I have a Macanudo box that I'd really like to use, but it is covered/lined with a heavy paper, enough to deaden the resonance of the box. Should I just forget the box, peel the inner paper off,
or...? looking for direction from someone who has had faced this challenge before.
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I built this Partagas Gigante box using the paper lid as the sound board. It may have been better using the wood back for the face, but acoustically and through the piezos and my Cigar Box Amp this is my best sounding build to date. Everyone that has played it wants to take it home.
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Thanx Thomas. I will be installing a piezo pickup, but I am hoping to have a good stand-alone acoustic sound as well.
part of the discussion should include whether or not you are going to install some type of pickup. if so, it is (relatively) less important if you are building on paper covered, top or bottom, or wood. if you're building something all acoustic, then either stay with all wood (but you may need to be selective even here) or build on the box bottom of a paper covered box.
I will be installing a piezo, but hopefully, acoustically,
the sound will be good as well.
Dick, I have made many paper covered boxed CBG's and a bunch of them are Macanudos. I always remove the paper inside, I do think it helps. If the lid is plywood I peel it off the inside of that too, if its the pressboard or masonite type, which a lot of macanudos are now, I leave it on. They all sound great when finished. Look at pics on my page most of them are paper covered. Build it and play it, you will like it.
Its funny but was forced to make several guitars recently with paper covered boxes. These were all new, just empties from the store the day the last cigar was smoked boxes - you could smell the cigars still. I have always used all wood boxes, just like the look. Sprayed them with clear spray sealer, left all the paper inside and out, just put my sticker on the bottom to cover the bar code. Wow, acoustics were fab! Only use larger boxes, it may not work for smaller boxes as all the ones I used were large and at least 2 1/2 deep. But, yes, definitely, they look marvelous, and paper does not hurt the sound!
Every box is different. Half the fun is finding the voice and personality inside the box.
Kinda like finding where the wood wants to go when ya start carving!
I have just removed the white paper lining from the inside of the box and they resonate fine. I built a Macanudo box and a Partagas Grande and they both sound great. In some ways it seems the "paper boxes" actually resonate as good or better then the all wood boxes.
Thanx Thomas, I'm going to give it a go. Like I've said b-4, "It's all about having fun doin this, and if I learn something in the process, great!