#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

another newbie

Hello all, I have to say this is a great website. What a great way to get your own totally custom guitar without shelling out thousands of dollars.

I have decided to give a try at making my own CBG. I have just bought a cedar briefcase(picture below) for the the body. It is 19x11x5. I still have a lot to read and work on here. I was hoping to build a 6 string resonator type. I am adept at glassworking and I had machine shop in high school, but I have done minimum detail woodworking. So I was hoping to get some pointers from the veterans on a build plan. In particular what to use for the neck and the cone. I will keep posting here on my other choices as I decide. And hopefully this can help any other newbies.

Thnaks for the great ideas I have already seen..........................Greg

0 members like this

Attachments:

cgb body.jpg, 5 KB

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Greg Miller on August 28, 2009 at 8:07am

Keni, this box is 19x10-1/2x5 and all boards are 3/4" thick. Cutting it down in width might be beyond my woodworking ability at the moment. Also I am not sure if I have the proper tools to do that yet. I could possibly add a backplate on the inside to cut the width?

Keni Lee Burgess said:

What are the 3 dimensions of the cedar box when it is closed?

Greg Miller said:
Keni,
If you say it will "bark like a cannon" then I am in. I was just thinking about the comfortability, It might be a little awkward and heavy, but sound is the most important thing to me. I want to take my time with this one and build it right. I am starting on another build to get some practice in. It will be a paint can reso with a hot tea assortment box body and bed slat neck. A 3 stringer. I will post some pics as I go along with it in a different thread. Thanks for all of your advice here.
Keni Lee Burgess said:
Hello Greg,
In general, steel reso are quite heavy. They basically work like speaker cabinets. Solid, heavy and stable the sound is not absorbed by the cabinet, but shoots out the cone. When my frined, Jimmy built my large CBG reso, he had to make the box thinner because it was too wide. Mine is only 3 1/2" deep. Personally I think you should consider going forward. I bet it will bark like a cannon. Enjoy.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on August 29, 2009 at 9:13am

Yes, I guess you might need a table saw to cut a box down correctly. The length is equal to mine, so that is good. The 10" width is too small for a standard size cone, 10 1/2" cone, but you can get a 9 1/2" cone. The cover plate should just make it. 5 inches is definately to wide to be able to play comfortable. Possibly in the future you will have the equipment or friends that do. It is a lovely box and would make a nice reso. Enjoy, Keni Lee
Greg Miller said:

Keni, this box is 19x10-1/2x5 and all boards are 3/4" thick. Cutting it down in width might be beyond my woodworking ability at the moment. Also I am not sure if I have the proper tools to do that yet. I could possibly add a backplate on the inside to cut the width?

Keni Lee Burgess said:
What are the 3 dimensions of the cedar box when it is closed?

Greg Miller said:
Keni,
If you say it will "bark like a cannon" then I am in. I was just thinking about the comfortability, It might be a little awkward and heavy, but sound is the most important thing to me. I want to take my time with this one and build it right. I am starting on another build to get some practice in. It will be a paint can reso with a hot tea assortment box body and bed slat neck. A 3 stringer. I will post some pics as I go along with it in a different thread. Thanks for all of your advice here.
Keni Lee Burgess said:
Hello Greg,
In general, steel reso are quite heavy. They basically work like speaker cabinets. Solid, heavy and stable the sound is not absorbed by the cabinet, but shoots out the cone. When my frined, Jimmy built my large CBG reso, he had to make the box thinner because it was too wide. Mine is only 3 1/2" deep. Personally I think you should consider going forward. I bet it will bark like a cannon. Enjoy.