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How to Make an Electric Cigar Box Guitar for $25

video How to Make an Electric Cigar Box Guitar for $25

Total build (not including glue dry time) took about 3 hours for this guitar. I did my best to use the most inexpensive parts possible. The only tools I use to carve the neck are a knife, hand saw, and a sharp hatchet. Green wood is the easiest to carve, but you risk it splitting as it dries. I used a green piece of maple cut off the tree only hours before and had no problems.

The cigar box should be as strong as possible, made of solid wood, not cardboard or particle board. Java by Drew Estate uses an excellent box for this, and makes for a very nice looking instrument. The one I came across I have already used to make a stomp box, but if I find another it will become a guitar.

Parts list:
Tuning Heads - $18
Cigar Box - $2
1/4" Jack - $2
Bolts (bridge/nut) - $1
Neck - Free
Microphone (speaker harvested from any outdated electronics) - Free
Finishing Nails - Pennies...Free enough

Certainly there are ways to make a nicer instrument. The point of this video is to show how quickly and cheaply a guitar can be made, not how to make a masterpiece. Depending on the feedback I get from this video I may make another showing how to build a nicer fretted guitar.

58 comments

1-40 of 58

May 23, 2012. 10:28 AMpblanscet says:

This. Is. EPIC. Hey, do you think this design would work in a old hollowed-out dvd drive from a pc? I have one, and i wanna make an electric guitar with a geeky design. Ive already hollowed it out, so I hope it works.

May 23, 2012. 1:30 PM

NightHawkInLight (author) says:

Yeah it should work just fine, and sound pretty cool too.

May 24, 2012. 8:28 AMpblanscet says:

Cool. Ill be working on that and ill post an ible ASAP.

May 16, 2011. 11:28 AMIceman94 says:

Awesome instructable! I'm not usually much of a guitar person, but you've changed my mind. What are the dimensions of the box you used and the neck? (approximately)

May 16, 2011. 1:23 PM

NightHawkInLight (author) says:

The box is 5 1/2x8" and the neck is 22" long from the back of the guitar all the way to the end of the head. That's pretty short and you might do better to go longer. The box may need some extra support to hold the pressure of the strings with a longer neck is all.

Dec 8, 2011. 12:44 PMInstructable04 says:

What other sorts of wood would you be abl to use instead of maple?? (considering Australian trees?)

Dec 8, 2011. 1:19 PM

NightHawkInLight (author) says:

I'm not sure what trees you have in Australia and what their wood is like. You might be best off to buy a piece of oak (or whatever hardwood you have there) lumber from a hardware store.

Dec 11, 2011. 2:17 PMInstructable04 says:

Thanx for reply.
Um yeah, aussie woods are like eucalyptus, gum tree and that sort. I'll take your advice and get some 'o' that hard wood. Thanks again for reply.

May 19, 2011. 7:41 AMrbclima says:

freakiiiing AWESOME

Dec 8, 2011. 12:40 PMInstructable04 says:

you got the words rbclima ;)

Sep 16, 2011. 2:36 PMHudson Hill says:

Nice Work, I would love to see some more DIY instruments.

Jul 10, 2011. 4:09 PMihaveguitarskills! says:

HOLY SHIZ YES......THIS IS THE BEST INSTRUCTABLE I HAVE SEEN FOR GUITARS SO FAR

Jul 6, 2011. 7:19 PMC_Maconroe says:

If I get 4 bass strings and a long enough neck would that be a cigar bass?

Jul 7, 2011. 3:32 AM

NightHawkInLight (author) says:

Yes, but you would need to make the neck very strong.

May 15, 2011. 5:06 PMmarybutler2004 says:

OK HERE'S THE THING... I AM LOOKING FOR A UNIQUE GIFT FOR MY HUSBANDS BIRTHDAY NEXT MONTH...IS THERE ANY CHANCE YOU MIGHT MAKE ONE TO SELL? MY HUSBAND IS A RETIRED TRUCK DRIVER WITH NOTHING TO DO EXCEPT PLAY WITH HIS GUITARS...AND I ENCOURAGE HIM AS MUCH AS I CAN. I HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SO UNIQUE THAT HE WOULDN'T SOON TIRE OF IT AND IT GET ITS PLACE IN THE CLOSET...BUT IF I COULD GET ONE OF THESE FOR HIM FOR HIS BIRTHDAY HE WOULD BE SO DELIGHTED THAT I GOT HIM SOMETHING JUST FOR HIM....DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YOU MAY EMAIL ME AT marybutler2004@yahoo.com with specifics regarding price and payment arrangements.
THANKS FOR SUCH A VIVIDLY NEW IDEA IN MAKING MUSIC!

Jun 17, 2011. 11:17 AMkoopatroopa says:

I recommend not putting your email in the comments in future.

May 16, 2011. 4:15 PMElusiverick says:

G-Day, a contact for UNIQUE amazingly Inexpensive One Off Handmade Cigar Box Guitars & other instruments I can help as I'm in the process of obtaining one Right Now: see Chuck at http://www.huntzmeyer.com/
He's a real gentleman so I recommend him comfortably & confidently.

May 25, 2011. 9:26 PMmarybutler2004 says:

thanks for the link

May 16, 2011. 12:27 AMJaysn says:

Its a cool instructable don't get me wrong but people have been making cigar box guitars probably about as long as there have been cigar boxes. :-)

May 15, 2011. 6:53 PM

NightHawkInLight (author) says:

Sorry, I currently don't have the time to make them for sale. As sj0305 has said, there are several places to purchase similar guitars online.

May 15, 2011. 5:30 PM

sj0305 says:

MB04 - Ebay has lots for auction - jus search for cigar box guitars and there is also a site called cigar box guitar nation.

Jun 11, 2011. 2:25 PMlilrocker90 says:

what size strings did you use?

Jun 11, 2011. 6:08 PM

NightHawkInLight (author) says:

Light acoustic strings, E-G. Many people use the A-B strings for a 4 string guitar and just tune them as the top four so that the neck is under less strain.

Jun 9, 2011. 1:06 PMbradj4u70 says:

the only way i can do this is if i've got nothing to do

May 31, 2011. 2:01 PM

rondadon says:

i am about to make one of these. But i have a few questions first.

1. bass strings, or did you use the first 4 strings from a 6 string guitar?
2. Since i do not have access to green wood or your carving abilities how tall should the bridge by the tuning heads be pre nut?

thanks!

May 31, 2011. 6:57 PM

rondadon says:

Thanks for the info and for a cool instructable!

May 31, 2011. 3:33 PM

NightHawkInLight (author) says:

They are light acoustic strings, E-G. The height of the nut and bridge are not very important for this guitar if you intend to play it with a slide as I do. Anywhere between 1/4"-1/2" should be fine to keep the strings above the neck.

May 31, 2011. 7:58 AMmikeyw8 says:

id rather buy a proper guitar THAN wasting $25 REALLY A REAL ONES MORE WORTH THE PRICE BUT COOL ANYWAY

May 27, 2011. 8:51 AMAkask says:

I don't get it. If the neck is glued below the body of the guitar, wouldn't it be hard to press down on the strings when you're not using a slide?

May 27, 2011. 6:18 PM

NightHawkInLight (author) says:

This guitar is meant to be tuned to an open tuning and only played with a slide. A slightly different design would be required to make a fretted instrument.

May 18, 2011. 3:17 PM

NightHawkInLight (author) says:

If you like this, be sure to check out the other Instructables on my page!

May 17, 2011. 11:59 AM

friger says:

I always love seeing some one else's slant on making a CBG. I really like how you integrated the nut right into the neck. Also the use of the tree branch as a neck stock was brilliant. Invest in some piezo elements for your pick up and you won't have to take apart any more mics. Radio Shack sells them dirt cheap (you should be able to stay under the $25 mark).

I think you should move onto the next level, build a fretted instrument next.

May 17, 2011. 2:05 PM

NightHawkInLight (author) says:

I agree. I would love to build a fretted instrument. As soon as I have the time. I've been going over ideas in my head about that for a while now. I would certainly use nicer pickups if I were to put the time into building a fretted neck.

May 16, 2011. 12:24 AMW4FWG says:

Go for the nicer one. Great idea on this cigar box box - love it!

May 15, 2011. 10:30 PMH1T4TCH1 says:

awesome!!

May 15, 2011. 9:06 PMwoodeye53 says:

What did you use for an amp? I have an old Marshall. I'm going to give the microphone pickup a try. Now I'll have a use for all those little mic's I've been saving. I just hope I can find them.:)

May 15, 2011. 6:22 AMvulgrin says:

Seems to me that you could make it even cheaper by not using real tuning heads and instead making them out of spare hardware like eye bolts. Would be harder to tune, but would drop the price by another $16 probably. And make it look even more homemade.

May 15, 2011. 4:14 PMtw2sheds says:

I got 50 zither pins for about 20.00 on a well known auction site, epoxied some cut up wooden spindles on them and used a piece of hardwood for a pinblock for my projects(one cigar box and one wine box so far)

May 15, 2011. 4:22 PMtw2sheds says:

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