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First Build Chronicles

So I've been browsing websites and YouTube videos on making CBGs for a while now and I was always thinking of building one. The only thing stopping me was myself really. Well that and the guilt of a ruined piece of alder staring at me that was supposed to be a guitar body for a school project, so I went out and grabbed some raw materials today. I'll (hopefully) be updating this thread as I go. Grabbed a 1x2 of red oak at Lowes for about $8 and got these 3 boxes for $3 each at a local smoke shop. I'll be using the black one for the first build and I'd like to save the nice big one until after I've tested the waters a little bit. It's almost certainly going to be a fretless. Wish me luck!

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Permalink Reply by Muddy Creek Guitars on October 21, 2014 at 10:17am

The Don Tomas boxes look and sound great! You're off to a good start. Remember, there are no rules. If you run into any problems, you'll get lots of help here.

Happy building!

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Permalink Reply by Primitive Acoustics on October 21, 2014 at 10:35am

Good luck and have fun! My bet is you will soon find a new purpose for that piece of "ruined" alder!

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Permalink Reply by The Pun-isher on October 21, 2014 at 10:54am

I sure hope that I will. The deadline was nearing and I decided to route the neck pocket free hand. I also somehow managed to drill the bridge holes in such a way that the scale length was about 3/4" off. Really taught me about measure twice, cut once.

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Permalink Reply by jabes on October 23, 2014 at 2:19am

if you're going fretless i don't see the 3/4" matters much...happy building..

doh, i just realised you meant the solid blank, you can always sort that out when you start building fretted necks, believe me you will try it..

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Permalink Reply by JL on October 22, 2014 at 12:53am

You will get lots of advice here, wanted and unwanted, lol.

first piece of unwanted advice is to "sneak up" on your cuts.

cut outs in the box should be a hair inside the line and then test/file/test/file/... till perfect.

cut the reliefs in the neck a little shy of the line, test/file/test/file....

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Permalink Reply by robert jones on October 22, 2014 at 3:29am

Ah the alder's not ruined.

Using a guide route the pocket oversize to straighten up the original route then glue in a filler block. When the glue is set route out the proper size pocket, again using a guide.

Plug the misplaced holes and re-drill in the proper locations.

If you plan to leave the body natural some care will be needed to match up wood or a contrasting wood can be used for the repairs. If you plan on painting the body just use alder or a wood with similar characteristics.

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Permalink Reply by Bluesheart on October 22, 2014 at 4:06am

Off to a good start. Have fun.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Kasten on October 23, 2014 at 2:08am

Just one warning..... after your first build you WILL have the disease...

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Lee dixon on October 23, 2014 at 3:00am

Those are some cool boxes. That thicker yellow box would make a great cigar box amp. I am just finishing up on my first CBG and have now got the itch to build some more lol. Good luck and remember there are no rules.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Kasten on October 23, 2014 at 3:12am

You have the disease now.... :)

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Permalink Reply by The Pun-isher on October 29, 2014 at 3:28pm

To be honest I really didn't think I'd make a mistake this soon. Box is notched out but I actually made one side 1/8th too deep. Don't let your mind wander when you take measurements. It's not the biggest deal as I'm using leftover oak as bracing on the inside and I can just fill in the gap with what ever but damn, it's depressing lol. Seriously, "Measure twice, cut once". I hope I don't have to teach myself that too many more times.