Cigar Box Fiddles - Plans, ideas, tips & more

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Cigar Box Fiddles - Plans, ideas, tips & more

Idea trading post for bowed instruments. Share photos and tips of fiddles and whatnot that you've built, acquired or seen.

Members: 153
Latest Activity: Nov 8, 2023

Discussion Forum

Bow for cigar box fiddle

Started by Phil Thomas. Last reply by Phil Thomas May 23, 2017. 2 Replies

My First Cigar Box Fiddle

Started by Tim LaFave. Last reply by Alan Hawkins Mar 4, 2016. 7 Replies

Pochette build

Started by Jaber. Last reply by Jaber Jan 20, 2016. 2 Replies

First cigar box fiddle

Started by Slow Slough Guitars Dec 22, 2014. 0 Replies

First "cello" build

Started by Jaber. Last reply by Jaber Apr 26, 2014. 7 Replies

Building the "Stumpwater" fiddle

Started by Al Lyons. Last reply by Gipson Fat Fingers Shoemaker Feb 7, 2014. 29 Replies

Bass

Started by Redbelly. Last reply by Reeds Taylor Sep 21, 2013. 3 Replies

how to add an adjustable shoulder rest?

Started by Paul Cooper. Last reply by Paul Cooper Aug 29, 2013. 6 Replies

Tremendous online violin making site!

Started by Diane in Chicago Jun 15, 2013. 0 Replies

"Tips on How I Build a CB Fiddle"

Started by Tim LaFave. Last reply by Tim LaFave May 25, 2013. 4 Replies

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Comment by Cigar Box Nation on September 30, 2015 at 9:14am

Comment by Cigar Box Nation on September 30, 2015 at 3:36am

Hey all!  Several years ago, Knotlenny started to transcribe the historic 1940 Cigar Box Violin plans.  I've just completed them.  Here they are...free for you:  http://www.cigarboxnation.com/page/how-to-build-a-cigar-box-violin-...

Comment by Mike Evans on June 30, 2015 at 9:56am

Well, my door got donated to a local charity so I ended up buying a couple sticks of hard maple off ebay. Should be here Friday. Hopefully I can move forward with this project soon.

Comment by Mike Evans on June 17, 2015 at 5:07am

I just remembered that I have an old mahogany front door that the leaded glass got busted out of. I was saving it in case I ever tried to build a Les Paul guitar copy.

Comment by Mike Evans on June 17, 2015 at 5:02am

Here is my initial layout showing a neck design I've come up with using details from several different sources. If you see your ideas incorporated here, thankyou very much and please feel free to take credit for them.

cbf%202.pdf

Comment by Jim Morris on June 16, 2015 at 1:53pm

Oh yeah, Google "Pochettes" to see how many variations in body size there can be.

Baroque Style Pochette Best Song Brand Violin 5 3/4",resonant Sound

Comment by Jim Morris on June 16, 2015 at 1:49pm

Yup, Mark is correct. A decent size cigar box is hard to find. I've explored several ways to narrow the box in the middle for bow clearance. The neck pretty much always has to be longer than a normal fiddle to compensate for the shorter box. Normal 4/4 fiddle body is 14" and not too many C. Boxes are that long. The easiest route is to make your own box but that takes away the challenge! Try to look at as many pics as you can to see how others have approached this. I haven't seen much from Diane in Chicago lately but she and others on this site were quite helpful when I fist started on fiddles. I've never drawn up plans. My method is to choose a box and figure out how long the neck needs to be to fit a 13" scale and so the bridge is near the middle of the box and then go for it. Sometimes that actually works! Good luck!

Comment by Mike Evans on June 16, 2015 at 12:58pm

That should had said cad!

Comment by Mike Evans on June 16, 2015 at 12:57pm

I have drawn up a blueprint in carat work. My box is too wide, too thick and too short but I'm stubborn and bound to use it anyway. I'm going to try and leave the rear pretty much standard 4/4 length and make the neck longer. The fingerboard will still overlap body a few inches. I'm taking several ideas I've seen and incorporating them into this design. I made shotgun butt stock from black walnut years ago and it was fun so I'm looking forward to whittling out this neck too.

Comment by Mark Bliss on June 16, 2015 at 12:43pm

One tip Mike, and perhaps Jim will give some tips from his experience as well:

But typical cigar boxes are either far too wide if they are long enough, or too short if they are narrow enough for use as a fiddle. 

You will probably find it best to draw up a blueprint for dimensions, and make your own box/body.

 

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Discussion Forum

Bow for cigar box fiddle

Started by Phil Thomas. Last reply by Phil Thomas May 23, 2017. 2 Replies

My First Cigar Box Fiddle

Started by Tim LaFave. Last reply by Alan Hawkins Mar 4, 2016. 7 Replies

Pochette build

Started by Jaber. Last reply by Jaber Jan 20, 2016. 2 Replies

First cigar box fiddle

Started by Slow Slough Guitars Dec 22, 2014. 0 Replies

First "cello" build

Started by Jaber. Last reply by Jaber Apr 26, 2014. 7 Replies

Building the "Stumpwater" fiddle

Started by Al Lyons. Last reply by Gipson Fat Fingers Shoemaker Feb 7, 2014. 29 Replies

Bass

Started by Redbelly. Last reply by Reeds Taylor Sep 21, 2013. 3 Replies

how to add an adjustable shoulder rest?

Started by Paul Cooper. Last reply by Paul Cooper Aug 29, 2013. 6 Replies

Tremendous online violin making site!

Started by Diane in Chicago Jun 15, 2013. 0 Replies

"Tips on How I Build a CB Fiddle"

Started by Tim LaFave. Last reply by Tim LaFave May 25, 2013. 4 Replies

Newbie from Asheville, NC

Started by Al Lyons. Last reply by Diane in Chicago Jan 10, 2013. 2 Replies

Little travel fiddle

Started by Diane in Chicago. Last reply by Diane in Chicago Jan 9, 2013. 9 Replies

3/4 Ohio fiddle

Started by the cigarbox table guy. Last reply by Yellowbelly Flatt Dec 30, 2012. 5 Replies

some violin pics

Started by Elmar Zeilhofer. Last reply by CrocBite May 22, 2012. 4 Replies

CB Fiddle #2 and furthermore

Started by Diane in Chicago. Last reply by Elmar Zeilhofer May 21, 2012. 18 Replies

My first attemp at a cigar box fiddle. :-)

Started by Rick Hunt. Last reply by Rick Hunt Mar 18, 2012. 23 Replies

How to take a fiddle apart?

Started by Dave Onastik. Last reply by Diane in Chicago Mar 13, 2012. 5 Replies

Build Update

Started by Bobby Wallen. Last reply by Order99 Mar 3, 2012. 5 Replies

First time build and I have a few questions

Started by Bobby Wallen. Last reply by Tristan Chambers Feb 22, 2012. 2 Replies

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