Where are the best sources to look for cigar boxes? Just starting out and need to pickup a stash of boxes to work with. What should I look for in a box? I’ve made a few traditional acoustic guitar and ukuleles so I know about wood. Are there certain types of cigsr boxes that are better suited for the task? I would imagine that having a box with a thinner top would help with tone & resonance. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Mark
Replies
Man I must be lucky here in oklahoma, I run to the city and 3 of the cigar store sell the boxes for $1 ea, I usually buy 10 at a time, I have a very well stock of them, around 100 right now, almost all wood.
I haven't really looked for boxes, ebay is more than I want to pay and I'm finding so much second hand stuff I can use it's ridiculous.
it's easy to find wooden trays, craft boxes, half-finished/badly finished diy projects, kids games with wooden boxes etc. one i've got on the drawing board was a spice rack.
i'm looking at building a few with scrap wood, seems the easiest part of making a guitar.
The vintage boxes are harder to find and now, I kind of hesitate to use them - and maybe just want to save a few. I have a city 23 miles away and can buy some pretty nice boxes.
The modern boxes Gitty makes and sells are not as real and authentic as I would like - but they are cool and with today's limited supply, I think I am going to embrace the modern boxes made to look like old timers.
And, there is nothing wrong and a lot good about making your own boxes. I often do that.
Yeah, I was thinking that I’d like to make a few boxes of my own and finish with a hand rubbed burst.......
What are you looking for I have several sources and would be more than happy to help. $3-4 ea + shp(dep on source)
Thanks! Would love to pickup an assortment of 10 boxes. For my first few builds I'm planning on doing "electrified" 3 strings. I tend to like the look of the all wooden boxes instead of the paper covered wood boxes but a mix would be good. Just love the simple look of the wood. Not sure what I need when it comes to size of boxes but really just kind of standard size (not too big & not too small)....LOL
Design I'm laying out is 25" scale if that helps. I've built traditional acoustic guitars so I understand the process. Just don't know what works best as far as a cigar box goes. Any help and guidance would be a blessing!
Thanks again,
Mark
I do it a little different than most. Because the thinner wood is usually the bottom of the box, I use that for the top of the guitar. It preserves the artwork of the box and also produces more resonance and volume than using the thicker lid of the box. It also allows the box to be opened from the back and gives you some storage for things like a small bag of picks, a slide and even a small music book. I also stopped using hinges for the tailpiece and switched to a string-through design using rivets as string ferrules on the top and bottom of the neck. I primarily build acoustic cigar box guitars, but I've done electric and acoustic/electric, too. Here's a photo of the inside of one of my builds. I get my boxes from local cigar and smoke shops.
007 - Inside 2.jpg
That is exactly what I did with the one pictured the artwork you see was actually the label inside the lid(made of pressed cardboard) glued to the bottom.(wood) The box's I get are from cigar stores(4) in my area, I sell them for what I pay for them just to help out the cigarbox challenged :-) Most of my boxes are used for CBGs for the troops @ no cost to them.
The local shops sell them? Will have to check that out.
I like the “built in” carry case........
There is a cigar shop out on the 90 west of Seguin, and a couple in New Braunfels. They charge anywhere from $2 to about $5 a box.
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