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Making Your own box ?

Posted by Piht Bull (Delta Dawg Guitars) on October 10, 2013 at 6:07pm in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts

Hey i want to make my own box with this next build so i can get good acoustics . Im just wondering who all has done this and what wood and thickness did you use ? I dont have any way of getting specialty wood so im stuck with whatever HD or Lowes sells . Any advice ?

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Replies

  • TC DeVeau March 4, 2014 at 3:45am
    If you're desperate, you could try 1/8" plexiglass and paint it ( I would suggest Krylon paint, as some paints may cause it to craze),
    • David McQueen > TC DeVeau March 4, 2014 at 6:15am
      Quick note on Krylon. I did a build up with Krylon - 3, 4, 6 and a 12 string. I have put the 6 string through hell. It has been my mule for testing things plus I play thith some guys once a week. I did the boxes up with black and the necks in clear. The initial look is gorgeous. The black has stood up. After a year and a half, I am getting some breakdown on the neck finish where it is heavilly worn. I am not getting this where I have used varnish cut with mineral spirits.
  • TN Twang February 26, 2014 at 11:37am

    Thanks, Dan and Richey and David and Norman,

    I may have hijacked the discussion, but your feedback is helpful. I can definitely work the word "custom" into the description to emphasize the overall desirability of the product. In passing, I saw Rand's link to the "Home Made" group. That has a nice, wholesome ring of authentic Americana. ("One-of-a-kind homemade custom box guitar!" has a nice sound to it.)

    I guess the real point is that no one makes cigar boxes with the quality of woods that were commonplace in 1870. It's probably illegal to import some of that in the US nowadays. (Note the problems they've had over at the Gibson factory.)

    I'm looking for ways to recycle precious early American timber and promote roots music at the same time. For example, a local luthier made me a dulcimer out of wood from an abandoned railroad water tower in Nashville. For a few hundred bucks, I got a work of visual art that sounds great and has a wonderful story.

    Thanks again, everyone,

    TN

    • David McQueen > TN Twang February 26, 2014 at 12:51pm
      The way I look at it is cigar box guitars are a story of the folks and the people. People could afford professional musicians with professional instruments, or afford to buy their own professional instruments. The folks on the other had used whatever was available at a reasonable or free price. Cigar boxes at the time were free and hence used a lot. If you are building what is in effect a true folk instrument, that is an instrument for the folks, you are probavly being pretty true to the cbg tradition.
  • Rand Moore February 25, 2014 at 9:08pm

    There's a discussion group on CBN about box building where you can find lots of advice...

    Home Made Resonator Boxes 101, v.2.0
    -Rand.
  • Richard G Caudill February 25, 2014 at 5:05pm

    I use 3/16 birch plywood from cabinet shop that they give me ,, make the sides 2 inch  ,,end s are 2 3/16.

    Got a jig to make picture frames with ,, pull it all up tight  to glue .. Then I use a 1/4 in and glue it inside the bottom and sides on the box for strength .. let the bottom spill over a little them route it down to fit .  I use 2 in deep 8 inches wide and 12 inches long .  Get me a really good sound .  The 12 inch length lets me use a 24 in scale which I like ,, make the 12 fret be 4 inches forward of front end of box ,, aligns everything up really good .

    A suggestion ,, find u a good poster that u like . get a can of glue for wall paper  to glue it down ,, cover the box with that and u can "theme" it .

  • TN Twang February 25, 2014 at 2:32pm

    A question of protocol:

    I've got a buddy who makes excellent boxes for various purposes. His stuff is better than anything I can buy from the tobacco shop, and I can get him to make whatever size & shape I need.

    What should we call these creations? They aren't "cigar box" guitars.

    "Cigar Box-Style Guitars??" "Custom Box Guitars??" "Homemade Box Guitars??"

    I liked "Humidor Guitars," but that turns out to be the trademark of a particular maker.

    I believe in truth in advertising. What should they be called?

    Suggestions appreciated...

    TN

    • Norman Smith > TN Twang February 26, 2014 at 12:48am

      I just call them Box guitars, although most of what I make are 3-stringers so I do call them 3 string guitars as well.

      I don't think it's that important what you call them, you can refer to the history of cigar box guitars and point out the differences in the ones you make.

    • David McQueen > TN Twang February 25, 2014 at 3:49pm
      I just call them custom cigar box guitars and indicate that it is a hand crafted box. This seems to the the same thing Daddy Mojo out of Montreal does. People who have looked at the custom boxes versus a cigar box don't feel slighted.
    • Richey Kay > TN Twang February 25, 2014 at 3:30pm
      I just call the non cigar box ones I make '3 string guitar'/'4 string guitar' etc.
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