Cigar Box Guitar Project
More an exI have been looking at cigar box guitars for some time so decided to try making one. These are some recent pics of my projects, sorry if some are blurry.
After going through a couple of mock variations for this 4 string I have settled on a final design and style. I simply keep in mind that this is a starter build and anything I created will be used to learn off of.
The cigar box is not completely wood, it is actually a pressed cardboard/paper material but the bottom and top are wood. Since it will be a neck through design, the neck will be taking all the strain so the composition of the cigar box for this build is a bit secondary.
The scale of this build is 24.5 inches, using an acoustic extra-light set of strings for open G, open D or standard guitar tuning, depending on what I feel like doing. Open G is D G B D, open D for slide playing is D F# A D and standard fret playing is D G B E.
Im using a piezo pickup, I made so the sound is more acoustic, which is attached to the neck just under the bridge area. The nut I made from “free” Corian counter-top samples I got from Home Depot. Its a bit large but I need it that way for this build. For the bridge I used a piece of aluminum from a small wind-chime and cut slots in it enough the strings wont pop out. The tone with just one sound hole is nice and better when hooked up to an amp.
I have found that as the projects continue, variations of creativity start to flow so not any one build are the same but unique. What I hope to achieve is making a 3 string fretted, 4 string fret-less and a cigar box violin/fiddle for one of my boys. For now.
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