This very attractive cigar box has just arrived in the post following an ebay purchase, but alas I had misread it's dimensions and it's a bit too small for the CBG I had in mind.
So what should I do with it? Mini-amp? Stompbox? Storing tobacco products? Fire away with your suggestions please!
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I say build it too. My first build used a smaller box than that, and it sounds great. It's acoustic only and has a 22 inch scale length to try to keep it in proportion. I tend to agree with Ron - go with a flat-pup, a short scale length, and rock that sucker.
with a 24 3/4 inch scale you can build a gitty with this. neck will meet the box around 21st to 24th fret depending where you place the bridge
well there you go, nothing I wouldn't have said ..go for it .
Build it. I've built several out of small boxes and been pleasantly surprised at how they sounded. It's too pretty a box not to give it a try.
I've made a Dulcimer or two out of boxes that small, Ukuleles as well. If it's a quality box you might be slightly louder than you think-if not, a Pickup and an Amp will make it as loud as you can stand.
BTW-if you can find some metal plate with a nice tone, say a cookie tin lid smaller than the width (about 5 inches right?) you might make a nice circular cut and drop yonder lid in for a Mini-resonator. The loudest Acoustic i've got right now isn't much larger than yours-a 8.5"x 5" x 1.25" Padron-but after slipping a 6" x 4.5" x1" Snickers candy tin through the bottom the little critter barks to shame some of my bigger boxes! Admittedly, reinforcing the neck to take Resonator strings may have helped a bit too...
Just for the record, the smallest box I have used so far has been a 6" x 4.5" by 0.75" for a child's acoustic guitar, with thin Dulcimer strings-and it was still loud enough to make his Dad regret the commission!
Do you want to really blow someone's mind though? Find a bigger box for the guitar, remove the lid from your smaller box, cut a hole in the back of your bigger box for the smaller to fit through and make a 'hunchback', with the extra box in the back adding the space you need for more volume. Failing that, find another small box with matching height, rip the lids off of both, lay side by side (or end to end), glue them together at the sides, then cut a few channels at the join so sound can pass from box to box...rip a new lid from some craft Birch, Mahogany door skin or Cedar plywood and build a BIG guitar out of it...
Mind you, an Amp, Stompbox, felt-lined Jewelry Box or just a 'spare tuners and screws' bin works too...
With a pickup, piezo or otherwise, you might have both fairly quiet practice instrument and an overdriven monster in one! Pretty box. Get a mack truck hood ornament of course!
Make something loud :-) This was made from a little Bolivar box and worked really well. It's filled with solid oak as far as possible.
I must admit that's not quite the advice I was expecting! I have since ordered another cigar box for my next (four string) build.
I still think there's something else this might be better suited to - a uke or a fiddle, perhaps? I just can't imagine, if I did manage to build a guitar from it, that it would be very nice to play with such a small body.
I'm getting nervous - you haven't asked for my address!!!???!!!!! Don't tell me you are going to entertain some of these other ideas???? :-)
In all seriousness - I think you could make it into a fine git - after all - size doesn't matter!!!
you should send that to me !
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