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Happy New Cigarbox Guitar Day, sort of

Since I shipped off my CBG yesterday to my friend, Dave, I need to build something to play.

I stopped today at lunch and picked up the neck lumber. Red oak from Lowes, ($6).

Tommorrow on my day off, I'm planning on building one using a paper covered Macanudo Gold Label box. The discussion about paper or wood got me to thinking. I haven't built one from a paper covered box because I thought the wood boxes would hold up better. But, looking at several here, the artwork on the paper covered boxes really pops.

I have a total of 3 on my "to build" list. The Macanudo box as a 3-string and 4-string made from the black Jose Gener box.

The third is going to take a while. It will be a full 6-string telecaster-based guitar using the Fuente box to "wrap" the solid body blank hidden within. The plan for it is to keep hitting pawn shops looking for a Squier Telecaster around $75. Hoping to find an affinity-model with the thinner body. Nobody wants them and I should be able to find one $50-75. Failing that, I may use a strat for a donor body.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on January 30, 2013 at 2:05am

You could also get a slab of poplar and cut out your own body.

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on January 30, 2013 at 2:45am

Dan, I think he wants a used guitar so he has all the components and neck also. Don't overlook the other brands of tele type guitars, if your just going to cut it up any department store guitar should work, strat's will be much easier to find but don't have the tele twang.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Drommond on January 30, 2013 at 3:07am

I say telecaster meaning all copies. I agree the strat won't have that twang that I'm looking for. I've found several others that would work. I found a Danoelectric yesterday at a pawn shop, but the neck had been reliced to the point of no return, but I've got time. I'll hold out for a tele. You hit the nail on the head with getting all the guts, too.

With a fully functioning guitar, I know I have everything I need to transform it into a CBG. I won't have to worry about neck pockets, string through alignment, bridge alignment, chasing down parts, etc.

Got started on this one last night. Got to going so good I forgot to take pictures until I was pretty far along. It was just flowing and things were working. This is about 2 hours work.

Trying to decide..3-string or 4? Other than an extra string, what's the advantages to a 4-stringer? Tunings? It would open up tenor guitar and banjo tunings...

Here's what I have so far.

http://photobucket.com/macanudo?albumview=slideshow

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on January 30, 2013 at 6:48am

If it's to be a fretted neck, 4 strings do have an advantage, especially if the action is be set so it can be played with a slide, and also you can finger notes at the frets.

For four string tunings, I use strings (5,4,3,2) from standard set of strings (ADGB). This allows for open G for slide (GDgb) by dropping the A down to a G. For fret play, bring A string back to tune and drop the G down to an F# (ADF#B) for D6 tuning, which is a variation of ukulele tuning. Chord charts for that tuning are readily available online, and easy to learn.

Best thing about the D6 tuning is that although it is based on uke tunng, the longer scale length means it wont sound like a uke at all...but like a guitar.

Cheers

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Permalink Reply by Tom Drommond on January 30, 2013 at 11:50am

4 it is, then

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Permalink Reply by Tom Drommond on January 30, 2013 at 3:22am

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on January 30, 2013 at 5:26am

chopped teisco are great too ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Tom Drommond on January 30, 2013 at 9:57am

very steam punk...cool. That trem arm looks dangerous. Yours?

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on January 30, 2013 at 12:48pm

yup .. one of mine .. she's a beast too ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Tom Drommond on January 30, 2013 at 1:04pm

Well, I'm figuring out that I probably won't be the best how-to guy here. I get to going and I don't want to stop to take pictures.

She's alive...with sound of music. I'll get her electrified later this evening or tomorrow and post a demo video. Those I can do.

More pictures here: http://photobucket.com/macanudo

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on January 30, 2013 at 1:14pm

lookin goood ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Larry Chapman on January 30, 2013 at 1:46pm

I recently finished my first non-paper covered CBG, a black Rocky Patel, and have been asked several times now why I didn't use a cigar box. Apparently many non-CBGers don't know that cigars come in wood boxes.