Comments on: Cigar Box Guitar

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:39:25 +0000

you can get many ’scale lengths’ from an existing guitar but simply starting on a fret that corresponds with the approx length you want. for example: i had already fretted a piece of wood when i decided the guitar could be a bit shorter. all that i had to do was remove a couple of frets from the head end, cut that bak for the tuners and put the nut-slot where the old fret was.

By: Fin

Fin — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 09:32:09 +0000

Nice build, I’ve built about 10 cbg’s. To get the fret positions download Wfret of Fretcalc & you can make any scale length you want, even print out a sheet from which you can transfer the marks. I usually use an electric iron for leather & wood burning to mark the frets using a square, good luck.

By: Simon Lucas

Simon Lucas — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 03:24:44 +0000

I’m just starting a CBG, got all the junk together. I’m making mine a 4 string. The fret positioning I calculated: use a 1/12 logarithmic scale (take string length, divide by 12, that is the position of the first fret, then divide the remainder by 12, that is the second fret, etc.
I bought a length of 1 1/2″ dowel for the neck, I will cut or plane this to size, then angle the end to receive a piece of 1/4″ ply to bolt the machine heads to. I think this looks better than having the head the same width as the neck.
I’ll post pics as I go . . .

By: Stan

Stan — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 02:35:20 +0000

I’m not a musician, but I agree with the idea of keeping the “neck” from contacting the soundboard. I’ve been reviewing quite a few CBG plans before I attempt my own, and you are the first to address this. I would assume that it would result in a richer, as well as louder, sound.

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:40:13 +0000

Can you specify on the type of phone jack? Any stock #?

By: matt

matt — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:54:04 +0000

Lovely lovely lovely – any chance we can get a sound file of this beauty?

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:59:47 +0000

I copied the scale from a telecaster. The strings are some light acoustic strings that I had lying around.

By: steve

steve — Thu, 20 May 2010 13:36:19 +0000

What did you use for strings and how did you get the frets in the proper location?

Thanks

By: steve

steve — Thu, 20 May 2010 13:35:52 +0000

What did you use for strings and how did you get the frets in the proper location?

Please get back tome at scinna@comcast.net.

Thanks

By: Giel

Giel — Sat, 01 May 2010 15:28:10 +0000

Hi, could you tell me the measures of the neck?

Greetings from Holland,

Giel

Hello, the scale length is taken from a Fender Telecaster. The overall neck length will depend on the size of your cigar box.