How good can it sound unplugged?

Information

How good can it sound unplugged?

Share experience, tips & tricks that have produced the best acoustic unplugged sound in your cigar box instruments. This applies to commercial or self made boxes.

Members: 148
Latest Activity: Dec 18, 2020

Discussion Forum

Resonator Ukulele

Started by John Hopper. Last reply by Order99 Jul 9, 2020. 1 Reply

Innards - reinforcements, struts and bass bars?

Started by Diane in Chicago. Last reply by Dustin Smith Oct 25, 2010. 19 Replies

bridges - materials - setup etc.

Started by David Beede. Last reply by Dustin Smith Oct 25, 2010. 15 Replies

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of How good can it sound unplugged? to add comments!

Comment by BUGGY (C) on March 13, 2013 at 11:24am

The 1930 tin pie plate worked a treat too.... with a pan lid cover...

also quite like a sheet of dexian shelf on a guitar or loo seat as a resonator...

also try a cheap dented camping kettle upside down.... 

 

Comment by BUGGY (C) on March 13, 2013 at 11:20am

I made a double turkey dish resonator with a reverb spring in it and stuck the neck on top sounds kinda like chicken...but I like it 

Comment by bairfoot cajun on November 5, 2012 at 8:55pm

i put a copper cone from old lowe in a tennessee music box---its got nice volume to it.thanks old lowe your copper cones are really different from the brass and aluminum ones.

Comment by bairfoot cajun on November 5, 2012 at 8:53pm

Comment by tdq on October 24, 2012 at 7:06am

Scrapyard, that looks fantastic, and very interesting to me. A question - so the neck is just glued to the body now, and the added heel reinforcement is enough? I like the idea but not sure I have the woodworking skills (mine are extremely basic). As MichaelS mentioned, my builds (such as they are) used a neck through, but I took away some of the neck inside the box so there was no neck/top contact. 

Comment by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on October 24, 2012 at 3:16am

Scrapyard, nice save/improvement. I bet the best improvement in sound was opening up the box by attaching the neck like you did. I'm just wondering did the thru neck in the first version touch the lid or was it relieved under the sound board?

String pressure is also a big one for unplugged sound. Again, nice re-build.

Comment by Scrapyard Guitar on August 9, 2012 at 10:38am
Comment by Scrapyard Guitar on June 8, 2012 at 11:16pm

Though I would share my recent experience with the group. I recently built a CBG using an old cutlery box following the neck through the body principle used by so many builders; but I had no intention of including a pickup of any type.  To be honest I was less than impressed with the sound.

So not wishing to be beaten I started some research finding this Book on the way. After reading from cover to cover and adjusting what it had to say mentally into the world of CBGs, I proceeded to re-work the guitar previously mentioned.

My progress can be seen at the following: Link to Facebook Photo Album 

If you ask was it worth the time, or did it work then the answer is a resounding YES!  It is a very easy process and the results are incredible, however there is no getting away from fact that a CBG is a small sound chamber and will need to be played away from the body to get the best volume, but for playing in the comfort of your arm chair this is the way forward.

Comment by Cigar Box Strings on April 11, 2012 at 5:39pm
I have built two cigar box uses now. While playing them I noticed that if i have the back panel against my belly the instrument has less volume and low end. If I prop it out away from me it sounds fantastic. Is this a typical issue and is there a solution?
Comment by Rick Hayes on July 25, 2011 at 3:35am
Dual coffee cans do a real good job as free resonator on a 3-string crutch lap steel.
 

Members (148)

 
 
 

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Discussion Forum

Resonator Ukulele

Started by John Hopper. Last reply by Order99 Jul 9, 2020. 1 Reply

Innards - reinforcements, struts and bass bars?

Started by Diane in Chicago. Last reply by Dustin Smith Oct 25, 2010. 19 Replies

bridges - materials - setup etc.

Started by David Beede. Last reply by Dustin Smith Oct 25, 2010. 15 Replies

Box construction materials

Started by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars Mar 10, 2010. 0 Replies

sound absortion inside box

Started by bucky. Last reply by David Beede Sep 8, 2009. 1 Reply

Latest Activity

Gary O'slide posted videos
47 minutes ago
Uncle John commented on Glenn Kaiser's video
Thumbnail

GK less Paul Diddley Bow

"Ha, Ha.  Less is more."
1 hour ago
Uncle John commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Up the Hill A D Eker 2024

"Sounding good, A.D. Great looking git."
1 hour ago
A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Up the Hill A D Eker 2024

"Thanks Keith ! appreciated !"
1 hour ago
A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Up the Hill A D Eker 2024

"Thank you for the comment Doug !appreciated !"
1 hour ago
Keith Rearick liked A.D.EKER's video
2 hours ago
Keith Rearick liked Ghostbuttons's photo
2 hours ago
Keith Rearick liked Randy S. Bretz's photo
2 hours ago
Keith Rearick liked Crazed Fandango's photo
2 hours ago
Keith Rearick liked J. D. Woods's discussion Are metal frets necessary?
2 hours ago
BrianQ. posted a status
"R.I.P. Dickey Betts, Thanx for the memories!!!"
3 hours ago
BrianQ. replied to Rich Butters's discussion UK - Best Place to Buy Cigar Box's
"Ever heard of The Godfather of cigarbox guitars? He has a one stop shop store complete with all the…"
3 hours ago

Events

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->