Hello fellow musicians, Thank you all for making my very 1st post here so informational for me and hope others with the same questions found it helpful . I know you can't answer everything because whats good for each of us is different. I am ready to build my 1st CBG and I am torn between fret less vs fretted. Now I would like to know what you built for your 1st and your advice to my 1st build and why. I own many brand name instruments and the reason for cbg is its simplicity and not really sure i want to stray away from its roots and make it modern like our guitars of today. I am also wondering who, builders on the net , should I follow for their building techniques and why ? I am really finding many great musicians that play cbg and look for hours late at night, just loving the culture. Thanks for helping out !
wizzo
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Most of my gits are fretted, but some have strings that are high enough to also play some slide without issues.
It all boils down to what your going to play the most, slide or fretted?
It's not hard to fret a git, it's all part of building. Don't let it intimidate you.
Well My first one was actually the Gitty kit. I put it together in about a half an hour and was instantly hooked. That being said, my first custom design was a three string fretless with and old humbucker pickup in it. I was stunned by the sound that came out of it.
Where am I going with this? Simple, it doesn't matter what you build for your first one because there will be many to follow. Just have fun with it and keep trying new things. My latest came out so good I am almost afraid to build the next one for fear of it not being as good. But, I will continue to build whatever comes to mind and enjoy every minute of it.
Build what you love and love what you build!
I went all-in for my first, a 3-string fretted CBG with a bone nut and such. I'm proud of it, I had fun, and I still love to play it a few years later. That said, I learned a few things that I should have done differently, and guess what? I'm still alive! You can make mistakes - it's OK!
My advice for a first timer is to build a diddley bow. Can't get much simpler, and in my opinion, you can't build a more fun instrument to play. You don't even need a tuner - I used a bolt, nut and a few washers to hold the string on some of mine. The one here uses a wood screw and a washer to hold the string. Sounds great even without a sound hole. Can't get much simpler!
Don't be afraid - jump in, the water's fine!
Tomato stake.JPG
thanx mark for chiming in on the tuner and first build questions, much appreciated. I have almost everything now accept my tuners. Thanx again.
Hi wizzo, my first serious CBG was actually my forth one. I was asked to build one for a guy who had done the research and as I was already building guitars he asked me to build one.
I had never heard of them till then, but knew what a cigar box looked like and I knew how to build guitars, so I set out to experiment by putting the two together. I built a few before settling on the design that best works re sound and playability. I then built one for the customer.
I then came across Cigar box Nation and found out about the history and that there is a whole heap of builders out there.
My first was a home made box, 4 string, fretted with shellac and wax finish.
Taff
Thanx Taffy, I can't wait to get going. tim
My first was a didley bow stick-ON-box (not through); Uncle-crow style, aka dulcimer, bolt for the nut and the bridge, a used guitar tuner I got for free from the repairman's junk box at a ma & pa guitar store, pencil marks on the side of the neck for where the notes were for using a slide.
knocked it out in under and hour, tuned up, and had a little fun.
Those do look cool, I have seen a 6 string by bill Jehle.
Thats cool. Thanx. Tim
I got a fretless as a gift but wasn’t happy with that so I built a fretted one with a neck from MGB Guitars. Cut my own headstock reinforced my box and installed a Snake Oil pickup. You can build whatever with proper planning.
Thank you Paul, I am thinking of one of each . Thanx Tim
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