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

Plywood Top ???

Hey all.

So I finally got a ton of clamps the other day, found some 1/4 inch solid wood sheet for the back, and a maple neck.

My question is about using Plywood for the top?

Oh yeah, I'm building my own box part, btw (grin.)

It seems the paper wrapped boxes are just plywood bottoms and a particle type top right? And most all wood CB are many times plywood top anyway...right?

I know, the rule was always, if you can afford a solid wood top instrument, go for it ! So... is there any taboo in using plywood for the top?

I ask because I can only get 1/4 inch thick solid.... 1/8 inch becomes Basswood Plywood.

Cigar Box strummers sound nice, so I can't see it hurting the sound..."much"?

what do you think?

Looking DOWN the road, if I wanted to try to sell the odd instrument to sustain my building habit (I just really like building things, even more than playing).... will plywood hurt that chance ?

Thanks guys.

jim

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on May 23, 2011 at 12:23pm

In my opinion, you want to keep the lid or sound board as thin as you can. Quarter inch is kind of thick. You might also consider some luan flooring material. The end result is to make it vibrate and resonate so you get good tone.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Boutilier on May 23, 2011 at 12:27pm

hi Dan...

Actually, the soundboard would be 1/8.... the bottom material i have is 1/4

So...just discovered (on my nice piece of maple) that my 10 inch benchtop tablesaw blade angles away from the wood when you push it through, instead of staying straight up.

Needless to say, thus ends my attempt to cut my first strummer.... CRAP.

I dont have a bandsaw, so trying to do it on a tablesaw -- would have worked if the blade different move. Very weird... You know how you can turn the knob and angle the blade to cut 45 degree or whatever, well, it's like it does it on it's own when you push the wood through. And yes, it is completely tight. It's a Skilsaw brand too, should have been good.

Did I say, CRAP?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ben on May 23, 2011 at 4:52pm

Now you have plenty of nice maple scrap! Bridges, bracing, oh my!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bert the Welder on May 23, 2011 at 8:05pm

"Skilsaw brand too, should have been good..."

That was the start of your trouble right there........Unless it's an old one.

Might be a set screw has vibrated loose and the gear is slipping on the handle. Just a shot in the dark. Circular saw with a cutting board might work in the mean time.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on May 24, 2011 at 1:20am

Or you could just go find another cigar box that is bigger than the one you have and take the lid off it, trim it, and put it on yours.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on May 24, 2011 at 3:16am

Lots of the paper covered and some natural finish cigar box's are made of plywood. I have some with 3 plys and some with 5 plys. They all sound good in there own way, so to answer your question yes you can use plywood and it should not hurt your slaes if you make a decent instrument out of it. The masonite tops are not bad either, just different.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bert the Welder on May 24, 2011 at 5:58am

Just thinking out loud, but what about old Mahogany skinned, hollow doors. Had one on my room as a kid. They seem pretty thin and you could probably get them cheap. Or....anyone tried steaming apart a chunk of plywood to get the separate thin layers?

Keep in mind this is a voice of no CBG making knowledge, yet.

Cheers,

Bert

Wing Nut Designs

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on May 24, 2011 at 6:37am

Hi James,

I have built my last 4 instruments using 2mm thick plywood veneer for both the back board and the sound board with good results. You may want to read up on the boxes I have built on my CBN discussion group called "Home Made Resonator Boxes 101". Plywood is often used on inexpensive stringed instruments with pretty good results. I think you'll find the results beat out the average cigar box top 9 times out of 10.

-Rand.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on May 26, 2011 at 2:58am

Anyone ever used a planer/jointer on the underside of a lid (assume 1/4" lid) to thin it down to ~1/8"?

Interesting thought eh..

-WY

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James Boutilier on May 26, 2011 at 4:17am

@ Wes... a jointer--- have not done it, but heard about it. Another suggestion... Use a Forstner Bit in a Drill and basically ream out a bunch of spots.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on May 26, 2011 at 6:16am

Interesting, but the center of the bit will leave a deeper impression. I don't have a jointer (planer) but since one can shave a thin, even amount of are off, that would sound like the perfect solution. Just a thought.

-WY
James Boutilier said:

@ Wes... a jointer--- have not done it, but heard about it. Another suggestion... Use a Forstner Bit in a Drill and basically ream out a bunch of spots.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on May 26, 2011 at 7:36am

Wes, good thought. I use my dads thickness planer for my neck wood. I may try it on some of the thicker wood lids that I have. Only problem is if they have any warp to them it may make them unevenly thin. It should work though.

Wes "Moanin' Mule" Yates said:

Interesting, but the center of the bit will leave a deeper impression. I don't have a jointer (planer) but since one can shave a thin, even amount of are off, that would sound like the perfect solution. Just a thought.

-WY
James Boutilier said:

@ Wes... a jointer--- have not done it, but heard about it. Another suggestion... Use a Forstner Bit in a Drill and basically ream out a bunch of spots.