Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Downtown Vinnie on June 25, 2013 at 3:09am

It's true ,I had a two string that I shortnecked.,so ,I problem solvedSo I just charted out my own scale...at least the man blessed me with a good ear

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Permalink Reply by Clarky on June 24, 2013 at 9:51pm

Someone said about shaping the back of the neck? I started buying wood from a guy who makes it bull nose shaped on one side (sort of curved) which is perfect for me, that part used to suck.

I'm not a fan of working on the neck at all, cutting the bit out to make it flush with the neck, and putting on frets, but the reward is there at the end.

I love working on the box, and I'm more a fan of coming up with a daft theme. I'm really into the woodburning at the moment.  Best thing about the whole process is playing it for the first time.

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Permalink Reply by Downtown Vinnie on June 25, 2013 at 3:12am

The one comment that I hear the most is the joy of playing it.I feel ya on that one.Even more so for me,Cause I can't even believe I built it.I do lots of landscape construction,so I have an artistic eye,it doesn't quite translate ,tho...haha I have yet to experience the joy of someone else enjoying it .That will come soon.

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Permalink Reply by Downtown Vinnie on June 25, 2013 at 3:15am

I also like keeping them"rustic and each individual,I try to make each one one of a kind.

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Permalink Reply by Downtown Vinnie on June 25, 2013 at 3:06am

Well ya know ,with you,Jim ur full of it ,so guess its gotta go somewhere, short of an overflow tank...lol....P.S.Reminder....accept no packages from Silent  Jim

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Permalink Reply by Downtown Vinnie on June 25, 2013 at 3:48am

haha...u killin me Jimbo

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Permalink Reply by colin mcgrath on June 25, 2013 at 4:41am

like: building/crafting a musical instrument.

dislike: not having enough free time to do so.

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Permalink Reply by Maddog on June 25, 2013 at 5:03am

I like building and playing CBG's, I don't like NOT building and playing CBG's.

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Permalink Reply by Suspect Device on June 25, 2013 at 7:02am

I was going to say I hate shaping the back of the neck, but that's not really true. It is a lot of work without a spokeshave, but when I finish one and it's just right, and it's resting in the palm of my hand like some comfortable wooden gun, Man, I love that.  Sometimes, certain parts of the building process will feel like a drag to slog through. When that happens, instead of forcing it and taking it on with sour energy, I throw myself into a different part of the process, one that feels more enjoyable. ..So I do crazy things like build, slot, & dot a dozen fret boards, even if I don't have a dozen neck blanks to put them on. -I mean, I'll use them sooner or later. Other days it might be making a bunch of different bridges, or slicing bone into saddle blanks. Having a few builds going at the same time helps with this too.

I love seeing what other people are building. I'm a big fan of the more formal/master craftsman builds, but I love the rustic/traditional cbgs too. I love experimenting with these boxes and tins. And -like the Phrygian Kid said- all those other cool things you can turn into something that plays well.

I love it when I manage to sell one or two, but I also love giving them away. I don't do custom builds. I just make stuff I like and I'm sure I charge too much for my cbgs, but then again, that keeps me from having to give them up! Maybe it is selfish, but building these is a kind of therapy for me, and is  far more important than selling. I love stringing-up an instrument for the first time. I love that I have found something I enjoy doing. 

But...

I hate waiting for glue to dry.

I hate waiting for finish to dry.

I hate not owning a spokeshave.

I hate wiring. Dunno why, exactly. Not that it's hard, it just doesn't feel very creative. Plus, I'm always kind of afraid I'm going to forget to unplug the soldering iron & burn down the house.

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Permalink Reply by Diglydog on June 25, 2013 at 8:17am

I have a spokeshave but don't often use it.  Instead I use a Surform Shaver.  Cheap and I can get good control from it.  It may not be to everyone's taste but I like it.  This is it:

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-21-115-4-Inch-Surform-Shaver/dp/B0000...

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Permalink Reply by South Paw,Davey on June 25, 2013 at 7:12am

Time or lack of it. But thats workin for the man for ya;-(

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Permalink Reply by Mark Lindsay on June 25, 2013 at 8:31am

I'm with SouthPaw on this one. My main dislike is lack of time to build. I have materials, parts, too many boxes, and all the tools needed. My problem is that there just aren't enough hours in a day to get hot on a build.

As far as likes are concerned, I like the whole process. It's a hobby. I do this because I love the process, love the final product, and love challenging myself with something new to me - trying something I've never done before. 

I've been doing woodwork in one form or another for over 35 years, and I love everything about it. Ok, except for oak splinters - I do hate them. The tannin in the wood burns me like fire. If I get an oak splinter, I know immediately when I get it and precisely where it is - but I digress... Mistakes happen. I get a number stuck in my brain, and cut things the wrong size. Or a blade will wobble just a bit at the worst possible moment and give me a slot that's too big or is uneven. A finish won't work out the way I think it should have. Stuff happens, you know? I was taught long, long ago that if you aren't making mistakes, you're not learning anything. I try to learn something from every failure - even if it's just how to fix my mistake and learn how the mistake was made in the first place. Perfection is an abstract idea - no two people will agree on what constitutes perfection. I don't even try to shoot for it. I do the best job I know how to do, then challenge myself to do better. I'll never achieve perfection, so I aim for excellence. Jury's still out on whether I've achieved it or not, but I do try.

Yeah, I've come across some elitism, egos, and just flat out opinionated folks. You know - the "if you're not doing it my way, it's wrong" attitude. My main question for such people is simple, "If you're such the expert, why has nobody else ever heard of you?" Get over yourself and move on - everybody else already has.

I will disagree over one thing though - and I'm not trying to start a flame war or anything, but in many ways, yes it is about the box. True, it's about the music, the building, the playing, and the learning. But the common thread is the cigar box - hence the name of the website. Ben runs a pretty smooth ship here, and (as far as I've seen, anyway) all homemade/handmade instruments are welcome. Heck, folks post videos of themselves playing factory made guits and such. Nobody is excluded. But the primary focus of the whole website (just my opinion - feel free to disagree - no biggie) is taking a common cigar box and making something out of it that it was never designed or even intended to be made into. Again, just my opinion, but it's that "cool factor" that drives the whole revolution. Personally, I love all handmade instruments - I can get just as jazzed over a homemade drum as I can over a guitar. I hope Ben keeps the policy he has now - everybody's welcome. But to say that it's not about the cigar box is like joining a website that's dedicated to WW1 era bi-planes, then going on and on about the SR-71 Blackbird, and telling folks to get over the Sopwith Camel. A third time - just my opinion - but the main focus of this particular website is the Cigar Box Guitar. You don't have to like that, dislike that, or even agree with that. To each their own. Perhaps it's not us who needs to get over the cigar box - we don't seem to have "outgrown it" and just don't want to move on.

Great idea for a discussion, Vinnie! 

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