Have you ever come across an antique cigar box at a flea market or yard sale? These make great acoustic bodies for cigar box guitars!
Let's take a look at the art of antique box instruments...
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This King Edwards box was given to me by a co-worker who enjoyed what I was doing and the blues. Ths box was her Uncle Buddy's and when I opened it, I saw 2 dates from December 1958 written in pencil on the inside. There hence the design on the headstock. The neck was a piece of wood I found while walking to work. Found it in the street. My hunch is it was a slat from a childs crib, but with the nicks and homemade walnut stain I put on it, it looks much older than it really is.
I charish this one and it is the only one I have done with an antique box. I have an old white owl that I want to do someday. This has its own sound acoustically. I have never made another CBG that sounds like this acoustically, I also put a piezo in it.
Wood stabilizes with age so there's less chances of warping or ramping.
Also, sap in the wood crystallizes with age giving a older instrument a better tone. Gits sound better with age. Most people are crazy about 1959 Gibson Les Paul's saying that they are the best guitars Gibson made and the best toned and just recently a guy was trying to sell his for $375k.
My first CBG was a box that my father used as a catch-all box and I made that guitar after his passing. The box was a humidor box he bought in the early to mid 70's and it sounds great to me.
I love these, how do you always seem to find the old boxes? I have no luck in that department
I bought three cases from Big Al Hamilton. He's now an auctioneer and comes across these a lot more frequently than most.
love it,. thanks Shane