Nathan King

Male

Denver, CO

United States

Profile Information:

How did you learn about Cigar Box Nation?
It's been so long, I don't remember.
How many instruments have you built so far?
Is "too many" a good answer?
What do you find most interesting about cigar box guitars? (If you do not enter something meaningful here (at least one sentence long), your membership may be rejected as a spam/bot fake account).
I had a sound in my head I wanted to get out. It wasn't possible on a traditional instrument, so I build an instrument around that sound. The possibilities are wide open... limited only by imagination (and maybe skill, ha!)

Comment Wall:

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  • bemuzic

    Hi, and thanks that's really usefull (and makes sense!!)....yeah I thought hitting the right note was more important...if I started thinking about something else that went!!....still I'd only got it the day before and haven't been playing guitar of any kind for over 20yrs!!....so as you say it should get easier : -)

    Nov 24, 2009

  • Michael Clark

    Hey man, thanks for the request. As soon as I saw the clamp comment I had a flashback to 2004-05 when 90% of everything I said was directly from that movie. Hilarious.

    Nov 26, 2009

  • Ice Bob

    yes thanks lots of b-days today

    Nov 29, 2009

  • Ray Womack

    Thanks. Did you know that parakeets taste like chicken?
    Sweet Baby Ray

    Dec 5, 2009

  • Philip Daniel

    Beautiful work. Two questions though. What do you use to cut the slot for your nut (bolt) and do you use a real fretsaw for fretting or have you figured out a cheaper tool. Cheers, P.

    Dec 10, 2009

  • diamond dom

    ha, cheers brother
    appreciate it

    Dec 12, 2009

  • Kevin Sprague (Knotlenny)

    Thanks Nathan,
    I think that Christmas album is really something special!

    Dec 15, 2009

  • bairfoot cajun

    hey nathan,that professionals sticker was on the box when i bought it.and yes i thought it was funny too,so when i decided to cut the box down i cut part of the front off so that sticker would still be on the box. it was originally 17 inches long. i think cause of the size it should make a good box for volume.

    Dec 16, 2009

  • c# merle

    cheers for the comments on the vid nathan. good boxes are hard to find so this one is, literally, home made

    Dec 20, 2009

  • Tim Gale

    Hey Nathan, Welcome to the New Mexico Four Corners group. I live off HWY 50 between Gunnison and Montrose. If you are ever going to be in the area, let me know. Maybe we can meet up. Checked out your photos of your builds. Very nice work!

    Jan 6, 2010

  • Shiverman

    I'll see if I can get something up this weekend. The sound isn't particularly banjo like... more like a nice mellow sorta dulcimery sound. The best part about it is that it's really helped become a better player because I can play it at night after everyone else is asleep. Not so easy with a normal banjo.

    Jan 9, 2010

  • Jeff Delfield

    Thanks for the kind words, Nathan. Looks like you make some sweet instruments too. I'm super focused on banjos right now. Let me know if you have any questions.

    Jeff

    Jan 11, 2010

  • Shiverman

    It's a standard(ish) 26 1/4 scale...I had a template from Roger Smirnoff's how to build a 5-string banjo that I used. Since I mainly play at the bottom of the neck, (nearest the peghead), my next one will probably be a shorter scale or a regular scale without the upper 2 frets to save on size.

    I didn't use a truss rod, but I made the neck with using a 3/4 inch piece of maple in the center sandwitched between 2 3/4 pieces of mahogany with an 1/4 rosewood fretboard on top...this make the neck plenty stiff without dealing with the hassle of a truss rod. I haven't experienced any warping.

    Jan 12, 2010

  • Brandon M. Luebke

    Thanks Nathan! Glad you like the Rock-box. We have to keep it fun and funky. I dig your builds--looks like you have some nifty amps of your own there! Also, I love the three-strings. Did you make those wooden knobs? Those fiddles are intense! Rock on!

    Jan 17, 2010

  • John Hopper

    Hey Nathan. thanks for the invie. The Metro area has bee pretty mild so far this winter. I like snow, but I do not miss shoveling! I have started a ukulele and am now designing the neck. I have some wood working skills, but this is my first attempt. Do you know any uke builders or have you made one? Does the group ever have a meetup session? I coul duse a little help with the fret board and fret placement. Let me know if you get to Denver. jh

    Jan 26, 2010

  • John Hopper

    Hey, how do I join and get accepted into the Colorado Group? Thanks, jh

    Jan 26, 2010

  • John Hopper

    Hey, I have a square box and plan to turn 90 and mount the neck to the corner! I have drawn it out and scribed the neck on a piece of redwood. I plan to rough it out today. I chose redwood because i had a piece laying around and it would be easy to work and forgiving. I know where to put the nut, but setting frets and tail piece will require some assistance. My model is a sprano Uke that I own.

    Jan 26, 2010

  • Bear

    Thanks for the comments, Nathan! Let's see... What can I tell ya about that banjo? It's a neck-through design, recessed for the box top to vibrate. For the visible part of the neck, I tried to emulate a standard banjo feel, although it's a 24" scale length. I shape necks primarily with a farrier's rasp -- goes quick! -- followed by "shoeshining" with sandpaper. Finishing is done with 5 or 6 coats of Tru-Oil Gunstock Finish (GREAT stuff). For this one, and a few other banjos I've made, I used boxwood violin pegs for tuners, which involved getting a reamer and a peg shaver. Not as easy to install or tune as geared tuners, but I like the looks and vibe. Anyway, if you have anything specific you want to know, just ask.

    I'm in the process of getting high-speed internet, and as soon as I have a connection, I'll be able to look at your (and everybody else's) videos; dial-up is driving me crazy!

    Jan 27, 2010

  • Bear

    Just looked at all your pics... Sheesh, Nathan! I'm a little embarrassed! I got nuthin' to teach you about making these things. Beautiful stuff!

    Jan 27, 2010

  • Bear

    I've made 60 or so instruments without truss rods and no problems, even on 6-stringers. For those, I use a 23" scale and .009's. On the banjos I put ball-end guitar strings with standard, medium-ish gauges (10-12-14-23-10). The key, I think, is quartersawn wood (usually cherry, oak, or walnut "turning squares"), and letting the natural bend of a board counteract string tension. I still have some of my 4-year-old banjos and guitars and none show signs of neck issues.

    I've concluded that truss rods are overrated. And in a cigar box instrument, a truss rod would almost certainly make it neck-heavy and unbalanced.

    Jan 27, 2010

  • Doug Thorsvik

    Nathan, Thanks for the info on the Artec pickup; I may try one out in the near future. Doug

    Jan 27, 2010

  • Bear

    A 3-piece, quartersawn, laminated neck would be plenty strong!

    I get big quartersawn oak boards at Rockler, out of which I can cut maybe 6, 8 necks. They're usually 3/4", so I add a 1/4" walnut fingerboard, which they also carry at Rockler, or at Thompson's art & hobby store on Wadsworth just north of Colfax Ave. But for a one-piece cherry, walnut, maple, or oak neck, I go to Paxton's near I-70 & Steele St. (Google it). They have the turning squares from which you can select really straight-grained ones and cut them perfectly quartersawn for 2 necks. Prices have nearly doubled in the past few years, to $25-$30 per square... bummer.

    Jan 28, 2010

  • dogfinger steve

    it came like that, real thin 3 ply. it is a nice grain but i still have the urge to spray it matt black :0)

    Jan 31, 2010

  • Roosterman

    Wiser?? uh oh, something went wrong....
    Thanks for your birthday wishes man :o)

    Feb 6, 2010

  • Sundt Productions

    lol... Thanks Nathan... and being an oak stake, I'm ready for any vampire hecklers, too... :^)

    Feb 7, 2010

  • Perfesser Blue

    There are a few of us in Colorado that know our cbgs!
    Sometimes on a sunny afternoon Ill go down to Larimer street and play an old hobo song or two on the cbg...and the revolution then spreads....

    Feb 7, 2010

  • Ice Bob

    Samster up stages me all the time. and i love it

    Feb 8, 2010

  • Randy Beach

    Thanks for the compliment.That was my first build and it was very interesting to do. but it turned out pretty good I guess. Nothing like what you have built for sure. but I will keep trying untill I might accidently catch up with some you most excellent builders.I don't have all the tools I need really to build what I want . But I keep finding ways to make my ideas work lol. it sounds absolutely amazing and it really sustains well too. so now I am on to the nexy project. I want to build one out of a real cigar box this time lol. I made this box out of oak. I seen one of my friends and went from there lol. so everything I did was from scratch. never layed out a fret board in my life but it is dead on. so that is good. I want keep you any longer.thanks again !!!
    Randy Beach

    Feb 8, 2010

  • Sundt Productions

    Fantastic Work!

    Feb 9, 2010

  • Wichita Sam

    Nathan,

    Glad we're friends,

    Sam

    Feb 16, 2010

  • Christopher Call

    Thanks for the kind words brother! I had a look at some of your builds and WOW! Beautiful work bro!!!!!!!!!

    Mar 1, 2010

  • Christopher Call

    Your welcome man, thank you for creating such beauties for us to enjoy!!!!!!!

    Mar 3, 2010

  • Keni Lee Burgess

    Thank you for your comment. Soon, I will be posting a series of lectures I wrote about understanding chords. I am hoping to present them as a interactive study, so I can recieve questions and feedback from studunts, who are interested in taking the time to learn the material. This way I will be able to improve the lectures by editing the originals. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy.

    Mar 6, 2010

  • Keni Lee Burgess

    Thank you for your kind comments and responding back. Certainly having readers with a wide varitey of experience with chords will be very helpful. I look forward to your feedback. It is my intention, with the help of my readers, to edit the lectures into as clear a presentation as possible. I want to help builders, play their creations with greater skill, than just playing them by using a handful of open chords. Enjoy.

    Mar 7, 2010

  • rodney fruits

    Thanks For the comments Nathan. I like to use a cut off hinge for the tail cuz its easy to ground the strings that way. just stick the wire through a hole and loop around a hinge screw or just let the hinge smash it against the box.

    Apr 12, 2010

  • bairfoot cajun

    thanks for the comment nathan,i decided to go on a tin run for to experiment with metal tone,i gots a few more tins in today and gots a few more on da way.got a real nice clean solid brass tin today--almost to nice to cut a neck slot in it--it is a cigar box--should sound really cool--- i am perplexed over the situation---what do ya think? just curious of what nathan would do in this situation. thanks man for being a creative cbg engineer.

    Jun 1, 2010

  • Keni Lee Burgess

    Thank you for your kind words. Playing the banjo roll feels like twisting a lid off of a jar clockwise. I start by raking up with my middle finger, followed quickly by my index. Then I strum down with my thumb. Enjoy.

    Sep 11, 2010

  • Tom Caneschi aka cbg tom

    My luck no hobby lobbys in my area but I check out other craft stores thanks... like ur building style. tc

    Nov 7, 2010

  • Bear

    Nathan -- Great stuff on your new videos! Gotta get together sometime soon...

    Dec 22, 2010

  • Bear

    Hey, Nathan -- Where're you playing? If it's anywhere in the Denver area I'd love to come hear you, and meet face to face! -- Todd (Bear)

    Mar 11, 2011

  • Bear

    Bummer, Nate! Gypsum's a little far with the current gas prices, but do let me (or all of us Colo. folks) know when you're gonna be around D- Town.

    Mar 12, 2011

  • Bear

    Nate -- Haven't heard from ya after I left a message (in your inbox, maybe?) so I don't know if you got it. Anyway, I wasn't familiar with Three Kings, but I just checked it out online -- looks purty cool! Hope a regular gig there happens for you; I'll come!

     

    If you want to get together sometime, e-mail me at tktreadway@aol.com and we'll see what happens! -- Todd

    Apr 11, 2011

  • Bear

    Nate -- Great set last night! You rocked the house! I do believe the crowd loved you. Dang, wish you were still here in Denver...

     

    Hey, I got a copy of the poster; a guy who worked there pulled one off the wall for me. So you're a graphic designer, too?! Sheesh!

    Jun 5, 2011

  • Shawn Jones

    Hi Nathan, my name is Shawn Jones and I live in Edwards. I saw your guitars recently in the paper and thought they were awesome. I have a good friend who is turning 30 this week(thurs) and a bunch of us were looking for a great gift to give him for the special birthday. He's an avid musician and would love one of your CBG's. Are you in the valley currently, or am I a little late on the draw? my email is Mrsoul8150@gmail.com or call me ASAP at 970-688-1680. Hopefully I hear form you soon.

    Jul 12, 2011

  • Bear

    Nate -- Been thinking about you... Wondered about what happened with Hymn For Her at Lion's Lair, for one thing. Looks like you have been busy building this summer. Man, you make some super-nice CBG's! Last week I got a call from the music store asking for more CBBanjos, so I've been busy, too!

    Jul 15, 2011

  • Michael Prout

    Thanks for the dot link.  Those are great.  They look nice and very affordable.  Keeping the price down on the more affordable CBG and making them look nicer.

    Oct 12, 2011

  • Bear

    Let me be the first to say: CONGRATULATIONS, NATE!!

    Your banjo is a sublime combination of vintage influences and modern design. Can't wait to see/hear it!

    Jan 11, 2012

  • Michael Fred Johnson

    Congratulations on your win, Been looking at your photos there is some superb craftsmanship there

    Jan 14, 2012

  • JUJU

    Ey Up Bud just noticed it's your Birthday Hope you have a good one :) - hope all's going well for you mate

    juju :)

    Jan 22, 2012

  • Rand Moore

    Hi Nathan,

    Congratulations on winning the 2011 Cigar Box Nation Builder's Challenge. It's a very nice build. I really like the graceful neck and headstock design. Maybe you could gift us with some additional photos from different angles, if you have some (or maybe after you get your CBB (banjo) back from judging.) I'm sure the banjo fans in the Banjo Player Unite discussion group would like to see how you did the neck and headstock, and maybe more photos would show off some of the other winning features.


    Sincerely,

    -Rand.

    Jan 26, 2012