Hello. As a birthday present for my brother, I decided to make him a nice cigar box guitar. This is the first one I've ever made so it was a bit of a learning experience.
Before making the guitar, I decided that it should be made from either found or very cheaply obtained materials. Most of the items I used were not originally meant for use in a guitar, I don't think I spent more then $50 for all the parts. It's not a dirt cheap guitar, but it wont hurt the wallet either.
Also, since I don't have any big power tool, I had to be able to make it in my kitchen using handheld tools i already had. (with the exception of the fingerboard which i had cut for me from from a scrap of plywood at a hardware store)
And lastly, I wanted to make this instructable because I wanted to share everything I learned, plus to give back for all the helpful guides I used for this project. There are lots of fantastic cigar box instructables on this very site, just do a search!
This project has a lot of steps, so i tried to divide it up in to logical sections. Hope its not confusing!
Here are some essential tools:
Dremmel (best tool ever)
different sand papers
couple of different files
coping saw
drill
lots of clamps
hot glue
epoxy
Before making the guitar, I decided that it should be made from either found or very cheaply obtained materials. Most of the items I used were not originally meant for use in a guitar, I don't think I spent more then $50 for all the parts. It's not a dirt cheap guitar, but it wont hurt the wallet either.
Also, since I don't have any big power tool, I had to be able to make it in my kitchen using handheld tools i already had. (with the exception of the fingerboard which i had cut for me from from a scrap of plywood at a hardware store)
And lastly, I wanted to make this instructable because I wanted to share everything I learned, plus to give back for all the helpful guides I used for this project. There are lots of fantastic cigar box instructables on this very site, just do a search!
This project has a lot of steps, so i tried to divide it up in to logical sections. Hope its not confusing!
Here are some essential tools:
Dremmel (best tool ever)
different sand papers
couple of different files
coping saw
drill
lots of clamps
hot glue
epoxy
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Signing UpStep 1: The Body
The Cigar box! I found this nice box at a cigar shop that sell them for $2 (I'm paying for garbage!) Its important to find a box you really like, it will make your guitar stand out! I liked this one because it had rounded sides, made it really stand out.
Since the neck will be glued to the top of the box lid I first made a cut where the neck will go through. I cut it down with a saw and then filed it down.
Next I wanted two circular sound holes on either side of the guitar, this way i can run the neck all the way down the body. I also wanted to make the rims of the sound holes be metal. So i found a nice chrome metal pipe at home depot that had nice rims at the end. I cut those off with my coping saw.
I also want the option of this guitar being played electrically, so i will install a piezo pickup in a later step. But I have to make a hole for the mono jack. Since the jack is pretty short, i had to grind down the inside of the box were the jack will be installed. check the pictures for what I mean.
Since the neck will be glued to the top of the box lid I first made a cut where the neck will go through. I cut it down with a saw and then filed it down.
Next I wanted two circular sound holes on either side of the guitar, this way i can run the neck all the way down the body. I also wanted to make the rims of the sound holes be metal. So i found a nice chrome metal pipe at home depot that had nice rims at the end. I cut those off with my coping saw.
I also want the option of this guitar being played electrically, so i will install a piezo pickup in a later step. But I have to make a hole for the mono jack. Since the jack is pretty short, i had to grind down the inside of the box were the jack will be installed. check the pictures for what I mean.
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I see the action is kinda high. Is that normally where cigar box guitars are set?
http://www.stewmac.com/fretcalc.html
Do you reckon it'd work if it was made out of metal? I was going to go an old cake tin for the body... would I get good sound or does wood have special vibratory propeties?
I've started a blog for my first CBG build here dirtyguitarguide.com
hope that helps