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All Blog Posts (2,112)

The fever! its contagious and now every piece of scrap lying around begins to look like something that could fit on a CBG.

Added by Nigel Richards aka Rev. Larry on December 25, 2009 at 11:09pm — 1 Comment

Theremin & Amp

Finished my theremin project. It's a theremin & amp build into a fifties radiospeaker. Got the 2 watt amp from 'The Cigarbox Guitar Company'. The speaker of the radiobox sounds much better then the one in the kit, so no hassle changing the speaker, only some wiring to connect the theremin with the amp. It has an input for a guitar or other instrument and an effectloop for the theremin. The theremin consists of two oscillators operating at a radio… Continue

Added by Ruben Poncia on December 24, 2009 at 11:15am — 4 Comments

Merry Christmas

Here's wishing all you CBG nuts a very merry Christmas and a great New Year with lots of new builds...........Jim

Added by Jim Tupper on December 24, 2009 at 11:15am — No Comments

more parts at the Back Porch Mojo store!!

Big Daddy, is at it again more parts in the Store

Back porch mojo is now offering Volume and Tone pots for all you builders

250k pots

500k pots

and we have in the store single strings so if you planning a diddley bow or maybe you broke a string, just maybe want some spares around...… Continue

Added by Darren "Big Daddy" Dukes on December 22, 2009 at 6:36pm — No Comments

Adventures in first build land... 101?? no, 011 is more like it.

So I'm nearing the end of my first build and with it's many flaws, I'm still proud of it and I will hand it with much pride to my youngest son -- and hope with all my heart that he doesn't turn and swing it at his brother's head -- LOL, think I'm jokin'?.

I'm learning a lot w/ this build... like, how hard it is to work with purple heart(!!), damn shit is only slightly softer than concrete and will splinter whenever it damn well feels like it!! Now I remember why I have so much of… Continue

Added by marcianx on December 20, 2009 at 11:41pm — 2 Comments

Art for your Box

Do you want to pimp your Cigarbox Guitar with a painting? I can paint your Cigarbox with your favorite blues/jazz/pop/CBG artist or anything that you can imagine.

Or a unique painting of your favorite blues/jazz/pop/CBG artist on canvas.…

Continue

Added by Ruben Poncia on December 15, 2009 at 7:36pm — 2 Comments

Tools?? I got tools! Just no where to put 'em!

Today, while I was sweating away using a microplane to trim out a recess on the neck that will be under the box lid, I kept thinking to myself, "Damn, if only I could pull out the mini router table I could be done with this in no time."

The thing is stuck in a closet and I dare not bring it out just yet... not after taking over the dining room for the first week of my CBG build-- and feeling the wrath of the lil' lady (the silent kinda wrath, with knowing glances and… Continue

Added by marcianx on December 15, 2009 at 5:30pm — 2 Comments

Sometimes... things just happen that way

I signed up with Ning 2-3 yrs ago, right around the time it came out. In fact, if I remember correctly, I created a couple different Ning accounts for separate purposes. Seemed like a good idea for a site and they had some big ideas.

I used it for a couple of days and left because it was so buggy and laggy that I couldn't even create a site, could barely play around with it. I had hoped to come back to it at some later time but never got around to it.

A couple of weeks ago… Continue

Added by marcianx on December 11, 2009 at 10:22pm — 1 Comment

Lamintated Neck - Simple

Added by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on December 11, 2009 at 4:25pm — 11 Comments

Purple heart fingerboard or neck?

Hey everyone,
My old man has abunch of purple heart. Will it splinter too bad or could it make a good fingerboard or completed neck. I was thinking of making maple as a contrast for good color. Thanks for all ya'll do.

Added by Eric "psychoboy" Henderson on December 11, 2009 at 1:37am — 3 Comments

A 3 Step Approach to Learning How to Play the CBG (Designed especially for Builders) Step 1

I have been playing Delta Style Bottleneck Blues Guitar in Open Tunings since 1984. Although I am far from an expert in the field, I have learned some very practical methods to understanding music.

I would like to help CBG builders who have no or limited knowledge of music, but are interested in building learn how to play their creations.

So, I have a plan.

Step 1:

Begin by building one string (diddley-bow) CBGs. Initially, this instrument does not need frets, but I would… Continue

Added by Keni Lee Burgess on December 8, 2009 at 1:53pm — 3 Comments

(Part 2) 2 CBGs: Open G to Open D Tuning

(DGbd) tune down to (Df#ad)

(DGDg) tune up (DADa)

Tuning the g up a whole step to a, could create a tension problem. A solution would be to tune down to f# (DADf#). Over lapping the (Df#) on both CBGs. Of course, this would alter the relative string arrangement and new ideas would need to be explored for the (Df#) interval.

This is interesting because it is the treble arrangement part of Open C Tuning on a 6 string guitar (CG"Cgce") applied to a bass arrangement in the key of D… Continue

Added by Keni Lee Burgess on December 8, 2009 at 2:30am — No Comments

(Part 1) Duets using 2 CBGs (Matched Set)

During my on going study of Open Tunings, I realized a way to split the Open G Tuning on a six guitar (DGDgbd) in half by using two CBGs. On the "After a Hard Week...video, Bill used a 4 string tuned (Dgbd) and I used a 3 string CBG tuned (GDg). The only string I was missing was the low D to complete the 6 string arrangement. If I had a 4 string CBG, with this low D added, I could tune (DGDg). The two guitars would over lap the (Dg). I would have the low (DG), Bill would have the high (bd). We… Continue

Added by Keni Lee Burgess on December 8, 2009 at 2:00am — 1 Comment

Cigar box Bass Kits now available

Back porch mojo is pleased to announce we have finally added a Bass Kit to our ever expanding store!!
My brother Big Dan is the Bass man and is now putting together for you a Bass CBG kit check it out at the Back porch mojo store

Added by Darren "Big Daddy" Dukes on December 8, 2009 at 12:59am — 1 Comment

All i want for christmas is a new brickhouse mightymighty box

Want…

Continue

Added by Marjorie on December 6, 2009 at 11:00pm — No Comments

new parts at the Back Porch Mojo store

Big Daddy here, and I am trying to help all my fellow CBG'ers by tracking down and making available the parts and information I had to search and search for to fuel my CBG addiction! I have found some great tuning pegs, and they will put your next CBG over the top!! every one knows that Kluson tuners on an old les paul or other vintage axe gives it a look you just cant get any other way... but Klusons are expensive!! vintage sets can run in the hundreds of dollars and new reproductions are… Continue

Added by Darren "Big Daddy" Dukes on December 2, 2009 at 7:16pm — 1 Comment

3 string banjo

im just exploring the unique sounds of a 3 string banjo 1 g string 2 high e strings tuned gdg it sounds amazing esp. with slide happy pluckin and happy thanks giving to all u usaers

Added by michael greene on November 27, 2009 at 11:05am — No Comments

what a buzz

i was sitting on the verandah at work playing one of my cbgs when a lady come up and offered me $200 for it as a present for her son .
i was blown away

Added by michael greene on November 25, 2009 at 11:10pm — 1 Comment

Cheapie Bridges

Nice to be back with the CBG folks. I've been gone for a couple of years. Trying to find time to get back into building and have a question for the group. Does anyone know a good source for those cheapie wood bridges that you insert the strings through the end of the bridge? They are usually anchored to the instrument by a couple of bolts and nuts that are capped with a couple of pearloid buttons like fret markers. You see these kind of bridges on the cheap imported "backpacker" guitars on… Continue

Added by Ron Moucka on November 24, 2009 at 5:11am — 1 Comment

An introduction, of sorts

I currently own 2 acoustic and 3 electric guitars, 1 electric bass guitar, 1 fiddle, a banjo, 2 autoharps, 1 mandolin, a few harmonicas, a melodica, 2 old electronic keyboards, an electric piano, and a Peruvian ocarina. I am almost finished building a lap steel using wood from my late Great Grandfather's house.

*Hopefully* I will finish that in the next day or two and finally start on a CGB.

I've been playing guitar for a little over 30 years, and making horrendous noises on… Continue

Added by Jeff "Sweet T" Tinsley on November 22, 2009 at 7:32pm — 2 Comments