Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on August 21, 2009 at 3:21pm

Locheim!

Oh, Sorry. You said Newish, not Jewish. Right.

Ok, so to your question(s). At the top of the page is a section called PLANS and there you will find all you need. You are in good company, so read the plans. There are two -- the first is the basic plans for a CBG and Brian's version (last one) is the most detailed. Everything you need short of the strings, tuners and cigar box can be gotten from Lowes/Home Depot/RadioShack (You have questions, we have blank stares).

Feel free to ask any questions here. There are no stupid questions other than the ones not asked. There is only one rule -- there are no rules (Confusing yes. Practical, naturally.) :-) So build away. Also look over some of the 10,400+ pics we have here and that will give some great inspiration. A lot of the folks here do make some awesome builds (tinyguitars for instance) but you don't have to be that fancy at first. Some of the best builds are the simple three string acoustics that might have cost $20.

Oh and some play solo. Some play with a group. Depends on you.

Good luck!

-Wes

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Permalink Reply by Paul Doug on August 21, 2009 at 3:24pm

Welcome and also check out this video:

http://cgi.ebay.com/How-to-Make-Your-Own-Cigar-Box-Guitar-Region-Fr...

Made it all pretty simple for me.

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Permalink Reply by surffrogg on August 21, 2009 at 3:24pm

thats all a matter of personal preference anthony ; if u have guitar experience then u will be comforatable with standard fretting ; dullci fretting is diatnic so it is easier to "make sound pretty" with out much effort or u could just go frettless grab a slide and go to town . Most folks go frettless for ther first build to work out the kinks and its alot of fun to play slide on a 2 string . Like i said its ur build its ur choice and i gurantee it will not be ur last
Welcome to our addiction

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on August 21, 2009 at 4:31pm

Best recommendation, if you want to play slide is a basic fretless 3 stringer. If you want frets, built a "strum box" (dulcimer fret pattened neck on a CB).... plenty of help all over, just look....

good luck and show off even your first build....

the best,

Sam

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Miller on August 21, 2009 at 5:45pm

Thanks guys. I pretty much understand how to build one and have most of my supplies but deciding what to build is the problem. I am guessing a fretless slide will give me the most bluesy sounding guitar if marked with a standard scale.

I imagine the dulcimer tuned "strum box" would be closer to a folk/bluegrass instrument.

I suppose I'll probably "need" one of each !

Tony

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Permalink Reply by Roosterman on August 21, 2009 at 9:06pm

....then you will find you 'need' a diddly bow, a 4 string, another 3 string, a bass, a weedwacker, a......

Welcome to the madhouse! :o)

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Miller on August 22, 2009 at 9:50am

Tiny,
Wow! Very versatile......all the way from Blues machine, to Mountian/Folk Dulcimer. Is this a D-A-D tuned CBG?

Tony

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Permalink Reply by Nathan King on August 22, 2009 at 10:13am

I made a two string CBG, fretless, that I imagine would be relatively easy to "learn" how to play... assuming you have a decent ear for music! The strings are both tuned to F, one an octave higher. In that regard, it's sorta like a diddley bow, but a real "fat" sound comes out of it.

My original plan was to give it to a friend who has no musical background... but the more I play it, the more I wanna hold on to it! Ah well... can always make another!

Any Tiny, that is one sweet machine you got there! I'm gonna have to try my hand at that diatonically fretted stuff soon.

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Permalink Reply by BT Cohosh on August 22, 2009 at 1:46pm

I go with Sam on this one. You can't go wrong with a fretless 3-string-er for a first build. That's still my favorite configuration. The instrument I play the most is build #4: a 3 string fretless built around a Punch box with a slotted headstock (it was my first of those). It's simple, clean, and still makes me smile 9 builds later....

Welcome to your significant other's worst nightmare....

You'll *really* like it here.

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