Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nathan King on May 12, 2010 at 1:37pm

Eh, I say, whatever makes you happy. I got nothing against those things... the only reason I haven't done it yet, personally, is if I'm going to create an instrument, then I'm going to create the entire instrument, ya know? It doesn't make sense for me to use someone else's (or some computer's) handiwork, especially since the neck is where I put most of my efforts anyway.

Who cares what the means (instrument) is or looks like, as long as the end result (music) is still produced?

By the way, that little rant reminds me of a Simpsons episode: "This elevator only goes to the basement... and someone made an awful mess down there."

:-)

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Permalink Reply by jason fitzgibbons on May 12, 2010 at 1:46pm

Hahahaha, you just made me laugh my ass off with that Grandpa Simpson quote. I don't have any problem with using a neck or other guitar parts that aren't hand made, as long as there's a cigar box involved, it's a cigar box guitar. To me it's all about the sound that comes out of the guitar.

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Permalink Reply by Don Goguen on May 12, 2010 at 2:33pm

Well I may need a flame suite but I'm one of those who just have a hard time getting past the sound from the cigar box. I'm new here so I would hope I get a little slack for saying this. I have been playing for almost 40 years and always wanted to build instruments. So I was inspired by the cigar box movement to start building my own. I am only on my third build and not one made from a cigar box. This latest guitar started out on paper in a box shape. The plan was to just build it out of traditional tone woods. Then I decided it was just as much work making a rectangular box as it would be this.

From a playing comfort perspctive, this beats a box hands down, at least for me. I had one of the 3 string strum sticks (A friend gave it to me). I liked the idea of it, just could never comfortably hold the damn thing. I built the support frame for a box shape and mocked it up to see how it feels. Decided that curves were for me. This one is all built by me. The bridge, tailpiece, pickup, neck, fingerboard the works. I think cigar box guitars are a really cool idea. Just trying to build something a little better sounding perhaps.

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Permalink Reply by Ottie(Skydog)Noble on May 12, 2010 at 4:01pm

Its ok for you to feel that way but you have to go all the way, if we can't use store bought necks you can't use store bought strings and tuners so its eye bolts and broom wire for you and a red oak neck on a natural cohiba hummmm that might just work

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Permalink Reply by Bob Harrison on May 12, 2010 at 7:05pm

Brian,
About the only thing that I'm against is getting kick out of a bar:) If that dude likes his $2500 strat with a cigar box body he or she should have it that way, thats freedom.
Bob

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Permalink Reply by Ben on May 12, 2010 at 10:41pm

Nice job! I'd play that...and my boxes...
Don Goguen said:

Well I may need a flame suite but I'm one of those who just have a hard time getting past the sound from the cigar box. I'm new here so I would hope I get a little slack for saying this. I have been playing for almost 40 years and always wanted to build instruments. So I was inspired by the cigar box movement to start building my own. I am only on my third build and not one made from a cigar box. This latest guitar started out on paper in a box shape. The plan was to just build it out of traditional tone woods. Then I decided it was just as much work making a rectangular box as it would be this.

From a playing comfort perspctive, this beats a box hands down, at least for me. I had one of the 3 string strum sticks (A friend gave it to me). I liked the idea of it, just could never comfortably hold the damn thing. I built the support frame for a box shape and mocked it up to see how it feels. Decided that curves were for me.

This one is all built by me. The bridge, tailpiece, pickup, neck, fingerboard the works.

I think cigar box guitars are a really cool idea. Just trying to build something a little better sounding perhaps.

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Permalink Reply by David L. on May 13, 2010 at 12:05am

Most people pick up wrecked guitar parts and breathe new life into them by building a CBG - How can this be a bad thing?
The box gives you the space to add numerous pickups/piezos/mini-amps/preamps/tone circuits and if people have the ability and willingness to do this I fail to see the problem.
Not everyone has access to power tools and have to make do with what they can get.
It is cheaper to buy a recycled strat neck than to make one.
People who are not confident to produce a whole instrument can start small and work towards doing a complete instrument when they have learnt the ability and develop the confidence.

...And if you want to be really pissed look at my page photos - myself, children and friends are happy with the results especially as I have only a dremel type tool, limited space and poor manual dexterity (due to Multiple Sclerosis).

Anyway must go I have a moped and some speakers to pick up. ;o)

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on May 13, 2010 at 12:05am

I think it totally depends on the guitar.. It doesnt make any sense to me whatsoever to rape a strat to make a cbg.. but to use a snapped off neck for one, well that makes great sense..

Im also totally with Don.. Cigar box guitars are cool, but instruments from any recycled material are cool.. When i first came by this site i spend a lot of time and resources chasing up cigar boxes, which are somewhat harder to come by here in Australia.. even buying from ebay in USA etc.. Its easy to get sucked into the cigar box myth, especially in this great community here, which is so specifically cigar box focused.. Cigar boxes are not the be all and end all of tone folks!! And if ur struggling to get em, dont pay good money for em, just use something else.. Make a shoebox guitar or a cornflakes box guitar or an ice cream bucket uke or a bleach bottle banjo.. The reason Cigar box guitars have the history they do is because the boxes were a free packaging by product of something else, and were plentiful.. If those old delta guys couldnt get one you can bet your arse they werent scouring the internet for em, they'd use something else.. And believe me, less and less ppl are smoking.. the time will come when cigar boxes are not worth buying, even if you need one to qualify for a competition here or whatever..

Also, if you can make a neck... u can make a body too ... just something to think about..

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on May 13, 2010 at 1:15am

Well, certainly building and playing CBGs, does not need to be the end of it...it can be a starting point for more complex building like making a real standard guitar or learning to play a six string. If you have spare parts, why not cobble them together with a cigar box. Learning the correct way to put together pre-fabricated parts is also a learning experience. There are certainly purists here, creating a CBG like it was made in the 1920s and 1930s, but once you stick a pick-up on it, you are already going away from the traditonal. I think the main point is...build it...play it. If you are not interested in building...buy one from someone who builds. Do your thing! No Rules. Enjoy.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Hynden on May 13, 2010 at 1:37am

You forgot lipstick on a pig!

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on May 13, 2010 at 3:21am

For any that use the smaller cheaper cardboard type boxes,the cigar shop in our mall has a stack of them for sale.Last year I would have had those boxes home already . But I phased out the little cardboard 1 stringers I sold at that time.
I found that folks in this market were almost as willing to spend a few bucks more to get a wooden 1 string.So I completely stopped building the really low cost 1 stringers.
Because I dont use them anymore , their piling up in their shop,and I just thought some one here might be looking for those type boxes.
The sound of the old box is part of the charm I think, and comparing a """real" guitar sound to a CBG isnt fair to the original builders that did the best they could with what they had.
So as long as we're not chasing "real" guitar sound in our efforts to build I have no problem with using the modern approach.
As far as using "real" guitar parts to build a CBG, I have no real problem with it, as long as we dont lose the idea of the original concept and CHARM of doing it closer to the way it was done when the old guys built them back in the old says.
Part of what we're doing here is celebrating an almost forgotten way of life and part of our history,and it's important ( I think) not to lose that.

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Permalink Reply by Zandi Z on May 13, 2010 at 5:34am

beautiful guitar, Don G.
i was sorry to detect a note of raggin' in your braggin' riff, though...z.

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