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Microphone (speaker harvested from any outdated electronics) - Free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.

ahazbun says: Nov 23, 2012. 2:53 PM

How about an electric cigar box ukulele?

Krayzi99 says: May 23, 2012. 10:28 AM

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.

NightHawkInLight (author) in reply to Krayzi99May 23, 2012. 1:30 PM

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

Krayzi99 in reply to NightHawkInLightMay 24, 2012. 8:28 AM

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

Iceman94 says: May 16, 2011. 11:28 AM

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)

NightHawkInLight (author) in reply to Iceman94May 16, 2011. 1:23 PM

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.

Instructable04 in reply to NightHawkInLightDec 8, 2011. 12:44 PM

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

NightHawkInLight (author) in reply to Instructable04Dec 8, 2011. 1:19 PM

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.

Instructable04 in reply to NightHawkInLightDec 11, 2011. 2:17 PM

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.

rbclima says: May 19, 2011. 7:41 AM

freakiiiing AWESOME

Instructable04 in reply to rbclimaDec 8, 2011. 12:40 PM

you got the words rbclima ;)

Hudson Hill says: Sep 16, 2011. 2:36 PM

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

ihaveguitarskills! says: Jul 10, 2011. 4:09 PM

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

C_Maconroe says: Jul 6, 2011. 7:19 PM

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

NightHawkInLight (author) in reply to C_MaconroeJul 7, 2011. 3:32 AM

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

marybutler2004 says: May 15, 2011. 5:06 PM

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!

koopatroopa in reply to marybutler2004Jun 17, 2011. 11:17 AM

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

Elusiverick in reply to marybutler2004May 16, 2011. 4:15 PM

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.

marybutler2004 in reply to ElusiverickMay 25, 2011. 9:26 PM

thanks for the link

Jaysn in reply to marybutler2004May 16, 2011. 12:27 AM

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. :-)

NightHawkInLight (author) in reply to marybutler2004May 15, 2011. 6:53 PM

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.

sj0305 in reply to marybutler2004May 15, 2011. 5:30 PM

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

lilrocker90 says: Jun 11, 2011. 2:25 PM

what size strings did you use?

NightHawkInLight (author) in reply to lilrocker90Jun 11, 2011. 6:08 PM

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.

bradj4u70 says: Jun 9, 2011. 1:06 PM

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

rondadon says: May 31, 2011. 2:01 PM

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!

rondadon in reply to rondadonMay 31, 2011. 6:57 PM

Thanks for the info and for a cool instructable!

NightHawkInLight (author) in reply to rondadonMay 31, 2011. 3:33 PM

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.

mikeyw8 says: May 31, 2011. 7:58 AM

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

Akask says: May 27, 2011. 8:51 AM

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?

NightHawkInLight (author) in reply to AkaskMay 27, 2011. 6:18 PM

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.

NightHawkInLight (author) says: May 18, 2011. 3:17 PM

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

friger says: May 17, 2011. 11:59 AM

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.

NightHawkInLight (author) in reply to frigerMay 17, 2011. 2:05 PM

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.

W4FWG says: May 16, 2011. 12:24 AM

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

H1T4TCH1 says: May 15, 2011. 10:30 PM

awesome!!

woodeye53 says: May 15, 2011. 9:06 PM

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.:)

vulgrin says: May 15, 2011. 6:22 AM

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.

tw2sheds in reply to vulgrinMay 15, 2011. 4:14 PM

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)

tw2sheds in reply to tw2shedsMay 15, 2011. 4:22 PM

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