'almostafenderplank'

It has been my goal during the months of building cigar box guitars to create a six-string CBG using a Tatuaje cigar box as a body, because the Tatuaje is a large box just waiting to become an electric guitar.  My first thought was to create my own neck, but that suddenly changed, when I discovered that my tool shed didn't have the necessary gear, and I was not about to make the investment at this time, I'm too much of a novice for that leap. 

So, the time came a couple weeks ago while searching the web for various parts to enhance my hobby.  I ran across a used Fender Squier neck and various other items taken from used or discarded guitars. 

I couldn't resist the temptation so I bought, at greatly reduced prices, what I needed to fulfill my goal.  Take a look and let me know what you think.

The tricky part about creating this creature was fabricating the various pieces into a playable instrument.

First I layed the neck and bridge on top of the box to get a sense of where it should be placed to allow for proper scale length, while maintaining a comfortable playing surface and balance.  I carefully measured and marked the surface for future positioning, while keeping in mind that the box must be cut and reinforced to establish the integrity necessary in a payable guitar, and at the same time planning where the pickup, volume pot and output jack were to be located.

So, using a little Montana 'Injunuity' (my heritage had to come into play) and a bit of Kentucky windage, I measured twice, so I could manage to cut once.   Out came the tools.  Apart came the box.  Oak pieces were cut and glued where necessary to the inside of the box.  Cuts were made in the proper places.  A variety of files were used to finish the parts fitting process.  Once all the pieces were finally fitted and assembled (several times to satisfy my anal expectation), I made up the wiring harness, soldered wires, and bench tested the creation.  Everything worked, and it fit together nicely.  So, the only thing left was to add a nice finish to the box and to do the final assembly.

I couldn't wait to light this thing up and to hear how it sounded, and I was not disappointed.  It sounds great.  Deep bass and rich treble tones were emitting from my amp, and I was about to wet my pants.  I had just built my allmostafenderplank six-string guitar out of a cigar box and a bunch of discarded parts.

Damn, I love it when a plan comes together!

I think I'll do this again, just for grins.

Punch II

I've been more involved than I like in school photography recently, so my luthier hobby has slowed down.  But, I have found time to create a couple interesting instruments.

Punch II is the result of a web search where I stumbled across a very nice looking black box that I thought would make a nifty cigar box guitar.  An oak neck, poplar fingerboard, tuners, frets, strings, a simple bridge, a piezo pickup, and voila, I got myself a rockin' CBG.  The sound hole is a little different, but it allows this little critter to crank out a nice mellow acoustic sustain, and when it's plugged in it'll blow the windows out.

Chords

It's been awhile since I last posted.  But, the interest has not diminished.  I've created a few more guitars, which I'll add photos later. 

But in the meantime, for those of you who read this and are interested in learning to play or build, read on.

The basic chord charts for a three-string guitar should get you started, and when you've mastered them, you'll be pickin' and grinnin' with the best of 'em.

Guitar Case with Amp

It's about time for me to consider how I'm going to carry around with me, any one of the sixteen guitars I've built.  So, a couple weeks ago I got the hairy idea for building a case, not just any ol' case, but one which is a little unusual, and which would include an amp for the days when I decide to do a street-corner gig.


After a little noodling on the idea and a sketch or three, the vision of an oak box large enough to handle any of the cigar box guitars, with the exception of the bass, and complete with storage area for picks, slides, amp cord, extra strings, and built-in amp, I hit the workshop.


The top and body framework is covered in 1/4" oak veneer (1-1/2" lid, and 2-1/2" body) and hinged with a brass piano hinge to match all the other metal trim pieces.  Inside is a padded velvet body cavity which will accommodate any of my guitars, and adjacent to this is a padded neck rest with leather strap to secure things.  On the lid is a velvet covered pad which holds the guitar in place when the lid is closed.  To keep things out of sight and secure is a neat little area with hinged lid held in place by a wood turn-'shoe'.  Next to the storage compartment is a recessed area (a margarine container salvaged from kitchen trash) which is a recess for the speaker mounted in the lid . . . maybe, if I do a street-corner gig, someone will toss in a coin or six to show their appreciation for an old guy banging out sound on a groovy looking instrument.  And, finally, I installed another monster amp provided by my friend Ty from Guitar Fuel.  I already explained the amp thing in a prior post, so I'll spare you the repetition, but suffice it to say this is a cool case with a real purpose. 


Yes, I'll build one for you, just lay on some long, lean, Green.

Latest Bargain

Last month I cruised out to the local fairgrounds swap meet to check out other people's junk, I mean treasures, and in the process I came across a lady selling, among other things, a guitar.  Like I need another guitar . . . I already explained that I suffer with GAS, Guitar Acquisition Syndrome!  Oh well, what's one more, right?

I looked it over carefully, and under the grime I discovered it was a 'Prestige' brand, which I knew nothing about, but I knew it wasn't anything near the quality of my Martin.  The strings, what were there, were in tough shape.  One tuner needed attention.  But, under closer scrutiny and wiping away some of the dust and crud, I realized this thing was ding free and that all the internal bracing was in tact, and structurally it was sound.

Now to the good part.  I asked the gal what she had to have for it.  She said, "Forty bucks."  I said, "No, I don't really want another guitar, and besides I'll just cut it up to make a resonator, so thanks anyway, but I'll pass."  She came right back at me asking that I make an offer.  I said, "No, I don't want to insult or offend you."  She said, "Make an offer, I'll probably take it."  I said, "OK, twenty bucks."  She said, "It's yours."  I paid the lady and took off for home to see what a mistake I really made, wondering if she was pissed at the person who owned it and was getting 'even' by giving it away . . . nah, it was too grungy, and she seemed too nice.

Well, after a good scrubbing and a wax job; a new set of strings; and tuning, I discovered that I had just 'stolen' a pretty damn nice guitar.  Not high-end, but it plays well and the finish is flawless with nice edge binding, rosewood fingerboard with solid frets, what I think is maple top, and the sides and back appear to be mahogany.

So, off I went to the internet to research my prize.  I could only find one guy who claims to own a similar model, and nothing about the manufacturer.  The guy says it was American made in the '60s for distribution through Sears and that it was produced for only a short time. But, that all I could glean from my web effort.

That's alright, nothing like a 'good deal' to make the world a better place.

The 'Gitfiddle'

I remember, as a young guy, how fascinated I was with Paul McCartney's Violin Bass Guitar, so I decided to create a little guy from a rat violin I found in a secondhand store.

It's not a cigar box guitar, but so what, there really are no rules when it comes to building small instruments. 

I haggled with the old guy who runs the place until he caved in and sold me the thing for much less than he had it marked.  Nothing like getting a bargain, right? 

After carting my prize home and into the shop, I quickly started ripping it apart.  Off came the strings, fingerboard, bridge, string retainer and chin rest.  Whoa, what next!  Gotta mark the spots where the saw will separate this little devil, and then carve it apart.  All the demolition took about 20 minutes, and I was in business. 

After the parts were separated and on the bench, I chose a nice piece of oak for the neck that would soon connect the tuner curl and the body.  After carefully measuring it for the correct scale length, I commenced to carve and shape the neck to fit the violin pieces remaining.  Once I had all the modifications completed, a really cool veneer laminated to the neck, and the fret slots cut, out came the epoxy and together went the curl, neck, and body.  Modified the string retainer to accommodate guitar strings and a much lower bridge.  Cut an opening in the back so that I could tuck a pickup and output jack in place.  Covered the opening with a specially designed piece, and that was about the end of the tougher stuff.  It wasn't long before the finishing touches were in place and it was ready for finish sanding, seal, paint in strategic places, and final coating with poly.  On with the strings.  Tune it to a fine D-F#-A and C, and I was ready for the blues on my new, well, almost new, 'Gitfiddle'.

Because the violin was made to be a well-resonating acoustic instrument, it makes a great little guitar and sound great without amplification, but when I light it up with the amp, it really sounds great.  

Damn, I like it when a plan comes together!

A Contest Entry

A couple weeks ago, I was invited by Cigar Box Nation to enter a contest which will be judged in June by Fretboard Magazine editors.  The prize is a custom made six-string guitar.  Not that I need another guitar . . . I already have G.A.S. (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome) . . , but what the hell, it will be fun to enter.  The only criteria is that the guitar must be created from a cigar box, have two or more necks, and be playable. 

So, I  pondered what to build and came up with the idea of using the ancient Chinese understanding of how things work . . . Yin Yang.

 

The Yin Yang symbol is an outer circle representing 'everything', while the black and white shapes within the circle represent the interaction of two energies, 'yin' (black), and 'yang' (white), which cause everything to happen, and they cannot exist without each other.

While 'yin' would be dark, passive, downward, cold, and weak, 'yang' would be bright, active, upward, hot, and strong.  The shape of the yin and yang sections of the symbol actually gives the sense of continual movement of the two images, yin to yang, and yang to yin.

I chose Yin Yang as the theme for this guitar, because music, the universal language of the ages, and the guitar with its dark bass and bright treble notes, complimentary opposites, represents perfectly through its music how things work together.

In the photos, you will see how I designed the necks to be similar, but opposite.  One is made of dark oak with a very dark ebony fingerboard, while the other is light oak with a very light monkey pod wood fingerboard, facing each other, with tuners to match.  The three-string neck is accented in black (Yin), and the four-string neck is accented in white (Yang).  This color scheme is carried on down the back of the necks to the tailstocks.  The box is a Saint Luis Rey Churchill, which worked well in that the oval logo was removed to create a sound hole between the necks, which I backed in screen to finish that portion.

Inside, I set up each neck with a transducer pickup which can be activated by a switch when being played, so that only sound from one guitar is amplified at a time.  The bridge is designed to accommodate each neck in one design, which tends to tie the two together visually.  To accentuate the Yin Yang theme, I added small silver plated black and white symbols to neck, tailstock, and bridge, as well as a larger example laminated to the back of the box.

Who knows how this creation will be accepted by the contest judges, but I don't really care, because it was fun to build and it plays very well, so win or lose, I win.

Try It, All You'll Have Is Fun!

Building a cigar box guitar is not difficult, because anything you do is OK.  There are no rules.  It can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish to make it. 

If you do a little research, you'll find that the current interest in cigar box guitars is a re-generation of the creativity and skills developed more than a century ago out of necessity, by folks whose musical opportunity came from the simple instruments they created from cigar boxes, broomsticks, and  discarded wire or string.  Today's creations are often more complex, but the basic concept is the same . . . producing beautiful music with a simple instrument. 

I'm a relative 'newby' at CBG building, but I've developed a few nice and playable instruments following  a few basic steps, which I will share with you.  So, let's get started.

CBG Building Steps

1. 
   
   Determine the basic design and style of the guitar you wish to build (3- or 4-string).
2. 
   
   Choose the cigar box you will use (check out your local smoke shop or go to eBay).
3. 
   
   Determine tuners that will best fit your needs (available at your local music store or on eBay).
4. 
   
   Craft the headstock, neck, and tailstock to fit your design (take a look at what others have created, for ideas.  I generally use 1x2 inch oak available at Lowes).
5. 
   
   Determine design of string retainers on the tailstock (holes drilled in the tailstock, or an attachment which will retain the strings.)
6. 
   
   Determine tuner positions and drill holes in the headstock.
7. 
   
   Finish (shape and sand) the neck.
8. 
   
   Stain or paint the neck if that is your intention.
9. 
   
   Cut the fingerboard to length (determined by the type instrument you're building).
10. 
    
    Mark the location of the fingerboard on the neck, allowing for the headstock and 'nut' (the thingy that elevates the strings off the fingerboard and spaces them properly).
11. 
    
    Locate and mark fret positions (measure any commercial guitar, or go online for a guide).
12. 
    
    Cut fret slots with a narrow saw (I use a coping saw and a small mitre box, or you can use finish nails or even toothpicks).
13. 
    
    Stain the fingerboard, if that is your desire.
14. 
    
    Laminate the fingerboard to the neck in the predetermined position . . . see #10 ( I use Titebond glue and clamp in place).
15. 
    
    Cut small openings in the cigar box to accommodate the neck (this may require some careful forethought and planning depending on the box you're using).
16. 
    
    Fit the neck to the box and measure the 'bridge' location on the box (24-1/2" to 25-1/2" from the nut).
17. 
    
    Locate and cut sound holes in the box (again there are no rules, so be as creative as you wish).
18. 
    
    Finish the sound holes appropriately.
19. 
    
    Finish the box (stain, paint, decorate, or leave as it is . . . again, no rules).
20. 
    
    Locate 'key' fret positions on the fingerboard or leading edge of the neck and mark as you wish (inlays, cutouts, drilled markers, etc. . . these are the 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, and 15 positions).
21. 
    
    Laminate the neck in position to the box (I use Titebond for this, too).
22. 
    
    Create the 'nut' and 'bridge' and attach in position (I use super glue).
23. 
    
    Attach frets to the fingerboard (cut and file to fit . . . this can be tedious, so take your time so as to not screwup the edges of the fingerboard).
24. 
    
    Locate a strap button on the back of the box.
25. 
    
    Drill a hole in the back of the box for an output jack, if you are going to amplify the sound electronically.
26. 
    
    Design a plate to hold the jack securely to the box, if the material is too thick to accommodate direct attachment.
27. 
    
    Varnish or paint the finished guitar.
28. For amplified sound, I use a Piezo transducer (available at Radio Shack) for a sound 'pickup'.
29. Remove the metal transducer wafer from the plastic housing (carefully using a pliers to break the housing edges) and sandwich the wafer between two pieces of balsa using small droplets of CA (cyanoacrylate) glue (better known as super glue) on the corners of the balsa pieces.  Be careful not to get glue on the transducer, and to not damage the wires in the process.  Mark the outside of the balsa enclosure to denote the side of the wafer that has the circular white ceramic conductor.
30. Attach (solder) the transducer (pickup) to the output jack (you may need to add wire for the proper length).
31. Locate the pickup position on the inside of the box lid, left of the bass string and slightly forward of the bridge location.
32. Glue the 'marked' balsa side to the inside of the lid in the position described in #31 above. I use CA glue for this.
33. Attach tuners to the headstock.
34. Attach strings to the tailstock string retainer and to the tuners; tighten the strings (I use inexpensive medium gauge acoustic strings, #5-4-3 for my 3-string guitars, and #5-4-3-2 for my 4-string guitars).
35. Tune to your desire (I tune 3-string guitars G-D-G for a nice 'bluesy sound; and 4-strings D-F#-A-C; but, you can tune your 3-string to A-E-A; A-E-G; E-B-E; E-G-E; or you can simplify the process by using Knott Lenny's method -- tune to "say, you, see" -- sing the National Anthem, 'oh, say can you see, and you have a very playable tuned instrument). 

If you have questions about any details listed hereon, or if you need guidance, please email me a note and I will do my best to assist.

2-day Cigar Box Guitar Festival, August 27 & 28, 2010, hosted by Shane Speal's Cigar Box Nation at York, PA.  for more information, go to http://www.cigarboxnation.com/.

It May Be Harmful!

SURGEON GENERAL WARNING:  Cigar Box Guitar playing may be hazardous to your health.  Symptoms can be sleep depravation; diminished hearing; cramping of hands and feet; failure to respond to your spouse's requests; spousal indifference; failure to appear for employment; significant body odor including that of wood, sawdust, stain, varnish, and sweat; language difficulty - speaking in sharps, flats, chords, slides, hammerons and pulloffs; unexplained wailing, grunts, and stamping of feet, and a general disregard for what may be politically correct.

Monster Amp

After creating a dozen, as in 12, cigar box guitars, I decided to try my hand at building a CBG amp.  These little critters are a hoot to see and listen to.  Big sound out of a small box!

After researching construction ideas on the web, I headed off to the Shack to pick up the required parts.  No problem converting a cigar box.  All I need are parts to light it up.  Forty bucks later and enough anxiety to cripple a Clydesdale, I put the crap back in the bag and thought about another day to build.  I'm just not an electronic wizard, and besides I figured I'd screw up the stuff, burn hell out of my fingers with errant solder, and then what . . . I returned the stuff to the Shack for a refund.

To soothe the frustration, I accessed eBay and went searching for amps.  Not long into the search, I discovered a CBG amp harness supplied by guitarfuel.com.  A 9-volt battery- powered harness complete with tone and volume controls; dc adapter so it can work off the current in my house; headphone jack; four-inch speaker; and all necessary parts to complete the build.

Yes, a 9-volt battery powered system.  Don't laugh, this thing is a MONSTER!  It produces GREAT sound, and it's LOUD, too.  It'll blow the paint off most factory amps, while being small enough to fit in my hip pocket.

Why would anyone who has a serious urge to make big noise not want one of these things.  They're inexpensive (box - $5; parts - $44; carrying handle - $2.50; speaker screen - $? whatever you can salvage; labor - priceless) and they're easy to build.

If you have questions, ask me.  If you're ready to build, write Ty at Guitarfuelsales@aol.com or visit http://www.guitarfuel.com/. Ty knows what he is doing and he is a great source of information and help. . . to say nothing about the wonderful customer service he provides.  You will do no better elsewhere!

It's easy, it's fun, it's inexpensive, and it's a great way to get big sound out of your CBG! 

Here are some pics of my creation.

The guitar is #11 ('Punch') made from a cigar box by the same name. It's my favorite to date, and sounds awesome on the little amp.

Make A Bottleneck Slide

You will need:

• A wine bottle with a long neck
• Glass cutter
• Masking tape
• Dremel rotary tool with grinding stone (optional)

1. Take a piece of masking tape and wrap it around the base of the bottle neck, making sure one side of the tape makes a perfect circle surrounding the neck.  This will serve as the guiding line for the glass cutter.
2. Using the glass cutter, scribe a solid line around the neck, following the tape guide line.  Make sure the line does not break or get choppy going up and down the neck.
3. Remove the tape.
4. Take the bottle to the kitchen sink and run very hot water, for two (2) minutes, over the scribed line on the neck.
5. Here's the trick!  Change the tap water to cold and run the neck under the stream ... AND TAP ON THE SCRIBED LINE WITH YOUR FINGER or the metal ball end of the glass cutter.  Slowly rotate the bottle, allowing the water to hit every part of the scribed line.  You should eventually hear or see a crack along the scribe.  The neck may even fall off (you may want to place a towel in the sink before this step, to keep from breaking the neck.)  If there is no crack, repeat steps 4 and 5.
6. If it cracks but the neck does not separate, take hold of the neck and snap it off (just like breaking a chicken's neck.)
7. Dry off the neck and use a Dremel rotary tool grinding bit to smooth the edges of the cut glass (or, if you are a purist and want the slide to be 'authentic' to blues history, take it outside and smooth the edges on your sidewalk.  Be careful not to chip off too much in the process.

Voila! You have your own true blues bottleneck slide.

Don't get pissed if your first attempt doesn't break right.  This happens from time to time.  Keep practicing.

*  Contributed by Scotty's Cigar Box Guitars

Build A CBG Amplifier

You do not need to be an electronics wizard to build a CBG amplifier*.  A few items from your local electronics supply store, and a little patience and time is all that is necessary.

Materials

• 1/4" input jack for guitar signal (1).
• Headphone jack (stereo connect left and right channel)  (1).
• 9-volt battery terminal connector and 9-volt battery (1 each).  Velcro works well to keep the battery secure in the box.
• Capacitors (1 each):  10uF; 220uF; 0.1uF.
• 10 ohm resistor (1).
• LM386 op amp (1).
• 8 ohm speaker (1).
• 8-pin IC base (optional).
• SPST switch (optional) the battery will last longer if used.
• Perfboard of choice.

You can go bonkers with the use of a box, but a small 'fat' cigar box works well.

*  Design provided by Scotty's Cigar Box Guitars

'Playboy' Featured on Cigar Box Guitars Australia

I received an e-mail this morning announcing that my 'Playboy' creation was chosen as the feature guitar on Cigar Box Guitars Australia, which is a site devoted to cigar box guitars and related information.  Considering the quality and creativity of the hundreds of instruments displayed on this site, I am honored to have one of my guitars chosen.  You can check out the site by clicking on the site below.

http://www.cigarboxguitarsaustralia.ning.com/

The 'Gutshaker'

The 'Gutshaker' is a full-size, 34-inch scale bass guitar created from an old silverware box I found while rummaging around a secondhand store, and red oak neck.  In this creation, I combined both of my favorite hobbies, pinstriping/graphics and cigar box guitars.  The 'Gutshaker' name comes from the last hotrod I built, and the little guy painted on the top is my version of Roth's Rat Fink painted to reflect the name, and it represents the gut-shaking sound from the bass.  The large size of the box allows plenty of room for the 'f' holes and special bridge designs.  The ol'skool pinstriping on the back further carries out the theme.  But, the real fun is in the tailstock, which is a sterling silver cake server I 'borrowed' from my wife's silverware.  It fit the design well, and we never use it, so why not?  I didn't ask permission, because forgiveness always works best for me. When she discovers my procurement, I will plead senility brought on by old age, and I know she will forgive me.   {;-)

Check Out the 'Playboy' CBG

I finished my 6th guitar, the 'Playboy', a couple weeks ago.  It is the result of acquiring a cigar box made especially for Hugh Hefner.  Bunny silouettes were cut for sound holes as well as for headstock application and output jack enclosure.  And, to finalize the creation, I couldn't resist adding a few photos of 'bunnies' past and present for viewing pleasure inside the box. 

Cigar Box Instrument Plans

The attached link will provide plans for a variety of simple cigar box instruments.  Take a look, all you'll do is get hooked on this fun hobby, and the best part is that you will be able to create a piece of art that will be a functional musical instrument, as well.

archive of cigar box instrument plans

Cigar Box Guitars: building tips, music and the cigar box culture

This is my first attempt at creating a cigar box guitar, and it is the result of the encouragement and direction received from viewing the numerous examples and reading the endless dialog on Cigar Box Nation.  If you are interested, go to the link below . . . but, plan to spend a lot of time, because the trip will be exciting and educational.

Cigar Box Nation - Cigar Box Guitars: building tips, music and the cigar box culture

#s 3, 4, and 5

Attached are photos of the last three guitars.  Number 3 is pretty straight forward, without any special effects.  It sound great and is fun to play.

Number four is a bit crazy.  I made this from an old Hershey's Pretzel tin I used to store small electic parts for hotrods, back in the day when I was still building them.  It too sounds great, and has a bit of a banjo feel to it.

Five is the fun one.  It's my 'redneck' complete with the appropriate decoration.  I set it up without frets, which requires the use of a slide.

All the guitars can be played acoustically or through my amp, and they do sound very good for being constructed from cigar boxes or other unusual things.