Cigar Box Guitar

Step 6 Tailpiece

The tailpiece is the part on the very back of the guitar which holds the strings.  I made mine out of some copper sheet, but almost any kind of metal, or even a door hinge,  would work.

I used the same string spacing as on the neck and tuning head to space the three holes at the top of the tailpiece.  Then I scribed a symmetrical triangle with a pocket knife and marked another hole at the point.  After cutting out the triangle I rounded off the corners with tin snips and a file.  Then I punched out the holes with a nail.

Bend the tailpiece so that doesn't quite touch the top of the box, and be sure to de-burr the holes since sharp edges will lead to broken strings.

Comments

[gnargnar]

How are the strings in the tailpiece? It looks like you just tied them, but that can't be it. What am I missing? Thanks.

[ricosgoo]

Guitar strings typically have beads at the end of them. He probably drilled holes in the copper sheet and fed the strings through the holes. The bead at the end is too big to fit through the hole so it gets stuck there and holds in place.