Topic: Anyone else had fun messing with cigar box guitars?

[Norfolk Slim]

Dont think so- some do 3 and some do 4.  You have to be a bit more aware of the tension on the neck with 4.

I like the minimalist appeal of 3 

[sweetwilliam]

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. 

[nobocaster]

  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.

Cheers,
Devin

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[harriet]

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.

[Stumblin]

Let's see if this works, otherwise I'll have to set up a photo account somewhere.

[Pan]

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

[Stumblin]

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.

[Stumblin]

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.

[jrn]

Cool thread! I've wanted to build a cbg for a long time now. Cool, fun and inexpensive is just my speed!

Andy, what did you use for your neck?

Jason

[Norfolk Slim]

Get a length of 2 x 1 hardwood.  Shape it with a spokeshave, or just a plane / rasps of some kind.  A bit of chiselling needed for the headstock.

[Pan]

Here's a sample. Not perfect, but it'll do.

Great! Thanks for sharing.
I wish I was handy enough to build my own instrument.

Cheers

Pan

[Norfolk Slim]

I'm about as un-handy as it gets.  Some reading, some care, a reasonable idea of how guitars work and some reasonable tools are quite enough!

[Stumblin]

I'm about as un-handy as it gets.  Some reading, some care, a reasonable idea of how guitars work and some reasonable tools are quite enough!

I'm a confirmed, fully paid-up, card carrying klutz of the highest order. If I can make one of these things, anyone can.
Slim's advice is excellent.

[Norfolk Slim]

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.

[frailer24]

The small eyehooks are a godsend. I use them on every cigar box I build.