Hi everyone,
Just getting started in the world of Cigar Box Guitars and have had a few boxes donated by a friend and I have one that will make a good guitar and possibly one that may make a decent little amp cabinet.
Going to start rounding up the rest of the supplies and materials for the guitar and amp.
I hunted around the house wondering what the heck I had to swipe a speaker out of. Then it hit me, I have a no longer used set of computer speakers and decided to swipe both speakers. They are a set of Polk Audio computer speakers that are about 1 and 3/4 inch across the cone and just over 2 inches square for the mounting rim. I believe they could be 8 ohm but will have to double check.
I have seen a very simple amp design and wondered what the output level is? It runs on a simple 9v battery and all of the parts should be easy to find at radio shack. cigarboxguitars.com is where I saw the amp.
I thought about actually building two circuits and running both in one small cigar box cabinet. I could even use the cord from the speakers for the input to the amp. Sort of a dual cone cabinet. Each speaker driven by its own amp and 9v battery.
Think the little speakers would work ok?
Won't get to do any building until next week. Just got the boxes today.
Should be fun.
See ya,
Rod
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With the lid closed, you would never know it was a guitar amp. Except for the funny looking "key" hole in the front.
Speakers are hooked up parallel. I guessed that the speakers were 8ohm. Seem to work just fine. Plenty loud enough and sound good. If I need more power or effects I can plug the CBG into a larger amp.
i like the design layout , with the lid and the 2 speakers on the side . its a unique looking cbga . did you hook up the speakers in series or parallel ?
Honest sound, has a grit mod switch for a little growl, volume, tone, gain. Easy build and a fun project. Worked out great in the small chest. Twin 9v power so I won't have to open it up so often. Speakers will work fine.
I just did a search for capacitor chart and got several options. I just picked one and saved it as a favorite in my bookmarks. justradios.com
Shipping was $4.50 and I ordered sunday and the site said it should ship within 2 days. Should have the parts by the weekend.
I have a buddy with a good drill press. Will buy a selection of bits and do the work at his shop. To help with chipping out, try placing a scrap wood under the neck. Or like you said, go in from each side.
it would be nice to have a drill press , i end up having to "free hand" . one of the issues i have drilling thru wood is when i blow out the underside . when the bit pushes thru the wood will splinter with the grain . i learned to start very small , work my way up (with the bits) and also just drill half way thru , then flip and drill the other side . (you prolly know all this though) . another trick is to clamp a piece of scrap wood on the bottom , i understand this works well too .
if you have a link for the capacitor chart , i would like a copy of that for my private stash as well . i am planning on printing up some charts for resistors and caps , then "laminating " them (clear packing tape) , so if i spill beer on em they wont run .
if you have room inside the enclosure are you planning on mounting the power supplies in side there , then having a single AC in to feed them ? it would add to the weight of it , and convenience . if not a single 9 volt P.S. may suffice , as long as the milliamps are high enough .
i am curious about small bear , what is the shipping cost , how long is delivery ?
Thanks, found that chart and saved it for later use. Also found all the parts I needed to continue from SmallBear. Only thing I am leaving out of the amp project is the a/c adapter parts. I will try two 9v in parallel to double up the capacity of the battery power.
Did a little more work to the guitar too. Got the neck holes cut in the cigar box. But will have to find some real power tools to cut and drill the oak neck for the tuner pegs. I think a drill press and a few various bits will do the job. I found one half of a set of three in one tuners at an older music store that also does lots of repairs. Showed them my project and got the tuner part for $5. But it will take some careful drilling of the oak to make work and look ok. But I am taking my time and hope to get some more done in the next week.
Will try and post a pic of both projects sometime soon. Not much to see but a pile of parts right now.
I am currently building the same amp and I got stuck on the same three things as you did. I found a capacitor conversion chart with a yahoo search. I think this is the answer and radio shack does carry the uf versions 47nf = .047uf and 100nf = .1uf I am still looking for a 1k pot but I will probably end up having to order that from a online store.
Rod Patten said:
Got a great start on the guitar and amp projects. Amp seems to be coming along faster though. But I am having trouble finding all the the parts to build the amp circuit. Mostly the film capacitors. I have the Noisy Cricket pdf from Beavis audio saved and took it along with me to Radio Shack and they had 95% of the parts. The parts list for the amp had a parts layout and a list of the values needed. That is where I got lost.
The film capacitors are listed on the page as 47nf and 100 nf. Looks like I need 4 of the 100nf and 2 of the 47nf. I looked at the smallbear site and tried a few searches for the values and came up with nothing.
I have everything else minus the film capacitors and the 1k linear pot. Gonna go a head and use the small computer speakers. Everything will fit nicely into a small cedar chest looking box I picked up at an antique store for $5.
Maybe an electronics 101 on the values of the capacitors would help? Or a part number to order the remaining parts?
Got a great start on the guitar and amp projects. Amp seems to be coming along faster though. But I am having trouble finding all the the parts to build the amp circuit. Mostly the film capacitors. I have the Noisy Cricket pdf from Beavis audio saved and took it along with me to Radio Shack and they had 95% of the parts. The parts list for the amp had a parts layout and a list of the values needed. That is where I got lost.
The film capacitors are listed on the page as 47nf and 100 nf. Looks like I need 4 of the 100nf and 2 of the 47nf. I looked at the smallbear site and tried a few searches for the values and came up with nothing.
I have everything else minus the film capacitors and the 1k linear pot. Gonna go a head and use the small computer speakers. Everything will fit nicely into a small cedar chest looking box I picked up at an antique store for $5.
Maybe an electronics 101 on the values of the capacitors would help? Or a part number to order the remaining parts?
Well, posting anything except small pics is going to be tough. Broadband challenged here. Rural dial up connection can be a real pain. Send an email and I can look out the window and watch it running away.
I plan to build a little cabinet for the amp and speakers. I have the info printed out for building a Little Cricket and will try and do a really nice job on the cabinet. Probably use some bass wood from the hobby shop simply cause it will be easy to work with. They have a good assortment of brass and copper that may come in handy for guitar building too.
Should get to start rounding up bits and pieces for both the guitar and the amp this weekend.
Replies
With the lid closed, you would never know it was a guitar amp. Except for the funny looking "key" hole in the front.
Speakers are hooked up parallel. I guessed that the speakers were 8ohm. Seem to work just fine. Plenty loud enough and sound good. If I need more power or effects I can plug the CBG into a larger amp.
Finished!.
Honest sound, has a grit mod switch for a little growl, volume, tone, gain. Easy build and a fun project. Worked out great in the small chest. Twin 9v power so I won't have to open it up so often. Speakers will work fine.
CBGamp1.jpg
Shipping was $4.50 and I ordered sunday and the site said it should ship within 2 days. Should have the parts by the weekend.
I have a buddy with a good drill press. Will buy a selection of bits and do the work at his shop. To help with chipping out, try placing a scrap wood under the neck. Or like you said, go in from each side.
it would be nice to have a drill press , i end up having to "free hand" . one of the issues i have drilling thru wood is when i blow out the underside . when the bit pushes thru the wood will splinter with the grain . i learned to start very small , work my way up (with the bits) and also just drill half way thru , then flip and drill the other side . (you prolly know all this though) . another trick is to clamp a piece of scrap wood on the bottom , i understand this works well too .
if you have a link for the capacitor chart , i would like a copy of that for my private stash as well . i am planning on printing up some charts for resistors and caps , then "laminating " them (clear packing tape) , so if i spill beer on em they wont run .
if you have room inside the enclosure are you planning on mounting the power supplies in side there , then having a single AC in to feed them ? it would add to the weight of it , and convenience . if not a single 9 volt P.S. may suffice , as long as the milliamps are high enough .
i am curious about small bear , what is the shipping cost , how long is delivery ?
thanks
Thanks, found that chart and saved it for later use. Also found all the parts I needed to continue from SmallBear. Only thing I am leaving out of the amp project is the a/c adapter parts. I will try two 9v in parallel to double up the capacity of the battery power.
Did a little more work to the guitar too. Got the neck holes cut in the cigar box. But will have to find some real power tools to cut and drill the oak neck for the tuner pegs. I think a drill press and a few various bits will do the job. I found one half of a set of three in one tuners at an older music store that also does lots of repairs. Showed them my project and got the tuner part for $5. But it will take some careful drilling of the oak to make work and look ok. But I am taking my time and hope to get some more done in the next week.
Will try and post a pic of both projects sometime soon. Not much to see but a pile of parts right now.
See ya,
Rod
Rod Patten said:
Got a great start on the guitar and amp projects. Amp seems to be coming along faster though. But I am having trouble finding all the the parts to build the amp circuit. Mostly the film capacitors. I have the Noisy Cricket pdf from Beavis audio saved and took it along with me to Radio Shack and they had 95% of the parts. The parts list for the amp had a parts layout and a list of the values needed. That is where I got lost.
The film capacitors are listed on the page as 47nf and 100 nf. Looks like I need 4 of the 100nf and 2 of the 47nf. I looked at the smallbear site and tried a few searches for the values and came up with nothing.
I have everything else minus the film capacitors and the 1k linear pot. Gonna go a head and use the small computer speakers. Everything will fit nicely into a small cedar chest looking box I picked up at an antique store for $5.
Maybe an electronics 101 on the values of the capacitors would help? Or a part number to order the remaining parts?
See ya,
Rod
lol . . .
yeah i had wind up connection for a while here , isnt amp building a blast ?!
have fun !
Well, posting anything except small pics is going to be tough. Broadband challenged here. Rural dial up connection can be a real pain. Send an email and I can look out the window and watch it running away.
I plan to build a little cabinet for the amp and speakers. I have the info printed out for building a Little Cricket and will try and do a really nice job on the cabinet. Probably use some bass wood from the hobby shop simply cause it will be easy to work with. They have a good assortment of brass and copper that may come in handy for guitar building too.
Should get to start rounding up bits and pieces for both the guitar and the amp this weekend.
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