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Two String Frettless Bass Cigar Box Guitar

After building my 3 string fretted CBG I had the urge to build something simple and not to think about things too much!!
I had intended at first to use some P bass pick ups that I got cheap from eBay, but I was worried I would weaken the lid and neck too much doing this, so changed my mind and tried one of the rod piezos from CB Gitty that I bought recently. I put it into the saddle, made from two bits of wood with a groove filed out in one and then the other bit glued on.
All went to plan and when I strung it up it sounded good, with no feedback, even turned up loud enough to rattle things around the house…or perhaps it WAS the house itself rattling??!!
I was worried that if I made a sound hole it might then have feedback problems, and was wishing we had “undo” buttons in real life!! I got thinking and made an undo button by cutting a 44mm hole and then getting a sink plug which fitted it perfectly!!
It sounds better acoustically with the sound hole and mostly it doesn’t feedback when amped up…only if I use a distortion pedal as well, and turn things right up. The plug then reduces this : -)
I planned to make it with a HIGH action and play it with a slide. Changed my mind a bit part way through and made the nut lower so I can play finger style as well a bit, down the bottom end anyway!!
When I planned this I thought it was new to do a 2 string bass and play it with a pick and a slide…then I realised it’s what Mark Sandman from Morhine used to do!! Impossible to do anything new,lol!!
I’m afraid I ignored advice from a few people about strengthening the neck and just used a bit of oak. I figured with only 2 strings I’d probably get away with it.
A great thing has come out of making this though. I’m finding that I now notice the bass much more in any music I’m listening too, so even if it snaps in half tomorrow it will still have been worth building just for that!!!

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Comment by Ron Doran on September 16, 2016 at 5:26am: Even though you didn't "know wtf I was doing" , you still built a great sound and great looking instrument!

I am just looking at your instrument and have a few questions before I start to build one myself! I noticed that you have what appears to be "scrap wood" between the neck and the top of the box, was this just to transmit vibrations? Also, how did you attach the neck to the box? Hopefully this is my last question, what is the tuning of the two strings? What string gauges did you use?

Thank you,

Comment by bemuzic on September 13, 2016 at 9:29am: thanks Rob, the box is 10" x 8" and the wood for the neck is 40" long, 1" deep and 1 1/4" wide. The scale length is 30"

I'm not sure I'd advise copying it,as I didn't know wtf I was doing really, lol! Feel free to ask any question though...

Comment by Ron Doran on September 13, 2016 at 4:20am: This is great, and I love your Youtube video with this instrument! I am a bass player, and I would like to make something very similar (if not an outright copy!), but I have some questions (which may lead to further questions). The first two are 1) what size is the piece of oak that you used for the neck, and 2) what size is the cigar box that you used?

Comment by bemuzic on July 9, 2015 at 4:32am: yeah go for it, two strings are fun : -)

Comment by Sean (Cooper) on July 8, 2015 at 12:27pm: Excellent, likin what do ,I'm gonna have to built a chugger in the next or so

Comment by bemuzic on July 8, 2015 at 11:30am: flatwound..think I explain what I used on this vid (it won't play for me atm!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3IF12BZ-LA

Comment by bart bast on July 8, 2015 at 10:37am: did you use roundwound or flatwound strings for this project?

Comment by bemuzic on October 16, 2011 at 5:07am: thanks John, yep the house is getting pretty full!! Aha glad I'm not the only one : -)

Comment by 3 String Blues on October 16, 2011 at 4:16am: totally cool! you must have a house full of guitars by now...every room a noise maker!

i always ignor advice too...only way to find out is try