"Abbaye Cistercienne"

Cheese box classical guitar by Tim LaFave of Corinth, NY (USA)

This beautiful axe features a wood cheese box as the resonator and a classical style guitar neck.  LaFave documented the entire project in pictures (see them here) with notes about each step. 

Cigar Box Guitars at Summer NAMM

Ben "Gitty" Baker is showcasing cigar box guitar kits at Summer NAMM convention at the massive Music City Convention Center in Nashville TN.  The convention happens July 9-11.  If you're going to NAMM, look for C. B. Gitty along with AMV Sales in booth #1309.  Say hi to Ben!

Seasick Steve in Concert! 

This fan-filmed video is from a very recent festival concert in Europe and features four of Steve's wild instruments:

1. Thunderbird (3-string Trance Wonder)
2. Bring it On ('73 Ford Air Filter Guitar)
3. Showing off 1-string Washboard
4. Don't Know Why She Love Me (cigar box guitar)

Top 10 Cigar Box Guitar Building Hacks!!!

Cigar Box Nation member, Gary Sheldon started an amazing discussion on cigar box guitar building hacks.  We just had to share a few nuggets with you:

1. When doing a difficult glue joint, like a fretboard or scarf joint, put a tiny tiny pinch of table salt on the glue after spreading it.  It does a great job of letting the pieces grip each other without slipping while applying clamps.
2. When installing those tiny screws on the back of the tuning machines, rub the screw threads over a bar of soap or parafin wax to make them easier to drive and lessen the probability of stripping the screw head.
3. Keep about an inch and a half distance from the nut to the nearest tuner post.  It'll give you less string hop, better string path, better pressure on the nut.
4. When stringing a CBG, once you pull the string through the ferrule/rivet and the ball end is tight against the bottom, bend the string on the top side at the string ferrule/rivet...  Keeps the string from running away on you.
5. Don't glue a box closed until you've played it a bit...  Sometimes the oddest things cause buzzing and it's hard to fix if you already glued it closed.
6. If you use spray lacquer to clean up a box's finish, or protect a label, let it dry at least 5 days before you put a clamp on it... or at least put some wax paper between the clamp and the box.
7. Allow glue to tack up before joining.
8. Always maximize the materials. Think of the most economic way to use/cut materials. This comes from planning...
9. Candlewax on your fretsaw makes cutting the slots easier on very hard wood.
10. Use everybody as a resource. I am so inspired by the people on this site/community.

Do you have a cigar box guitar building hack?  Share it with us here!

"My wife said I couldn't buy any more guitars.  She never said anything about building them."  The essential CBG'er t-shirt is here. 

Just $13.99 from C. B. Gitty.