Today a guy can go into a studio and make a record, just any guy. Today you are judged by your records. You make a record overnight. A guy makes a record and overnight he's a big recording star and you can't say anything to him. And most of the time he can't even carry his instrument - Sam Price, to Paul Oliver, 1960
I finished my first effort a couple of weeks back. Made it small for my son. 3 strings, not very loud at all (small box, and thick lid) but he thinks its great along with the donated slide and plectrum!
I'm now trying to put what I learnt into practice for a bigger better one... If it turns out okay Ill have to figure out a song on it and post it on the back porch some time.
I've made a handful of cigar box ukes over the years. I like to find boxes that are made of solid wood instead of ply. I think they sound way better (and louder). There's some nice boxes out there that are made from nice quarter-sawn cedar type wood.. very similar to what you'd use for a "real" instrument top.
I'm about ready to start building, got a nice box & going with a mate to score some neck timber & wood stain etc. on Friday. Any advice regarding frets and scale length would be greatly appreciated. Also, I'm considering the possibilities of some kind of pick-up, any thoughts? I'm going to build a three stringed instrument, as cheaply as possible. This little project has really got my enthusiasm fired up.
Ive knocked up 4 now- 2 simple things for the kids, one bad one for me- and one half decent one im pleased with, which my dad is going to get for Christmas.
3 strings is good. Cigar Box Nation is the site to visit.
Many are made fretless, but ive done half decent frets on one. Problem is action- as the standard neck through method makes it difficult to get playable frets which are well intonated higher up the neck.
Lots of these seem to be made almost baritone scale - using 3/4/5th strings from a normal guitar.
I think you just have to make the neck which suits you and fits the box, and then figure out the scale length which works with it. Ive not fussed about it- and then just used an online calculator for the scale length it turns out to be once its built!
As for pickups- lots of stuff on CB nation- but I put 2 piezo discs (about 60p each from maplin or ebay) in parallel, and it works fine. Seems the trick is to insulate them to avoid them being too sensitive and feeding back. I used a hot glue gun and covered them in a good layer of plastic before attaching them to the box. Seems to work.
Sooner or late Ill figure out a song on 3 string and post it on the back porch. Maybe a video to show the guitar!
Currently building a resonator Cigar Box guitar. Guy in the states makes cones specially for $25- Should end up looking a bit like this:
Cheers, Slim. I've already had a butcher's at Cigar Box Nation, now I'm thinking that a 3-string diddleybow will be the easiest option for a first time build. Let's see how it goes and maybe try fretting any subsequent model. Maybe I'll try a bit of pokerwork decoration on the neck, with some visual hints at basic scale positions. Anyhoo... It's liable to take a few weeks, I'll keep you all posted. Excelsior!
Yes, I'd love to see that too, Simon. Maybe you can do like Sam Collins--have an instrument that is not set up to play in tune, but play it in tune anyway! All best, Johnm
The guitar is a 3 string- which in due course will be my Dad's Christmas present (need to sort the string spacing first- which causes me to trip up a bit at the start of the video...). I'm playing it acoustically, but it plugs in too- and sounds much the same (only louder )
My daughter's favourite guitar song!
« Last Edit: November 24, 2012, 09:50:18 AM by Norfolk Slim »
My first CBG was my best -- an Arturo Fuente box, 3 strings, a Fender single coil pickup, Gibson stop tailpiece, a neck made from a piece of red oak stair nose, and Schaller tuners. Loud and raw ! There was no volume or tone controls, so 100% of output went to the amp. I also made a nice acoustic one for my grandson with a ukulele neck on a Romeo y Julieta cigar box.
Here's my latest distraction from getting work done. I found the can recently and it just reminded me of one of those "pineapple" shaped ukes. I hear Spam is pretty popular in Hawaii, so I suppose canned ham is a good fit for a ukulele.
Thought about it for open mike so I wouldn't have to drag my resonator but I don't know how durable they are or where you'd get repairs done on them. Thought you would have to get involved the same way you do with a budget resonator or send it to the manufacturer. I was considering one from this place: http://www.daddy-mojo.com/ or one of Brian Saner's liscence plate guitars: The daddy mojo is light, the Saner is about the same weight as a resonator - though he can make them lighter.
Let's see if this works, otherwise I'll have to set up a photo account somewhere.
Let's HEAR if it works! Interesting bridge construction. Won't the local streetcorner Chinese miss their chopsticks?
Cheers
Pan
Give me a few days, I'm just recovering from a nasty fever & my voice/breathing is still a bit raggedy. I can say that the box sounds great, if a bit on the quiet side.
Here's a sample. Not perfect, but it'll do. You can see how the strings pop out of their nut groove and how I still need to practice finding the pitches. I'll definitely be making more instruments; a ukulele next, then a guitar with frets. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy the sound of my first cigar box instrument.
If the strings are poping out (and too late to build more angle in) use a "string tree" or just get screw-in eye hooks like youd use for hanging a picture. They can pull the strings tight down towards the headstock and create an angle.