajun you must build some of those too they gots to be great fun to build. so therefore i am finding out how much fun it really is to build d-bows thanks to you guys.i had built one several months ago cause i had a small box that i wasnt sure what i would do with it so i did build a… Continue

Added by bairfoot cajun on May 31, 2009 at 5:01am — 2 Comments

Did a bit of work on the neck today.

Cut the headstock relief, temp fitted the machine heads,

cut the nut slot (Im using 1/4" round brass).

Drilled and cut Stainless rivets for the string fixing end.

Ive got a few days wait for the frets, I figure it will be easier to fret with the neck still "unshaped".

Once the frets are in I'll shape the back of the… Continue

Added by Brian on May 28, 2009 at 2:00am — No Comments

Think i'll make another one...

I am so pleased with my first cigarbox ukulele that i must make another one. I've already accumalated some of the basic materials to make it.

The Cigarbox i'm going to use has a cool story. There's a really nifty music store (my favorite) in Rotterdam called "Japies Akkordeon Paleis". Japie is a cigar smoker so i scored one of… Continue

Added by Shelley on May 27, 2009 at 9:53am — 13 Comments

CigarBox Ukulele No.1

Here it is. My first Cigarbox Ukulele...And ain't it sweet! In building it i had a rule: I wouldn't buy anything new to make it. Everything had to be found, given or second hand. The 'Romeo y Julieta' Cigarbox was given to me by… Continue

Added by Shelley on May 27, 2009 at 9:47am — No Comments

Work is underway

Started work on guitar today,

cut out the releif for the neck in the box and the lid cutout into the neck.

The black stuff is tape to help stop the paper and wood splitting out the back when filing..

Camera was cutting out , low batteries, so took a couple of pics quickely.......

Tried peeling the cancer sticker off, with some sucess, but its a bit touch and go.

But when I… Continue

Added by Brian on May 26, 2009 at 3:07am — No Comments

2 boxes arrived today.

This one from the USA.

and this one from West Australia.

Shame about the cancer sticker, I'll see what I can do to get it off.

I'll be using the Macanudo box for my first guitar....

I like the Sancho box too much to wreak it.

I have a neck blank I made from some kiln dried Australian hardwood,

I will be starting work tomorrow :D

A happy day today… Continue

Added by Brian on May 25, 2009 at 6:50am — 2 Comments

Original Tunes

Hey everyone. I'm new to this site so I thought I'd let you know about my myspace page. It's got some originals I've been working on lately - only one song with Cigar Box so far but there's gonna be more to come! Anyway, check it out at www.myspace.com/stevetyssen

Added by Steve Tyssen on May 24, 2009 at 8:01am — No Comments

What influenced me and you to become instrument builders?

As a kid, I was always looking for a piece of wood to whittle or drive a nail into. I was always tinkering and creating something, be it a birdhouse or a drum, a tree fort or a walking stick. I loved to experiment with wood, and that drive to create never ceased or even slowed as I grew older.

I grew up in a musical family. My parents played nightclubs in the northeastern US for a living, so it was natural at some point for me to pick up an instrument. I began playing bass at 11, and when… Continue

Added by Jack Dudley on May 22, 2009 at 10:33pm — 4 Comments

Thanks everyone for the compliments!

I'll be doing some more gadgetry after I finish my first cigarbox guitar and as soon as I'm done with my dissertation.

Only problem now is I won't be able to clean out any old garbage without reprimands from my better half who is even more of a pack-rat than I am!

And thanks again :-)

Added by J. K. on May 18, 2009 at 5:30pm — No Comments

Well ,here we go,,,,,,,,

Its the weekend before memorial Day and I built as many 1 stringers as I could for this weekend.

I brought a total of 7 Didely Bows and 2 3 stringers.

I sold all the 1 stringers I had of the wood type Cigar box and 1 of the 3 stringers.

For the last couple of weekends I have noticed a trend in my area.

Paint it RED and its as good as sold,,,,,,.2 of the 1 stringers I painted RED ,1 with a matching red neck and 1 with a wood grain neck.

The ALL RED DB was the 1st… Continue

Added by Roger Martin on May 17, 2009 at 10:54pm — No Comments

Uploaded photos.

Photos of the amp-project is up with small descriptions and a link to where I got the plans.

So this is my first project finished for cigar box nation and also the first project I've done in a long time.

Last time I did some soldering of this type was to fix a neglected old fuzz/wahwah pedal from Colorsound that needed some pot-changes and added a 9 volt battery holder to it. Sounds awesome!

Added by J. K. on May 13, 2009 at 4:45am — No Comments

My amp is finally finished

Finished the soldering two days ago, added the built in speaker to the mono-out breaker so when it's plugged to a speaker cabinet, the internal speaker turns off.

I was looking for something to build it into but couldn't find any plastic or metal boxes that would fit the small speaker I had. But then I found a magic 8 ball that had too little fluid left in it to work and the hole looked big enough for the speaker to work without modification.

How to disassemble a magic 8… Continue

Added by J. K. on May 12, 2009 at 4:30pm — 1 Comment