Building a Cigar Box Guitar 101

Information

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

Discussion Forum

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

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of Building a Cigar Box Guitar 101 to add comments!

Comment by MadGomer on October 25, 2016 at 7:24am
Old well seasoned pine can work just fine, but seal it well once you have it in the form you want, it Will be likely to move around based on humidity variations. To Mark's point below, sap can make things challenging, particularly with relatively fresh lumber. Stability of shape is a bigger challenge for a git application in my opinion, if using new pine boards.
Comment by Mark Bliss on October 25, 2016 at 6:05am

Well I'll add this opinion then:

I don't think the primary undesirable trait of working with pine has much of anything to do with tone. I am kind of picky about my finished work, and while knots can be plenty cool, bleeding seeping goo and discoloration from sap isn't something I appreciate happening for the following ten years. That is the primary reason ?I would think twice about using common pine.

As far as tone goes, I'll expand on what Fomhrach said.

About 90% of tome and timbre comes from the playing technique and where applicable, pickups, amp etc. About 8% might be the use of beer to even out the intonation. That leaves (a perhaps optimistic in some cases) 2% for tone wood. A truly great player might bring a listener to tears with a plywood Slivertone, while I make them get up and leave playing a $10K custom made piece of art.

Never forget it. Now get back to practicin'

Comment by Brian Revels on October 25, 2016 at 4:37am

Shoot!  I knew I was doing something wrong... I have been doing "twang - twang" on step 3 and using more than one string for step 2.  :-P

I have come to find out that the guitars I have been making lately are not everyone's cup of tea.  But you know what, that's fine.  I think it's like all the other stuff I make... I make it for me - what I like and think is cool in hopes someone will agree and want it for them self. 

I would say the early guitar makers did the same thing, though I am not really sure.  I'd like to think they did, but then things just got out of hand and they started Marketing their product (good for them, but bad for the knowing public who know the differences).

Btw, good to know about the yellow pine.  I have seen vintage Silver Tones that were made out of plywood, but then again these aren't nearly as favored in the realm of vintage (high dollar) guitars. 

I have been dying to make some semi- hollow body guitars.  The one factor for not doing it has been time... the other has been indecisiveness on whether to use "good" wood or pine. Sounds like my mind is finally made up (initially anyways). 

I am not building one of these (mainly because I don't have a joiner/planer and I think it will be easier to do out of a 1½ inch thick slab), but other than that, you get the jist of what I am thinking.

Comment by Thomas "Duck" Petry on October 25, 2016 at 2:21am

Step 1, place stick in box.

Step 2, stretch string over top.

Step 3, twang.

Isn't that all you need to do?

Comment by Danny B. on October 24, 2016 at 11:56pm

One thing is for sure. After building a few of these things now I don't know how they can sell any guitar for less than five thousand dollars.

;)

Comment by Mark Bliss on October 24, 2016 at 5:05pm

Sorry to go so far off topic folks. I'll stop there.

Cool guitars and good guitar setup is just something I am passionate about.

Comment by Mark Bliss on October 24, 2016 at 4:26pm

And....... (see whatcha done?)

I can tell you that though my Affinity Tele has a great neck, many things ARE different. It has a narrower neck at the nut than the Tele standard. The frets are med, not jumbo as a standard. The body is noticeably thinner than a standard. The pickup selector switch is DEFINITELY not the same one used in a standard. The jack is not the same. Pickups, different. (But they are all over the place on that, and for many, they are changed like flavors anyway.

Nut, weak toy quality fail.

You can make it work, but the standard Tele nut is wider and has different string spacing. etc, etc.

Does all of it matter? Nope. Is the Affinity a great guitar? yep. Is fried chicken better for lunch than great sushi? Depends on what I am in the mood for today. I can have fine sushi cheap if I catch some good fish. What's my point?

Nothing, its an endless and silly topic. But trust me, I know the details pretty well. I have setup probably 30+ and owned several of both models myself.

Comment by Mark Bliss on October 24, 2016 at 4:06pm

Well....

Yeah we can do it ourselves on the cheap, but I was talking market value to either sell or for those who cant/wont. I could do my re-roof on my house myself too, doesn't mean market value is the same as material cost. Apples to tomatoes.

And yes. Some of the most overvalued Teles of all time are the original vintage with bodies made of ......huh?

Southern yellow pine. Yep, ol' Leo knew his tonewoods. LOL!

Most over rated factor of all time on a solid body electric IMO. Body wood type. Some of it sure is purty though.........

Don't get me started. LOL.

Comment by Fomhorach on October 24, 2016 at 2:57pm

People forget that the magic is in the fingers not in the guitar.

Having an expensive guitar is less likely to improve your finger skills than having a guitar built to..

Your finger reach scale length,

Your finger size string spacing, 

Your right hand style of picking/plucking/strum string spacing and height.

Sure the guitar might be made in the 50s from fine wood or last week with high tech equipment but can your fat fingers pick out a string cleanly or your long skinny fingers get mushed up with a scale length that's a bit too short. 

If you think your acuracy/speed might increase if the strings have a wider distance at the nut, isn't it better to play that guitar than one that John Lennon had in the photoshoot fom Mayfair when his hand was wrapped around a big hunk of wood?

Comment by Scott Ross on October 24, 2016 at 2:49pm

Thanks.  :)

 

Members (1747)

3qt17g550yh6r
 
 
 

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Discussion Forum

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

Fretless fret markers

Started by Michael Myers. Last reply by Michael Myers Apr 20, 2023. 8 Replies

canjo building and tuning

Started by Brenda. Last reply by MadGomer Dec 3, 2022. 5 Replies

Minimum tools needed

Started by Wichita Sam. Last reply by Taffy Evans Nov 14, 2022. 21 Replies

High G problem

Started by Michael Myers. Last reply by Taffy Evans Nov 3, 2022. 4 Replies

Doubling the high string

Started by Robert Killen. Last reply by Paul Craig Oct 14, 2022. 23 Replies

Aluminum License Plate

Started by Larry Sobol. Last reply by Larry Sobol Oct 1, 2022. 6 Replies

C. B. Gifty three string fretless kits.

Started by jon neet. Last reply by Taffy Evans Aug 16, 2022. 6 Replies

Frettin' and stainin'

Started by Doug Laffin. Last reply by Order99 Aug 11, 2022. 4 Replies

Bolt on neck to a set neck body?

Started by Paul Craig. Last reply by Paul Craig Jul 17, 2022. 14 Replies

Locations

Started by Roy Smith. Last reply by the anonymous pick May 15, 2022. 2 Replies

Help please re Bento Box Uke "nut"

Started by Al Lobe. Last reply by BrianQ. May 10, 2022. 18 Replies

Clarification on pick ups

Started by Michael Myers. Last reply by Taffy Evans May 6, 2022. 5 Replies

Licence plate cbg

Started by Michael Myers. Last reply by Michael Myers May 2, 2022. 5 Replies

Builder's Tips

Started by Wichita Sam. Last reply by MadGomer Feb 23, 2022. 2 Replies

Getting there but needing advice/help please.

Started by Lionhound. Last reply by MadGomer Feb 18, 2022. 8 Replies

Tres Cubano Build

Started by Paul Craig. Last reply by Paul Craig Dec 9, 2021. 18 Replies

CB Gitty Country Roads Banjo kit

Started by Ken Hope. Last reply by Christopher G Daniels Nov 29, 2021. 4 Replies

Latest Activity

A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Im Troubled (Tribute) Mc K Morganfield by BCB - A.D .Eker 2024.

"Thank you Poorness ! for loving it ! appreciated!"
11 hours ago
Southern Ray replied to Timothy Hunter's discussion just came accross this pickup idea on youtube.
" Very interesting. Thank you Timothy!"
11 hours ago
Kent Thurston updated their profile
12 hours ago
Southern Ray posted a photo

Punch Project!

She now sports gold metal CBGitty knobs, speaker and an Artec 2.5 watt speaker. Finished this in…
12 hours ago
Southern Ray posted a photo

Project Punch!

Gonna finally get back on this long-delayed project that is more than half complete. (The matching…
12 hours ago
Poorness Studios liked A.D.EKER's video
14 hours ago
BrianQ. left a comment for Rob (Uker) Porras
"Hope this helps?"
15 hours ago
Doug Thorsvik commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Dueling Flatheads

"I appreciate the kind words Papa D! I have always loved the look of these cigar boxes. Glad to have…"
17 hours ago
A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
20 hours ago
A.D.EKER posted a video

Im Troubled (Tribute) Mc K Morganfield by BCB - A.D .Eker 2024.

The recorded History By Alan Lomax for the library of Congres of the Blues, from Mc Kinley Morganfield (Aka Muddy Waters) the in this take recorded Tribute ...
21 hours ago
Papa D commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Dueling Flatheads

"Beautiful..Nice work Doug.."
yesterday
Papa D commented on Papa D's photo
Thumbnail

american1 Sun Glo

"Thanx AGP & Doug..  4 more coming soon"
yesterday

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->