Building a Cigar Box Guitar 101

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Building a Cigar Box Guitar 101

This group is for discussing the basics of CBG building for newer builders - where to start, what to do, common pitfalls, tips and techniques.

Keep in mind that new builders can find other great informative articles on CBG building, as well as most of the parts you'll need, over at C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply!

Members: 1746
Latest Activity: Mar 20

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Cutting deep boxes in half

Started by Justin Stanchfield. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 20. 9 Replies

Attention 1st time builders!

Started by BrianQ.. Last reply by MadGomer Feb 27. 2 Replies

Brickhouse CBG Wiring

Started by Ian Boyd. Last reply by Ian Boyd Dec 11, 2023. 1 Reply

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Comment by David Fultz on April 12, 2010 at 12:51am
I like the rivets too Wes. The last build I had a bicycle rim that got ran over. If you remove the end where the spoke threads into the rim , they work nicely too. I look at everything differnt now when looking at junk piles. haha
Comment by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on April 12, 2010 at 12:10am
Craig, one other thing that I use that a number of us use is poprivets (sans the nail) as string guides. Knock the nails out and drill a 1/8" hole, push the poprivet in and voila! Instant string guide.

-WY
Comment by Alan Roberts on April 10, 2010 at 3:10pm
Hey, Craig.

>First, for a through neck, should I notch it just enough to be able to glue the lid to the neck or enough to clear the neck (if the latter, how do I attach the neck to the box)?

You can go either way. My next build will allow space between the neck and the top of the box. Only maybe 1/4" on either side will attach to the lid. You can leave the lid free and attach 1x1" blocks to the body of the box, and screw the neck into that.

>Second, what, if anything, should I line the string holes in the tail with?

The strings WILL start cutting their way into the wood. I'd get some thin copper tubes. You can inset some small washers, as well.

>Third, what material makes the best fingerboards (not sure yet if I'll make one on my first attempt, but they sure look good).

Price no object, ebony or rosewood. On MY budget, I use dark walnut.
Comment by Craig Cox on April 10, 2010 at 2:12pm
Hello everyone. I'm new here, and am getting ready to build my first GBG. I've got a couple of boxes and 8 feet of 1x2 maple so far, and several questions for your combined expertise.

First, for a through neck, should I notch it just enough to be able to glue the lid to the neck or enough to clear the neck (if the latter, how do I attach the neck to the box)?
Second, what, if anything, should I line the string holes in the tail with?
Third, what material makes the best fingerboards (not sure yet if I'll make one on my first attempt, but they sure look good).

There's more questions, but that should get me started. Thanks in advance!

craig
Comment by Jeremiah Cornelius on April 9, 2010 at 2:13pm
Allen -
I'm just from Leiden to a dinner in Rotterdam, with some central asian musicians, and back to Amsterdam for a flight home in the States this AM.

I put a week in Chicago after that, hopefully with my 3-String. It's been hell without it, and my calluses are dissolving, without playing!

We plan an annual trip this way - mostly I'm in London when abroad.
Comment by Allan on April 8, 2010 at 2:39am
Jeremiah we will have to figure out how to get together .. essentially I am here for the duration.. Lieden is 10 km away.. and it sounds like you come over here regularly.. never have been very good with computers,, am not sure how to add you to the friend list.. but I would like to keep in touch
Allan
Comment by Jeremiah Cornelius on April 8, 2010 at 2:07am
Mark,

Yes. The issues with piezos in series are related to high-impedance. A piezo alone is one hell of a resistor. In series, you begin to sound "overdriven" at very low volume/gain. This can be compensated for with the preamps I have used. I like the sound of the series wiring I used in my little 3-string CBG. It is already a very loud instrument, unamplified - this may be why I have been successful with series-wired piezos in it.

I am on to building a cigar box bass, and plan to wire in parallel for this. One piezo will be under the bridge, beneath the soundboard - parallel with another at the top of the fretboard - embedded in a heel. This has been done in some acoustic bass guitars to great effect in producing nice overtones - and I want to give that a shot. They'll both be wired into an onboard pre-amp with EQ.
Comment by Mark on April 8, 2010 at 1:55am
I believe Bart Hopkin's experiments were all done with piezos wired in parallel. If I recall correctly, he stated in his original article about multiple piezos that there are problems with wiring them in series.

Comment by Wichita Sam 23 hours ago Wes, in a follow up article http://windworld.com/tools-techniques-ideas/another-important-consi... he wrote:
In most cases and for most musical tastes you’ll find that having two or more piezos on the same soundboard can yield a warmer and more satisfying sound than a single piezo would. An exception is the case where you want a particularly bright and edgy tone with a sharp attack. That’s because the cancellation with multiple piezos happens most in the higher frequencies/shorter wavelenghts (as is the case in the natural acoustic sound as well). A single piezo, being free of these high frequency cancellation effects, tends to sound brighter. Also, multiple piezos do a better job of capturing the complexity, variablility and non-static nature of the natural sound. This makes for a softer attack, and contributes to what the our musical ears hear as a warmer and more alive sort of sound. A single piezo, by contrast, will tend to have a slightly more “clinical” feel to its sound.

He didn't address wiring "in series" vs. "in parallel"....

Comment by Jeremiah Cornelius on April 8, 2010 at 1:38am
Allan,
Dang nice place for a visit! I enjoy it immensely - the streets in Amsterdam are very 'alive' and vital. I am on a "world tour" of business trips - NL is my final leg before heading back to US for the weekend. I have dinner with friends in Leiden tonight and fly back in the AM.

Next time, I know I have to bring a little CBG with me - so a travel case for my 3-string is in order! I missed an opportunity to jam on the street last night - could have joined in on "Ziggy Stardust" and "Rebel Rebel".
Comment by Allan on April 8, 2010 at 1:31am
Quit smoking cigars some ten years ago when I came over here.. no the local cigar shop owner was kind enough to save me two boxes one for Montecristo and the other one one is in the pictures.. the seals were already broken when when I got them.. would not be able to afford that quality of cigar if i did smoke..

well Jeremiah Amsterdam is not that far off from Zoetermeer , how long are you over here for? or are you an expat like me?
Allan
 

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