Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by jawbone on November 15, 2013 at 11:10am

I can't offer an opinion without seeing it in person - I would suggest forwarding it to me (I'll send you my address). That way I can make a more informed analysis.  Also, I would do this quickly, before you get a whole bunch of silly suggestions that say things other than sending to me!!!   :-) 

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on November 15, 2013 at 2:03pm

8" x 5" x 3/4"...you can build a git out of that. Carefully. I'd put an Elmar Flatpup on it, and go straight to electric, as it is liable to be a bit banjoey in acoustic mode, with not much air volume inside. You can do a neck-thru. Your neck is only gonna be maybe 5/8" - 11/16" thick inside the box, and maybe 1" thick outside, so a 3-stringer would be the max I'd go. Use oak if you can get it. Maybe go fretless?

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Permalink Reply by PistolPete on November 18, 2013 at 10:02am

It's actually 7" by 4 1/2" by 1" - smaller still!

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Permalink Reply by robert jones on November 15, 2013 at 11:27pm

Don't listen to that first feller...he's just jawin' at ya...you should send that box to me.

Ron's right, electric is the way to go on this one.

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on November 17, 2013 at 2:15pm

Think about a shorter scale so it looks in better proportion. Maybe 20 to 22 inch scale. I'd try around 22 inch and fretted.

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Permalink Reply by Piht Bull (Delta Dawg Guitars) on November 17, 2013 at 5:56pm

you should send that to me !

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Permalink Reply by PistolPete on November 18, 2013 at 12:06am

I must admit that's not quite the advice I was expecting!  I have since ordered another cigar box for my next (four string) build.  

I still think there's something else this might be better suited to - a uke or a fiddle, perhaps? I just can't imagine, if I did manage to build a guitar from it, that it would be very nice to play with such a small body.

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Permalink Reply by jawbone on November 18, 2013 at 10:36am

I'm getting nervous - you haven't asked for my address!!!???!!!!! Don't tell me you are going to entertain some of these other ideas????  :-)

In all seriousness - I think you could make it into a fine git - after all - size doesn't matter!!!

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Permalink Reply by Diglydog on November 18, 2013 at 8:01am

Make something loud :-)  This was made from a little Bolivar box and worked really well.  It's filled with solid oak as far as possible.

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Permalink Reply by Bluesheart on November 19, 2013 at 5:41am

With a pickup, piezo or otherwise, you might have both fairly quiet practice instrument and an overdriven monster in one! Pretty box. Get a mack truck hood ornament of course!

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Permalink Reply by Order99 on November 19, 2013 at 5:47pm

  I've made a Dulcimer or two out of boxes that small, Ukuleles as well. If it's a quality box you might be slightly louder than you think-if not, a Pickup and an Amp will make it as loud as you can stand.

 BTW-if you can find some metal plate with a nice tone, say a cookie tin lid smaller than the width (about 5 inches right?) you might make a nice circular cut and drop yonder lid in for a Mini-resonator. The loudest Acoustic i've got right now isn't much larger than yours-a 8.5"x 5" x 1.25" Padron-but after slipping a 6" x 4.5" x1" Snickers candy tin through the bottom the little critter barks to shame some of my bigger boxes! Admittedly, reinforcing the neck to take Resonator strings may have helped a bit too...

  Just for the record, the smallest box I have used so far has been a 6" x 4.5" by 0.75"  for a child's acoustic guitar, with thin Dulcimer strings-and it was still loud enough to make his Dad regret the commission!

 Do you want to really blow someone's mind though? Find a bigger box for the guitar, remove the lid from your smaller box, cut a hole in the back of your bigger box for the smaller to fit through and make a 'hunchback', with the extra box in the back adding the space you need for more volume. Failing that, find another small box with matching height, rip the lids off of both, lay side by side (or end to end), glue them together at the sides, then cut a few channels at the join so sound can pass from box to box...rip a new lid from some craft Birch, Mahogany door skin or Cedar plywood and build a BIG guitar out of it...

  Mind you, an Amp, Stompbox, felt-lined Jewelry Box or just a 'spare tuners and screws' bin works too...

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Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on November 20, 2013 at 4:43am

Build it. I've built several out of small boxes and been pleasantly surprised at how they sounded. It's too pretty a box not to give it a try.

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