DIY (20)
Instrument Build-Off! "Hard Times Make Great Music" - Enter Now
"Hard times make great music." Ain't that th' truth?!
While e'rrybody is stuck at home, we're gonna get y'all building the coolest stringed instruments ever. There's over $1000 in prizes, too!
Unlike our contests of the past, this build-off ha
Read more…Album release featuring CBG
Hello! My band just released a record, and I used a CBG for the double tracking on every track besides the last one. I'd sure appreciate it if you could check it out and tell me what you think :)
here's a link to spotify:
Read more…guys, how much time to build a CBG
hey guys, how long does it take you from start to finish in building a cigar box guitar, and do you have any advise,secrets to not spending to much time on a cbg
Read more…The Exit Sign Guitar + a quickie blues lesson. Built by Gary Desrosiers
Video + photos
Here's a wild guitar concept I haven't seen before. This three-stringer was crafted from a discarded exit sign by Gary Desrosiers. According to Desrosiers, he came across the plastic sign at a job site and inspiration struck.
He
Read more…How I Attach a Lid to a Cigar Box Guitar for Best Acoustic Response - by Shane Speal
You've shaped the neck, cut the soundholes and put all those glorious electronics inside. Now it's time to attach the lid to the box!
In the video below, I show the simple way that I attach the lid. As you can see, I prefer to use "drop in lid" ci
Read more…A Better Acoustic Pickup for Cigar Box Guitar: How I Install a Piezo Rod & Preamp
Get the most out of your acoustic/electric cigar box guitars with an inexpensive piezo rod & preamp unit.
In this video, I show a simple mounting technique for neck-through cigar box guitars. The sound is fantastic and really allows a great tone re
Read more…2017 "Kick The Can" Build-Off contest - Canjos, Tin Can Guitars
"Come on, brothers and sisters, KICK OUT THE CANS!"
For our final build-off contest of 2017, we're looking for your best canjos, cookie tin banjos and any other playable stringed instrument made from discarded metal containers. It can have one st
VIDEO & PICS: Cigar Box Guitar Museum expands collection
The Cigar Box Guitar Museum housed inside Speal's Tavern in New Alexandria PA has just expanded the collection by more than 30 instruments. The free exhibit now features cigar box guitars built by Cigar Box Nation members including Anonymous Pick,
Read more…Interview with Bob Wurster of Berkeley Strings Cigar Box Guitars
Bob Wurster of Berkeley Springs, WV is more than just your average guitar builder. His instruments, built under the name Berkeley Strings feature ergonomic necks and top notch fretting. Some of his instruments even have amplifiers build in to the
Read more…VIDEO: Samantha Fish Shows Her 2017 Tour Pedalboard & Guitars (Cigar Box Guitar, Too)
Samantha Fish is currently on her Chills & Fever 2017 tour and she sat down with Reverb.com to show off her pedalboard and main guitars (including her Stogie Box 4-string cigar box guitar). Check out the wild space effects she gets from her delay!
Read more…VIDEO: The Making of a Hofner Beatle Violin Bass
In an industry dominated by computer-programmed robotics and hidden factories in China, it's refreshing to watch this short video of the Hofner factory making Beatle basses. Note the lack of CNC machines. Also check out the guy cutting fret slots
Read more…Ben Gitty's Simple-Build 2x4 Instruments
After spending months developing the new 2x4 Lap Steel Kit, Ben "Gitty" Baker started to consider other uses for simple 2x4 planks and came up with this very simple strummer guitar.
To make the instrument, Gitty started with a single piece of 2x4
Read more…CONTEST: The 2x4 Challenge!!! May 2017
CONTEST OVERVIEW:
What instrument can you build that starts with a 2x4 plank? We're looking for the most spectacular, innovative, interesting and artistic creations. Note: This contest will also include all instruments, whether stringed, wind, p
Read more…Free Plans: Build Your Own Cheese Box Banjo Plans - from 1893! PDF download
We have just discovered another set of historic plans as part of Cigar Box Nation's ongoing research to archive homemade folk instruments. How a Boy Can Make a Banjo was first published in the Salt Lake Herald on Aug. 20, 1893.
The article descri
Read more…Lean-Back CBG Rack Design
First off, I'm still a newbie 'round here and not sure if this should be a blog post instead. This is my first time starting a 'discussion'. I figure it's easier to reply here if someone has a question or new idea. So anyway...
I'm a tinkerer. I can
Read more…Make a 2x4 Lap Steel Guitar
This is one of the easiest homemade guitars I've ever built, and it took me only an hour to make.
This lap steel was made from an extra 2x4 I had in my shed, with just a few saw cuts to the wood. I even used a pre-wired acoustic sound hole pickup, s
Read more…Is this cigar box just too complex to work for a first build project?
I put photos in my album here and some comments for them. First, this is my first attempt at making a CBG and I may have made a mistake in the choice of my box, but I just loved the style and wood used in it and decided I'd either make it work or sim
Read more…Aluminum diddley bow
Trying to make bass diddley bow from aluminum square tube.
I can't think of any good brige. I would also like to finger down strings. My ideas and stuff from hardware store didn't work. I Know that easiest way is to use 90 degree angel mountings.
P
Read more…Neck pocket fitting...
Trying to fit neck in pocket. For me something is not right.
Neck is 28.7 scale and body is made for 24.7 scale neck.
gluing is not good idea.Too different woods.
Going to use bolts and threads. I think its the best solution
Read more…
