Re: Cigar Box Guitar build....... New Youtube clip loaded !!

[DragonFire]

Pretty amazing!!! But as it is, I have an ukelele that I need to take lessons for..

But this looks like an awesome camp instrument...and fun to build!

Slow...looks like a FUN project...keep us posted if you make one!!

[Greg M]

I'm still trying to figure out how you use the jewelry, flies, candy, and BBQ sauce to make a guitar

Maybe first you soften up the wife with jewelry and candy, then go hide out fishing for a couple of days while she cools down, and finally BBQ her a nice brisket when you get back.

Yah, that'll work

-Greg

[Maureenm]

I wondering about those items,too, even though I knew the challenge was an instrument. Red herrings, perhaps?

[grizz]

I wondering about those items,too, even though I knew the challenge was an instrument. Red herrings, perhaps?

Gary is a deep thinker, allround nice guy and considerate in his execution of living life his own way.... lot to say.

Everything in there had a purpose, from the catnip for our cats, sweets for our 16 year old monster, jewelry for Nicola (or the cats) the flies will be posted to South Africa for my brother to use, he is a keen and successfull fisherman, which I am not. The spices are MINE, Postcard up in the kitchen on the wall, the rest of the stuff will find purpose in the build.

[grizz]

Got the runs and headache, sore body and nausea the last few days.... decided after a bollocking from Nicola, not to go to work today, being the last day before Christmas.
Instead, a quick update on a couple of bits, both actually roadside skip finds.

Those of you who remember the GrizzPod build on here, will remember that I collected some old Oak stair railing/ballustrades etc, I still have 2 pieces left over, one is 1 3/4 inch allround with some holes in parts of it. The other is rounded, with part of it torn away from when I tried to rescue as much clean wood, due to screws and glue that was used making them pretty much unbreakable, and deffo not dismatleable.
Note the damage down the length.
I still believe I can rescue 3 ft of 2"x1" by carefully cutting away the damaged bits. That will give me the neck of the instrument.

I want be be cheeky and say that I want to look at getting some frets in on it too. That may be a challenge, but hey.... lets see where it goeas.

First piece, possibly too small.



Second piece, I really want this to work, and will try use some of the round shape in the back of the neck.



(Ohhh, and yes, I know my dress sense is not exactly right for the garage)


The second item is an old guitar, had it as a decoration piece before, bought strings years ago, never fitted them, lost them in the mean time (packed away somewhere)

Nicola reminded me that it was stashed in the garage rafters and would make a perfect donor for the Cigar Box Guitar build. I plan to use the set of tuning screws. Not sure if I want to go with traditional 3 string, or do the 4 string, which is said to be a better instrument.
After all, its a "Blues" instrument, so basic may be the way to go. Especially if you look at what people do make and play.





So what do you guys think ??

Answers as always on a Postcard.

[GPW]

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/

[Ratkity]

GPW, a great site to peruse!!

Grizz, when you first posted the cigar box guitar was what I thought of, but was thrown off by the jewelry, candy and catnip! LOL.

I'm an average folk guitar player.. everything I play ends up sounding like Peter, Paul and Mary or James Taylor, but I am enamored with the sound of the blues.

On that note (pun), I was honored to attend a blues seminar by a guy who taught periodically at the university in Asheville (a UNC school). It was AMAZING. He played a one stringed broomstick, a cigarbox guitar and a steel guitar; all while giving the amazing history of music as it transformed itself into the blues. Of course I can't remember his name.

Anyhow, I look forward to this new adventure build for you! I hear cigarbox guitar building is addictive and can lead into making full sized guitars.

Hugs,
Ratkity

Hugs to the catnip addicts!!!!

[Pete S]

The donor guitar looks very nice. I guess I would string it up and see how it holds a tune and what the neck feels like to play. I don't see a truss-adjust so you may want to make sure the neck is straight with strings on.

I know, I get all picky about stuff. I'm the the guy who rounded up RCA Blackplate 6L6 tubes for my homebuilt Tweed Pro ( )

[Pete S]

Mormon and Ardvarkle are fun to watch, put on a good show. Mighty nice guys too...

For those that think these things are just wall art or or joke, or like Slow, wonder just how good they can sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyTrbH16LZg

These are a couple of local boys that made good. The CBG was built by someone in Memphis I believe. It has three guitar strings and one bass string and plays through a guitar amp and a bass amp.

Mine have never sounded this good BTW.

Jack

[grizz]

As always Ratkity, thanks a lot, will give hugs, cuddles, belly rubs as appropriate.

Pete, keep in mind, I am completely blind in this build, as I usually just make stuff up as I go along, but from listening to various comments, it seems this is not a straightforward build.

[StPatron]

Sounds as if you've already done some homework, Grizz. Way to go on the idea of using stock on hand, in the fashion of the pioneer builders.

I'll preface my remarks with this..... It's been my experience that many builders bite off a lot to chew on their first guitar, get frustrated and never do more with the hobby. So, I now recommend starting simple and then adding more frills with subsequent builds. Or, modifying the original as you go. A 3-string fretless acoustic is a great way to get started and can provide you with hrs. and hrs. of entertainment. My "first" is still my number one go-to guitar (the Arturo Fuente in the rusty red chair pic).

Given the same neck width, one of the features that makes three stringers attractive is the increased distance between the strings for fingering placement on the fretboard. Guys with big "paws" (actually the fingertips) sometimes find that of benefit.

I find that a scale length (distance from bridge to nut) of 24 to 25-1/2 inches works best. Fender and Martin use 25-1/2 and Gibson uses 24-3/4 if I remember correctly. Bridge placement on that box will work best at about 1/3 from the end, check Jack's Don Tomas build for a good example. I begin building my necks with 36" stock, so you're right on track there. Good thought on the curved neck, that will be much easier on the hand.

Adding frets is a bold step for a beginner and could always be added later. Variations in fret height can lead to string buzzing and multiple headaches, so keep that in mind. Playing a fretless instrument is really not much different (that ought to stir up some controversy...)

Darn, I wish I had sent you some tuners. I'm not sure I'd tear into that guitar, it looks pretty nice. A set of strings would turn it into a quick seller if you don't have other plans for it. I've never tried mounting that style tuner so that the posts are upright, but I suppose it would work if you mounted it on an angle?? Otherwise, one string will contact another.. not good. So, that leaves you with creating a slotted headstock like the original in order to use those tuners.. or, fashioning friction fit pegs (yecch!). Let me know what you think, I could mail you three or four tuners that are easily attached.

Anyhow, didn't mean to put the pressure on ya. You could always store bolts and nails in the box and add the grommets to a tarp.

Hope you recover soon and have a wonderful holiday.

GPW: Yes, that's THE forum for CBG building.

[campmaster-k]

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/

I am totally amazed by what can be found on the internet!

[2old2tent]

It's been my experience that many builders bite off a lot to chew on their first guitar, get frustrated and never do more with the hobby. So, I now recommend starting simple and then adding more frills with subsequent builds.

I second this wholeheartedly. I built my first off that link I posted. Nothing extra. The next I started playing with more detail. You can always build more but if the first gets too frustrating you won't get to the second one.

Jack

[Pete S]

Pete, keep in mind, I am completely blind in this build, as I usually just make stuff up as I go along, but from listening to various comments, it seems this is not a straightforward build.

Hey I didn't mean to talk you out of anything! I was just pointing out the "gotcha" stuff that I would consider if I were going to attack a project like this.

With that said why not find a sub-50 dollar guitar in the ads somewhere so you can fearlessly futz with it. Dress the frets, set up the truss rod, set up the nut, set up the action, and dial in the intonation. If it needs new tuners put 'em on.

When you get done you'll know more about guitars than most guitar players. When you get back to that cigar box you'll be way better prepared to make a plan.

[GPW]

Here’s mine ... made for playing on my lap ... with a “steelâ€