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Building my first with lots of questions.

Howdy all. new to cigar box but not to guitars. Got a few questions. And when these are answered I'll have a few more...kinda how it goes..LOL

I've read threw a lot of the posts here and even did some searches. Totally cool info!

Is is possible or has anyone tried cutting a neck from old fallen tree branches? I have some large old Ash branches.

Has anyone concaved a neck to compensate for string tension? What would be a good starting radius to use for light gage strings?

I keep reading there's no rules to a cigar box guitar. But would I be pushing it if I made some bodies out of one piece pine I I cut into a box like shape and put a top and back on? I really dig the old Danelectro Pro 1's and would like to make a mini version body for a 4 string.

An I the only one who thinks a flying V box body would look totally cool...LOL

Thanks everyone!

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Fowle on June 6, 2010 at 6:47pm

I think deeper will mean more volume, and if you keep your back thin as well, you'll have volume and bottom end covered. As for bridge placement, think of the front of the box as a trampoline, and the bridge as the person jumping on it. You'll want to maximise movement on the face of the box, so I'd say stick your bridge in the middle.

Jef, I'd love to know what you intend to tune that to/what temperment it will end up. Thats some funky fret work you've got going on, kind of like what I intend to do with my cigar box saz.

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Permalink Reply by Ardie Johnson on June 7, 2010 at 10:51am

I'm new to this cigar box guitar building, but I DO know, if you want to build a neck out of a branch, just be sure it's DRY!!
If it's a fairly newly cut branch, it will seem dry, but if it hasn't dried completely it WILL crack, and will not stay straight.
I love working "found" wood, but have learned by experience that it takes a couple, or even several years, depending on the size of branch you are talking about.
Given that, there's nothing more cool than having made something yourself, from your own yard, or finding something on your own rather than picking up lumber at the hardware store!
Good luck!!

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on June 7, 2010 at 4:03pm

The walking stick is just a dorian mode strummer Andrew..
12 tet, quite vanilla..
tuned 1,5,1
the 2 splits per octave just brings the 5 string into the right mode, otherwise need a little chromatic run like a strumstick, which puts 1 sour note on each string.. To match up with a (i) string fretted dorian a (v) string needs to be fretted aeolian...
Go on and PM me if ur further interested.. I have a patent pending on a few REALLY funky ones ;)

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Permalink Reply by Paul Stephen Eklund on June 7, 2010 at 4:34pm

Thanks again everyone. I may end up waiting on the free wood a for a bit. Ya'll give great advice! No sense going threw all the trouble making a few necks just to have them warp or crack. The one branch is around 6 in diameter and a good 10 or so feet long. Probably 4 years on the ground. I may cut this up and stack it under some weight and let it sit for a wile. See what happens.

My first build is on hold right now. Car comes first. I might play around with things I have around the house. See if I can find some old lumber left over from the shed build. I have plenty of pine. Some up to 14 inches wide. But nothing that I know of for sturdy neck wood lying around. Lumber yard in town has no real wood to offer. No help there.

Thanks again everyone for the help! I guess I really wont have more questions till I get started on one of these.