Electric Cigar Box Guitar

Albeit guitar manufacturing has come a long way in the past hundred years, there is a long history to show that you don't need much to make a guitar. All you need is a box to resonate the sound, a plank of would to act as the fretboard, a few screws, and some string. On account of its simplicity and instant reward factor, it is still pretty fun to build one of these traditional homemade guitars.

Yet, it would be a little silly to ignore all of the great things that have happened to guitars in the last hundred or so years. With this in mind, we are going to be bringing this cigar box into the modern era by amplifying it with a piezo contact pickup and a volume knob.

Step 1 Go get stuff

You will need:

- 10K-Ohm Audio Control Potentiometer with SPST Switch (Model: 271-215 | Catalog #: 271-215)
- 90dB Piezo Pulse (Model: 273-066 | Catalog #: 273-066)
- 1/4" Mono Panel-Mount Audio Jack (Model: 274-255 | Catalog #: 274-255)
- a cigar box
- 3 feet of 1x2
- 1-1/2" section of half round
- 3" section of half round
- (x3) 1/4" x 3" eye bolts
- (x3) 1/4" wing nuts
- (x3) 1/4" nuts
- (x3) 1/4" washers
- nylon guitar strings
- 5-minute epoxy

Comments

[AlohaOrangeBrian]

So if i were to wire it the way you wired it will the on off switch in the pot still work?

[rapidprototyping]

I got myself the cigar box and had taken a electric kiddy guitar apart for some hybrid combonation guitar. now you ible has inspired me to use the volume pizeo and audio jack method you describe here . great resuilts youi got. mine is all flexable the part with two by one showed me how to over come that problem. and i was trying to figure out the way to get tensioners this just fixes alot doughts i was having gee wiz thanks . I passed on a mini amp i could got for two buxcks it fit so well right in the box maybe its still there hopefuly it had two AA battery box mini amp n flat speaker

[blodefood]

Fretless, I see. More of a challenge to learn to play.

Great ible!

[REA]

Cigar box guitars have been getting popular recently, I've noticed. Very nice instructable! My dad is going to like this.

[Redgerr]

getting popular where? O_o

[Phoghat]

Long answer...Yes Try http://www.cigarboxnation.com/  for more information. They also sell kits, offer advice, etc.

[REA]

well, i know alot of people are starting to buy and sell them around here.

[Booratman]

Nice pictures! I like the video. By the way, do you know if you can do this without electric additions, would you need acoustic sound holes or what?

[Phoghat]

Long answer...Yes Try http://www.cigarboxnation.com/  for more information. They also sell kits, offer advice, etc.

[randofo]

No acoustic holes required, but I suppose they could not hurt.

[Booratman]

Do you know if a cigar box could support a fingerboard along the neck?

[Phoghat]

Long answer...Yes Try http://www.cigarboxnation.com/  for more information. They also sell kits, offer advice, etc.

[lordbot]

I have your book! this looks like an awesome project...

[Jr Hacking kid]

what dose the pot do?

[randofo]

It controls volume

[egallagher-doucette]

where are you guys getting cigar boxes?

[randofo]

I got mine from a cigar shop. They often have extra boxes lying around. You have to ask. Sometimes that might charge you a small fee for them.

[Artkid1976]

I'm talking about the potentiometer.

[Artkid1976]

Great info, but the photo of the wiring is incorrect. The side mount should actually be the middle mount on the bottom with the others. Not sure if that makes sense.

[mrmerino]

those are the exact piezo and jack i used to make a pickup for my acoustic guitar.

[Gabbo540]

This is definitely being built soon. Good Instructable dude!!

[roberto sirigu]

Bellisima chitarra Coplimenti

[Lindie]

Love the video! Good job!

[florin_gtrst]

WOW! Great instructibe! Really well done - the pictures, details and the video; especially the video! Well done. I'm waiting to finish with my college degree and I'm building one a.s.a.p.! Thanks for all the work you put into this. Greetings from Romania.

[noahh]

I started making the one out of MAKE a while ago, but put it aside when the time came to marking and cutting the frets. Precision is not my strong point.

[rimar2000]

Nice instrument, good instructable!

[friger]

Well done, these things are as much fun to make as they are to play.

[splazem]

Awesome! Great pictures! I built a regular cigar box guitar once, it was pretty cool. I have to try this!