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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:

Table Salt & Glue Hack: 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.
Paraffin Wax & Tiny Screws Hack: 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.
Tuner Spacing: 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.
Stringing Hack: 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.
Testing The Box: 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.
Laquer Curing Tip: 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.
Glue Tip: Allow glue to tack up before joining.
Planning is Everything: Always maximize the materials. Think of the most economic way to use/cut materials. This comes from planning...
Wax on Fret Saw Hack: Candlewax on your fretsaw makes cutting the slots easier on very hard wood.
Community of Friends: 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!

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Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on August 5, 2016 at 2:01am

Generally,scale length dictates all on a fretted instrument,find your chosen bridge position ,and build to that,length of scale is personal choice,but building the neck to suit the body is easier,especially if you make and fit your fretboard after pre-assembly of body/neck

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on August 5, 2016 at 6:17am

Scale is the distance between the nut and the bridge and frets are for playing the notes within that scale. Removing the frets doesn't change anything, the notes are still in their designated place whether we know where they are or not. Placing a bridge where you want to is creating a different scale and the notes designated place on that scale will need to be determined to be able to play it.

Which is why it's a good idea to build a git to the scale you've chosen. You have to plan out your build thoroughly(every single part) before you start slapping things together.

Your build is only as good as your plan and skills. Thankfully both can get better with practice.;)

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Permalink Reply by Jonno on August 5, 2016 at 10:47pm

Wish my skills matched my plans. 'A goal without the ability to achieve it is a pipe dream'.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on August 6, 2016 at 5:08am

Everybody messes up their first build. Some things you can play around - some not. With a CBG build, your out much if it turn out to be garbage.

Skill comes with doing the work.

Just remember, plan it all out, lay it out together and check everything, then put it together and enjoy. Don't get intimidated.

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Permalink Reply by BP - RabidSalad - on August 6, 2016 at 3:11am

I'm with Wayfinder here. Diving in is always more fun and not for the faint hearted.

I don't build by planning out my builds before starting. I have an idea of where I want to go and often things change because the wood wants to do something else or some other variable changes my plan. My builds are getting marginally better but they are getting better but what counts is I get there in the end.

I get guitar snobs that criticize the CBG's all the time. Strings to high, to low, necks the wrong shape, bridge isn't bone, saddles in the wrong place.... anything and everything is wrong. I usually respond that its a box with a stick in it that I tied some strings to. If they want a $2000 git to go to the music shop around the corner cause I just got sticks. When building becomes a job... find a new job..

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on August 7, 2016 at 6:17am

When someone is just starting out, it would be a good idea to plan things out to keep from making bad mistakes that result in a bad build. When they learn the important parts of the git and how to get it right, then they can build with ease and confidence.

These are CBG's, but they are simply a guitar with less strings. They are bound by the same rules when it comes to building them. You can build any instrument as crude as you want. It still has a scale with set points for notes no matter what. Some rules will always apply.

A CBG can be built to perform the way it should and still look like a rustic homemade instrument. The point for the builder is to be able to build it to perform at it's best.

I hope you weren't implying that I'm a guitar snob. I'm trying to give advise to new builders that are taking on a new hobby and need knowledge to develop skills for that hobby I do own some guitars, but I can tell you they didn't cost over 200 bucks new and most of them were made by me.

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Permalink Reply by BP - RabidSalad - on August 7, 2016 at 7:07am

Paul I certainly didn't call anyone here a guitar snob. Quite the opposite as I find CBG nation and builders to be some of the most helpful and generous people out there. I fully understand too that some people like planning every thing out in detail before starting, or spending days sanding out blemishes or getting everything exactly square, details details details. And, thats perfectly fine, its awesome and shows the pride in craftsmanship.

The flip side is tho there are people like myself. I have an idea of where I'm going which is subject to change for numerous reasons. I don't own a lot of tools. I have a belt sander, bandsaw and an OLD Delta planer. So getting precision, for me, is tough to do, I don't enjoy fussing over what I consider minute details. My builds aren't perfect and I'm not striving for perfection. Each to their own, with the major emphasis on ENJOYING the builds and learning from your mistakes.

As for gitsnobs. I give most of my builds away but sell a few now to keep me in 'supplies'. The snobs are those that walk up to my gits and find EVERYTHING wrong with them. Make statements that they are not real instruments, much like the people I've encountered in music shops. I had one guy, with a guitar, that I handed one of my gits to him. He had no idea of how to play it, a three stringer, and blamed the git for his lack of talent. Like the argument about whether CBG builders are luthiers or not. To me, I don't care what you call me. I take a box, run a stick thru it, tie on some strings and in the hands of a talented person makes some outstanding music. Its all about the enjoyment of building something that will bring joy to others. How I get there is, to me, irrelevant so long as it all comes together in the end the way I planed for it, or not.