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New boxes, what would you suggest??

Posted by Smoking Sugar Lee aka Shalom on February 8, 2014 at 3:35pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

Hi guys,

I finally got few cigar boxes. Looks like Czechs started smoking. They all nice and pretty but not the best size, some deep but on the smaller side (6"x 8"/ 6"x 7") and others good and wide but thin (1.25"/1.7"). So I would like your opinion what do you think is the best way to go with different box size. 

I'm attaching some pics. To contrast I put them next to my other builds.

Thanks in advance,

Shalom

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Replies

  • Comrade Paul February 19, 2014 at 1:55pm
    If it fits. They are deep
  • Comrade Paul February 19, 2014 at 1:43pm
    Use a coil mag pick up on the thin ones.
  • Muddy Creek Guitars February 19, 2014 at 12:32am
    I've made nice looking gits with boxes smaller than these, and they sell. You can go to my page and look at my pics if you like. Sometimes the shallow boxes have a huge sound when you put in a piezo.
    I think you have a good lot of boxes to work with there.
    My necks are made out of a 1" x 2". So as long as the box is over 1" deep, the neck will fit just fine.

    Hope this helps!
    • Smoking Sugar Lee aka Shalom > Muddy Creek Guitars February 19, 2014 at 3:36am

      Thanks, cool pics too. How much are you selling them for usually? I built few for myself and friends and now planning to make 8 for sale, and not sure what fair price could be. Taking into account its really hard to get materials here (even had to order some parts from US). I'll building 3 and 4 strings fretless, few fretted and one electric, all with piezos as well.

      • Muddy Creek Guitars > Smoking Sugar Lee aka Shalom February 19, 2014 at 7:02am
        I live in west central Illinois. The 'big' city around here is 20,000 people. Nobody here has ever heard of CBGs. I sell mine for between $55-$75, canjos for $40, and little kid canjos for $15. I usually sell 3-5 CBGs a day at a fair or festival plus a few other things. My builds are fairly simple and that price range seems to work pretty well for me. I find that have a range of prices really helps sales. Just like when buying bread or a car, some want the best, some want the cheapest.

        So far, I've only sold in person. I do have one at a local guitar shop on consignment. I haven't tried selling mine online yet. Perhaps when I have more time this summer I can start that.

        Talk to you later!
        • Smoking Sugar Lee aka Shalom > Muddy Creek Guitars February 19, 2014 at 7:23am

          Thanks, now I have some idea what to ask for them. Funny enough though, I'm now in Prague, 1.2 mill ppl, full of Jazz and Blues players and no one heard of CBGs either. One local celebrity Blues musician (50yo, played blues all his life), when I showed him my pride and joy electric build, said "huh that looks like something you get before you can afford a real guitar". I have something to prove here :) Thanks again 

  • Smoking Sugar Lee aka Shalom February 9, 2014 at 11:59am

    Thanks guys,

    What I mean is, did any of you worked with "non-standard" boxes, specially the thin ones? Should the neck be smaller for smaller boxes? Lither for thinner once? Did you reinforced the boxes? etc. If you have plans/pictures that would be awesome :) I'm just a bit worry about starting the work on them and mess up. Cigar boxes are rarity here...

    • Ron "Oily" Sprague > Smoking Sugar Lee aka Shalom February 9, 2014 at 12:45pm
      When you say "the thin ones," do you mean the ones that are not as deep? Those would probably benefit from pickups, especially if they are paper-covered cardboard. The others should sound good acoustically. As far as necks go, it depends. If you do pups on the less deep ones, then any scale length neck can work. The all-wood deep ones could also do any scale length, from uke to short-scale bass. Reinforcing the corners on all the boxes will stiffen them, contributing to good tone. Check the bottom versus the top thickness; sometimes, the bottoms are thinner than the tops, and can be better soundboards. And sometimes, a cheesy-seeming box can prove the best of the lot, for totally unknown reasons.

      As far as worrying about messing one up, well...you might. But don't let fear stop you; approach the task boldly, yet humbly. You are less likely to eff something up if you take your time, measure twice, cut once, have patience, and plan everything out carefully.

      Not in that order >:-E
  • Richey Kay February 9, 2014 at 12:47am

    You won't get a lot of acoustic volume out of the smaller ones, but factor in some pickups and you'll do fine.

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