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Building my first CBG

So, I kind of stumbled into the world of the CBG by floating about on YouTube - You know how it is, one video leads to another until you come across something really worth watching!

So I decided to make my very own CBG as cheaply as I possibly could. Asked about for cigar boxes and a friend came up with a small box that had been used to send salmon (of all things!). Not a cigar box, but the right dimentions and hey, it had a pretty cool logo on it.

So I needed a neck, scrabbled about in the attic and found our old banister that we ripped down when we moved in, light mahogany, right thickness and fairly easy enough to cut to length!

After a short while on ebay, I had some tuners, a piezo and a 1/4" jack socket on their merry way to my door.

On to making the neck. Spent about a hour or so hand carving the mahogany with a craft knife and gave it a light sanding - and I must say, I'm fairly proud of what I achieved. Cut the salmon box in the right places and fitted the neck.

Once the tuners and peizo arrived I stuck them all on along with a couple of bolts for the nut and the bridge.

And now...

I think I want to put some frets in.....

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Comment by Darren Wolbold on March 22, 2013 at 9:46pm: Sure looks good ! warning your addiction will now start

I have used a similar box and they work grate

Also I had a go at the bobby pin method for fretting and I think it worked out very well

http://darrenscigarboxguitars.blogspot.co.uk/

Comment by Benjibogs on March 20, 2013 at 4:00am: Thanks for the comments guys!

I guess I'm going to have to just build myself another one with frets then eh?!

I think I might have a go a a scarf joint as well.

Darryl - Yes I used a craft knife for the neck, just a cheap thing from the pound shop!

Comment by darryl kernaghan on March 19, 2013 at 10:11pm: great 1st timer benji,knife carved?great stuff,simple and neat

Comment by t-belly johnson on March 18, 2013 at 3:54am: Nice job, and as a fisherman, love the logo

Comment by Benjibogs on March 18, 2013 at 3:00am: I haven't stuck the lid down, so acoustically it has a bit of a buzz to it - but I like it. It makes it sound like it has an acoustic distortion!

I can't wait to make another one!

Comment by SlowHound on March 18, 2013 at 2:55am: Nice. Put frets on your second build. Those salmon boxes sound great. I used one for my second build. It's a little smaller than yours. I had to flip the lid as it was a little warped.