In our quest to discover and compile all the great DIY musical instrument plans of the last 150 years, we stumbled across these great electric guitar plans from 1959. 

The Strat and Les Paul were only several years old when Mechanix Illustrated magazine published these plans, penned by Captain America creator and artist, C. C. Beck in their September 1959 issue. 

Like many how-to articles from this era, the article is somewhat vague in carving and building techniques and instead puts most of its weight into the diagrams with measurements. 

We've taken the actual page scans (advertisements included!) and put them together in one downloadable PDF file.  If you're daring enough to build this, let us know.  

See also:

Views: 30697

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

A member on the TDPRI Guitar Forum is building one of the 59 guitars from these plans. If anyone's interested, here's a link to the build thread.http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/610424-1959-mechanix-ill...

What a beautiful build he's doing! I'd love to get that good, as I'm just starting out building cigar box guitars with very basic tools. I did get some ideas looking at his pictures and reading through the forum.

Lots of highly skilled builders over there and a lot can be learned from looking over those threads.

CBG's can be elaborate or primal, so there's nothing wrong with how your building them. Rock on

The neck and completed fretboard are the most difficult pieces. They're also the heart of any fretted instrument. I've only felt confident enough, as of recent, to attempt fabricating these parts myself. I admire anyone who can successfully create these pieces.

Your right, the neck and fret board is probably 70% of the work done on a git.

CC Beck created Captain Marvel. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created Captain America

RSS

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


Forum

crossover guitar.

Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 21. 11 Replies

Tune up songs

Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies

Duel output jacks

Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies

How to Get Your Own Music on Spotify

Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 21. 2 Replies

CB Bass Guitar

Started by Mi Rankin in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Justin Stanchfield Jan 27. 5 Replies

Latest Activity

Doug Thorsvik posted a video

Hail the Resurrection Day: 2-String Violin Chugger Cigar Box Guitar

Cigar Box Guitar Slingers - Spokane, 195th Zoom Mtg 03/25/24. Only 1-finger chords, free songbooks here: https://www.cbgslinger.com/download CBG SOF Songbook...
40 minutes ago
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!"
17 hours ago
Southern Ray replied to Timothy Hunter's discussion just came accross this pickup idea on youtube.
" Very interesting. Thank you Timothy!"
17 hours ago
Kent Thurston updated their profile
18 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…
18 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…
18 hours ago
Poorness Studios liked A.D.EKER's video
20 hours ago
BrianQ. left a comment for Rob (Uker) Porras
"Hope this helps?"
21 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…"
23 hours ago
A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
yesterday
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 ...
yesterday
Papa D commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Dueling Flatheads

"Beautiful..Nice work Doug.."
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 -->