Howdy all. new to cigar box but not to guitars. Got a few questions. And when these are answered I'll have a few more...kinda how it goes..LOL
I've read threw a lot of the posts here and even did some searches. Totally cool info!
Is is possible or has anyone tried cutting a neck from old fallen tree branches? I have some large old Ash branches.
Has anyone concaved a neck to compensate for string tension? What would be a good starting radius to use for light gage strings?
I keep reading there's no rules to a cigar box guitar. But would I be pushing it if I made some bodies out of one piece pine I I cut into a box like shape and put a top and back on? I really dig the old Danelectro Pro 1's and would like to make a mini version body for a 4 string.
An I the only one who thinks a flying V box body would look totally cool...LOL
Thanks everyone!
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Thanks again everyone. I may end up waiting on the free wood a for a bit. Ya'll give great advice! No sense going threw all the trouble making a few necks just to have them warp or crack. The one branch is around 6 in diameter and a good 10 or so feet long. Probably 4 years on the ground. I may cut this up and stack it under some weight and let it sit for a wile. See what happens.
My first build is on hold right now. Car comes first. I might play around with things I have around the house. See if I can find some old lumber left over from the shed build. I have plenty of pine. Some up to 14 inches wide. But nothing that I know of for sturdy neck wood lying around. Lumber yard in town has no real wood to offer. No help there.
Thanks again everyone for the help! I guess I really wont have more questions till I get started on one of these.
The walking stick is just a dorian mode strummer Andrew..
12 tet, quite vanilla..
tuned 1,5,1
the 2 splits per octave just brings the 5 string into the right mode, otherwise need a little chromatic run like a strumstick, which puts 1 sour note on each string.. To match up with a (i) string fretted dorian a (v) string needs to be fretted aeolian...
Go on and PM me if ur further interested.. I have a patent pending on a few REALLY funky ones ;)
I'm new to this cigar box guitar building, but I DO know, if you want to build a neck out of a branch, just be sure it's DRY!!
If it's a fairly newly cut branch, it will seem dry, but if it hasn't dried completely it WILL crack, and will not stay straight.
I love working "found" wood, but have learned by experience that it takes a couple, or even several years, depending on the size of branch you are talking about.
Given that, there's nothing more cool than having made something yourself, from your own yard, or finding something on your own rather than picking up lumber at the hardware store!
Good luck!!
I think deeper will mean more volume, and if you keep your back thin as well, you'll have volume and bottom end covered. As for bridge placement, think of the front of the box as a trampoline, and the bridge as the person jumping on it. You'll want to maximise movement on the face of the box, so I'd say stick your bridge in the middle.
Jef, I'd love to know what you intend to tune that to/what temperment it will end up. Thats some funky fret work you've got going on, kind of like what I intend to do with my cigar box saz.
i believe the closer to the middle of the box the bridge is the more resonant it will be. and a double box sounds cool, it might have more bass sound, but i7m not sure about that.
Paul Stephen Eklund said:
More questions,
I've been playing with the fretfind 2-D cal. to figure out the distance between the last fret and the bridge on scales from 20 to 24 3/4. Is there any general rule on how close a bridge can be to the outside edge of a cigar box? Is more towards the middle better?
Has anyone tried attaching the back of the cigar box to a same size piece of wood? I was figuring if I rand the neck threw without touching the top of the box and added more wood to the back it might help increase volume.
I've been playing with the fretfind 2-D cal. to figure out the distance between the last fret and the bridge on scales from 20 to 24 3/4. Is there any general rule on how close a bridge can be to the outside edge of a cigar box? Is more towards the middle better?
Has anyone tried attaching the back of the cigar box to a same size piece of wood? I was figuring if I rand the neck threw without touching the top of the box and added more wood to the back it might help increase volume.
Jonathan,
I was thinking of using both boxes together to add depth to the body. Overkill? LOL The ash has been off the tree for about a year now.
Tim King
LOL Make a flying V shaped box and go from there...
Don Goguen
I cringe when I see guitars covered with poly. Just personal taste but plastic on wood? I know car paints are acrylic so there’s the plastic thing again. But anything I’d cover in it would be electric first, acoustic second as far as purpose.
Jef Long
Totally cool! Right now it looks like you’d need gloves to play that. JK LOL
We Yates.
I’ve heard of nitocellulose finishes but have never tried to use the stuff.
Dig the no rules thing. LOL Looking to make a hollow body with more curves to it by cutting the shape out first. Then cutting out the inside so I’ll have one continues piece of wood for the sides. Probably around 1/2 inch thick. The top will be thin. Still debating weather or not to use thicker wood for the back.
Jonathan,
I don’t ever plan on being pro. Just a player!
i'm quite sure each finish has it's own unique (however subtle it may be) sound. I was pretty happy with just the box on my last build but i often do a head scratch after reading some of the pro's on here just cuz it's way over my head. and i think there is one rule after all; have fun with it. that's the reason i'm doing this and i would guess 99.9% of us on here. even if some of you guys lose me every other post, it's fun trying to catch up.
How much would painting and lacquer affect the over all tone? I'll de paper the box first.
I've put clear coat on the box before and I have even shelac'd a paper box. Looked great and I don't think it did a lot to the tone. Remember, these thing don't have any stellar tone to begin with. They're cigar boxes... Depends on the wood (pressboard/paper, plywood, solid wood, thickness, glue, joints, etc). Some boxes sound better than others (Macanudo Portofino Cafe boxes are some of the most sought after for what its worth), but this is NEVER the rule. I've heard some great boxes made from paper PUNCH boxes, so...
You want a GREAT clearcoat. Deft brand clear gloss wood finish from Lowes. Spray or quart can (buy some laquer thinner tho) is my new preferred clearcoat. Its not polyU, its not shellac. Its nitrocellulose which is, as I can tell, much like what Gibson, Fender, etc use. Its the shiznit and easy to use. Dries REAL quick, can be buffed to a very high gloss and feels slick as snot.
I've read threw a lot of the posts here and even did some searches. Totally cool info!
COOL! Thank you! Great start.
Has anyone concaved a neck to compensate for string tension? What would be a good starting radius to use for light gage strings?
Startin' to 'speriment with that. I dunno the math for string gauge, but I would imagine the higher the gauge, the less concave. I assume you mean the middle frets lower than the end frets. That is where I'm headed with this.
I keep reading there's no rules to a cigar box guitar. But would I be pushing it if I made some bodies out of one piece pine I I cut into a box like shape and put a top and back on? I really dig the old Danelectro Pro 1's and would like to make a mini version body for a 4 string.
No rules. Try it. If it tanks, build another. Not the answer you hoped for but hey, you da man on this box right. Do post your results so we can know how you did.
Replies
My first build is on hold right now. Car comes first. I might play around with things I have around the house. See if I can find some old lumber left over from the shed build. I have plenty of pine. Some up to 14 inches wide. But nothing that I know of for sturdy neck wood lying around. Lumber yard in town has no real wood to offer. No help there.
Thanks again everyone for the help! I guess I really wont have more questions till I get started on one of these.
12 tet, quite vanilla..
tuned 1,5,1
the 2 splits per octave just brings the 5 string into the right mode, otherwise need a little chromatic run like a strumstick, which puts 1 sour note on each string.. To match up with a (i) string fretted dorian a (v) string needs to be fretted aeolian...
Go on and PM me if ur further interested.. I have a patent pending on a few REALLY funky ones ;)
If it's a fairly newly cut branch, it will seem dry, but if it hasn't dried completely it WILL crack, and will not stay straight.
I love working "found" wood, but have learned by experience that it takes a couple, or even several years, depending on the size of branch you are talking about.
Given that, there's nothing more cool than having made something yourself, from your own yard, or finding something on your own rather than picking up lumber at the hardware store!
Good luck!!
Jef, I'd love to know what you intend to tune that to/what temperment it will end up. Thats some funky fret work you've got going on, kind of like what I intend to do with my cigar box saz.
Paul Stephen Eklund said:
I've been playing with the fretfind 2-D cal. to figure out the distance between the last fret and the bridge on scales from 20 to 24 3/4. Is there any general rule on how close a bridge can be to the outside edge of a cigar box? Is more towards the middle better?
Has anyone tried attaching the back of the cigar box to a same size piece of wood? I was figuring if I rand the neck threw without touching the top of the box and added more wood to the back it might help increase volume.
Thanks again folks!
Jonathan,
I was thinking of using both boxes together to add depth to the body. Overkill? LOL The ash has been off the tree for about a year now.
Tim King
LOL Make a flying V shaped box and go from there...
Don Goguen
I cringe when I see guitars covered with poly. Just personal taste but plastic on wood? I know car paints are acrylic so there’s the plastic thing again. But anything I’d cover in it would be electric first, acoustic second as far as purpose.
Jef Long
Totally cool! Right now it looks like you’d need gloves to play that. JK LOL
We Yates.
I’ve heard of nitocellulose finishes but have never tried to use the stuff.
Dig the no rules thing. LOL Looking to make a hollow body with more curves to it by cutting the shape out first. Then cutting out the inside so I’ll have one continues piece of wood for the sides. Probably around 1/2 inch thick. The top will be thin. Still debating weather or not to use thicker wood for the back.
Jonathan,
I don’t ever plan on being pro. Just a player!
I've put clear coat on the box before and I have even shelac'd a paper box. Looked great and I don't think it did a lot to the tone. Remember, these thing don't have any stellar tone to begin with. They're cigar boxes... Depends on the wood (pressboard/paper, plywood, solid wood, thickness, glue, joints, etc). Some boxes sound better than others (Macanudo Portofino Cafe boxes are some of the most sought after for what its worth), but this is NEVER the rule. I've heard some great boxes made from paper PUNCH boxes, so...
You want a GREAT clearcoat. Deft brand clear gloss wood finish from Lowes. Spray or quart can (buy some laquer thinner tho) is my new preferred clearcoat. Its not polyU, its not shellac. Its nitrocellulose which is, as I can tell, much like what Gibson, Fender, etc use. Its the shiznit and easy to use. Dries REAL quick, can be buffed to a very high gloss and feels slick as snot.
-WY
COOL! Thank you! Great start.
Has anyone concaved a neck to compensate for string tension? What would be a good starting radius to use for light gage strings?
Startin' to 'speriment with that. I dunno the math for string gauge, but I would imagine the higher the gauge, the less concave. I assume you mean the middle frets lower than the end frets. That is where I'm headed with this.
I keep reading there's no rules to a cigar box guitar. But would I be pushing it if I made some bodies out of one piece pine I I cut into a box like shape and put a top and back on? I really dig the old Danelectro Pro 1's and would like to make a mini version body for a 4 string.
No rules. Try it. If it tanks, build another. Not the answer you hoped for but hey, you da man on this box right. Do post your results so we can know how you did.
-WY
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