Acoustic four string "Hobo" guitar - in the Cigar Box Style


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This guitar is made from recycled and left over materials from my home renovation and from parts filched from unwanted or unplayable guitars.  The top and back are red cedar roof shingles, the neck is made from a left over 2x4 from a garden gate project (yes it does have a fixed truss rod; made from bar stock remaining after a lunatic moment when I thought I might branch out into iron working)  the sides are made from an aromatic cedar board left over when I put a new towel cabinet in the bathroom.  

While I agree that there are no rules in the CBG game I hesitated in calling this a CBG since it doesn't use a cigar box. I suppose it could have but I didn't have one as good as those roof shingles - so "Hobo" guitar it is because it is small - 8 inches wide (2 3/4 inches deep in the soundbox) 33 inches long and light, weighing in at 840 grams so it won't get in the way as you hop the slow train out of town.

My ongoing quest has been to build acoustic instruments from recycled and reused items - that is without benefit of specialty "luthier woods" or expensive tuners and bridges -  while still trying to get nice tone and volume and a playable instrument.  All that said, when I can't find used tuners I buy them - fret wire too - thank you CB Gitty for bringing us affordable supplies and tools and all that know how.

Check out the sound file - it was recorded at my computer with no amplification other than the guitar's soundbox.

Sound sample of the Hobo guitar  4%20String%20sample.mp3

Many thanks to my best friend Raul for helping me compose the little piece at the end of the sound file.

Post script, November 14, 2019.

I thought I would provide an update FYI.  The hobo guitar is still going strong and producing sweet music.  It sustained damage in a fall that was easily repaired.  Most interestingly, it seems to have improved becoming a bit louder and more mellow.   Have a listen...Slide%20thing%202019.wav

Happy building and playing.


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Comments

  • Nice!

  • Thanks Kigar.  All of the sound holes are through and it is reinforced with bracing.  The strings pass through a reinforced (hardwood) section in the tail and up through the body.  306532622?profile=original

  • Nice!  I like the hole pattern, is the large hole the only one actually thru the wood?  Also while this sounds kinda wrong, I'd like to peak under the tail piece and see how the strings are routed.

  • lookin good  ;-)

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