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What Should I build and why?

Hello fellow musicians, Thank you all for making my very 1st post here so informational for me and hope others with the same questions found it helpful . I know you can't answer everything because whats good for each of us is different. I am ready to build my 1st CBG and I am torn between fret less vs fretted. Now I would like to know what you built for your 1st and your advice to my 1st build and why. I own many brand name instruments and the reason for cbg is its simplicity and not really sure i want to stray away from its roots and make it modern like our guitars of today. I am also wondering who, builders on the net , should I follow for their building techniques and why ? I am really finding many great musicians that play cbg and look for hours late at night, just loving the culture. Thanks for helping out !

wizzo

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Permalink Reply by Milt Haselmire on February 22, 2018 at 1:24pm

Seems like you like decent guitars so I would recommend a 3 string fretless. Your best bet to get a playable guitar on the first go round. If you're an electric player install a pickup. If you don't play slide you can learn.

I have several fretless videos posted, if you're interested so you can see what's possible. No end to what you can do.

My first build was a birdhouse.

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Permalink Reply by wizzo on February 22, 2018 at 1:58pm

thank you milt, i will check your videos out. thank you.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff 'Bones' Reilly on February 22, 2018 at 1:45pm

I kept my first one really simple ...

A stick through a box 3 string fretless ...

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Permalink Reply by wizzo on February 22, 2018 at 1:59pm

I am thinking this would be good idea. Thanx jeff

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Jordan on February 23, 2018 at 8:12am

Build fretless.,.,follow Shane.,.,why not.,..,.??

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Permalink Reply by wizzo on February 24, 2018 at 10:58am

Thank you Jeffy Jordan, I just might do that. thank you for your input .

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Permalink Reply by Paul W. McGuire on February 25, 2018 at 2:31am

I got a fretless as a gift but wasn’t happy with that so I built a fretted one with a neck from MGB Guitars. Cut my own headstock reinforced my box and installed a Snake Oil pickup. You can build whatever with proper planning.

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Permalink Reply by wizzo on March 1, 2018 at 3:38am

Thank you Paul, I am thinking of one of each . Thanx Tim

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Permalink Reply by JL on February 27, 2018 at 4:34am

My first was a didley bow stick-ON-box (not through); Uncle-crow style, aka dulcimer, bolt for the nut and the bridge, a used guitar tuner I got for free from the repairman's junk box at a ma & pa guitar store, pencil marks on the side of the neck for where the notes were for using a slide.

knocked it out in under and hour, tuned up, and had a little fun.

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Permalink Reply by wizzo on March 1, 2018 at 3:40am

Those do look cool, I have seen a 6 string by bill Jehle.

Thats cool. Thanx. Tim

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on February 27, 2018 at 11:48am

Hi wizzo, my first serious CBG was actually my forth one. I was asked to build one for a guy who had done the research and as I was already building guitars he asked me to build one.

I had never heard of them till then, but knew what a cigar box looked like and I knew how to build guitars, so I set out to experiment by putting the two together. I built a few before settling on the design that best works re sound and playability. I then built one for the customer.

I then came across Cigar box Nation and found out about the history and that there is a whole heap of builders out there.

My first was a home made box, 4 string, fretted with shellac and wax finish.

Taff