Cigar Box Guitar

From MAKE Magazine

From MAKE Magazine

This project first appeared on the pages of MAKE magazine.

How to make a 3-stringed guitar out of a cigar box.

  • Add Note x
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Here are instructions for making a cigar box guitar (CBG) Because every CBG is built by hand, using different found and scrounged materials, no two sound alike. I love the suspense of not knowing what kind of “personality” a CBG is going to have until it’s completed. Here’s how to make a plain-vanilla, 3-string CBG that requires a minimum of tools and parts, yet sounds great.

Sections
Tools
Relevant parts
  • Cigar box I buy them at my local cigar store for $3 each. You can also find them on eBay.
  • Lumber (3' length), 1×2 oak or maple The actual dimensions are 3/4"×1 1/2". A 6' stick, enough for 2 necks, costs about $10. Pick the straightest, flattest, clearest, meaning free of knotholes, piece you can find.
  • Guitar strings, Standard medium-gauge CBGs typically use open G tuning. I use strings 5, 4, and 3 and tune them to G-D-G.
  • Tuning pegs (6) You can buy a set of 6, enough to build two 3-stringers, for $10. Sometimes they’re called “tuning machines.”
  • Fret wire $10. You can also use flat toothpicks or go fretless.
  • Cabinet hinge, with 3 mounting holes on each side
  • Wood screws, 1", Phillips head Grip-Rite Fas’ners work well.
  • Barbecue skewer, bamboo or other hard, thin rod for the bridge and nut. A 6"×2" bolt also works well for the nut.
  • Super glue optional
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Make the neck.  ¶ 

  • To begin, we’ll cut the neck to length, make the headstock (the part where the tuning pegs go), and saw off a rectangular slice so that the fretboard is flush with the cigar box lid. Making the neck and installing the frets are the most time-consuming parts of the build. Once you’re finished preparing the neck, you’ll be surprised by how fast the rest of the build goes!

  • Using a wood saw, cut the oak or maple lumber to 36". You’ll have to cut it a little shorter later on, but it’s good to start out with more than enough.

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Saw off a rectangular slice from the lower end. This is the end that goes into the cigar box. Measure the length and thickness of the cigar box lid. I use the box itself as a guide, tracing along the oak stick with a pencil. Mark these dimensions on the wood, then use a saw to remove the part shaded red in the illustration.

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Add Note Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • Mark the lines for the nut and headstock. Starting from the pencil mark you just made for the bridge, make another mark indicating the scale length (I decided on a scale length of 24½"). This second mark is where the nut will go. Make a third mark ½" farther past the nut. Make a fourth and final pencil mark 3½" beyond the third mark.

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • Sand the fretboard. Now is a good time to sand the top surface of the neck so it’s dead flat. Use a sanding block, starting with rough sandpaper and finishing with fine-grit sandpaper.

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Add Note Edit Step 5 — Install the frets.  ¶ 

  • I used to be intimidated by the idea of frets. The process seemed mysterious and difficult. But it’s really not. If you take your time and make careful measurements, you’ll have no problem.

  • Mark the fret locations. Enter your desired scale length into an online fret spacing program (a simple online fret calculator can be found at http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources...) and print out the table it generates. Using a yardstick and a square, make pencil marks along the length of the neck to indicate the location of the frets.

  • NOTE: If you don’t want to install metal frets, you can glue flat toothpicks over the pencil marks. They work well, but will eventually wear out. If you want a fretless guitar, go over the pencil marks with a Sharpie or some paint.

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Cut the fret slots. About 5" should be deep enough. The saw blade should be thin enough so the fret tangs bite into the slots you cut. I buy medium-gauge fret wire and have had no problem with frets popping out. A coping saw and a hobbyist’s miter box will help you keep the fret slots square with the neck.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • Form the back of the neck. On the backside of the neck, shape the sharp 90° edges into soft curves so your fretting hand can easily slide up and down the neck. A Surform shaver tool will quickly rough out a rounded edge. Follow up with sandpaper until the wood is very smooth.

  • NOTE: Don’t shave the headstock or the part that will fit into the cigar box — only work on the area under the frets and nut.

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Tap the frets into the slots. Fret wire usually comes pre-cut, and each piece is about an inch longer than the width of the neck. The wire’s cross section is T-shaped, and the barbed center rail goes into the slot.

  • At each fret slot, align one end of the fret wire so it overhangs the side of the neck just a fraction of an inch. Press the fret wire into the slot, then place a thin block of wood on the fret and tap on the block with a hammer until the fret is all the way in.

  • NOTE: You can smear a tiny bead of super glue across the part of the fret that fits in the slot if you wish, but I usually skip it, because it’s hard to keep the glue from getting onto the neck.

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Required Tools

WIRE STRIPPER 20-30AWG

$9.95

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