Fun with guitar building.

[muttley600]

Just posted thing on another forum. Thought you guy's might be inspired too. I've always loved these things. Myself and few other makers have an annual build off for these thing every Christmas. I'll keep you posted on who wins.

http://www.cigarboxguitars.com/

 

[WhiteStrat]

I've seent them before, but never realized there was such a culture around them. Looks like a blast. And do keep us posted (with pics!) on your annual build off!

 

[Zaphod B]

Now, that looks like fun! And something that even I might be able to do.

I'm sure there's room in one of those things for a couple of decking screws.

 

[muttley600]

Now, that looks like fun! And something that even I might be able to do.

I'm sure there's room in one of those things for a couple of decking screws.

Those cigar boxes don't take screws too well. Your better off with a compressor and nail gun.

 

[Tadpui]

LOL @ the one made from a Helix box. First the poor guy had to smoke 25 awful cigars, then he had to build a fragile banjo out of it

It's tough to find a good, sturdy cigar box. There are lots that are made of wood but are still flimsy, like the Hoyo De Monterrey Excalibur (which is currently our stash box at home ). The basic Padron line has pretty good sturdy boxes, although they're not very deep (like the 2000, 3000, 4000, etc.).

Track down a CAO Vision box and make a guitar out of that one. Now that'd be one pimped-out cigar box guitar!

http://www.bigsmokecigars.com/images/Cigars/cao-vision-cigars-box_241.jpg

 

[Zaphod B]

Those cigar boxes don't take screws too well. Your better off with a compressor and nail gun.

I'll consider that a challenge.

 

[muttley600]

I'll consider that a challenge.

It will work just fine as long as you remember to wear badly fitting jeans with bum cleavage and cat call all the girls as they walk past. Do your construction workers fit that description over there too?

Seriously. I'm basing mine this year on a 9" biscuit tin (cookie tin to you guys). I have high hopes for it. Last years "wine box bass" didn't far too well.

 

[Zaphod B]

It will work just fine as long as you remember to wear badly fitting jeans with bum cleavage and cat call all the girls as they walk past. Do your construction workers fit that description over there too?

Seriously. I'm basing mine this year on a 9" biscuit tin (cookie tin to you guys). I have high hopes for it. Last years "wine box bass" didn't far too well.

Over here the construction workers are the same. I thing that's universal. We call bum cleavage "butt crack." Plumbers are famous for it.

Seriously, though, the basic construction looks tantalizingly simple. A neck-through barely attached to a box of - whatever - with as many or few strings as you like. Fretted or not. Seems as if it's as much about creativity as anything.

 

[muttley600]

Over here the construction workers are the same. I thing that's universal. We call bum cleavage "butt crack." Plumbers are famous for it.

Seriously, though, the basic construction looks tantalizingly simple. A neck-through barely attached to a box of - whatever - with as many or few strings as you like. Fretted or not. Seems as if it's as much about creativity as anything.

Yep, The key to success lies in three things.

It must work and not collapse. You have to find a way to make it resonate via a membrane or soundboard. It has to be fun..

The plmbers over hear all wear more expensive stuff than I have so I couldn'r comment on that.

 

[ausrock]

Over here the construction workers are the same. I thing that's universal. We call bum cleavage "butt crack." Plumbers are famous for it.

Also frequently refered to as a "bike rack"

 

[Zaphod B]

Also frequently refered to as a "bike rack"

I like it.

 

[32-20-Blues]

It will work just fine as long as you remember to wear badly fitting jeans with bum cleavage and cat call all the girls as they walk past. Do your construction workers fit that description over there too?

Seriously. I'm basing mine this year on a 9" biscuit tin (cookie tin to you guys). I have high hopes for it. Last years "wine box bass" didn't far too well.

I built one before from an octagon shaped Quality street tin. It was a fretless banjo (because I didn't know how to install frets), and the neck was the central section from a mahogany saddle board. Worked fine, sounded pretty good.

Here's the tin I used:

(They're on special in Sainsbury's for a fiver at the moment. The straight edges were useful, because they made it easier for me to cut the opening for the neck)

I'm sure you can get really inventive with biscuit tin shapes. Also, I tried putting a humbucker under the soundboard of mine, on the basis that the vibrating metal tin would work in a similar fashion to vibrating metal strings - it worked, sort of. Obviously, you already know all this stuff, though. Can't wait to see how this all turns out.

Btw, the uke is finished - sorry i didn't get back to you earlier about it> Very happy with it! Now I'm starting my next project - I'm thinking of some sort of Appalachian dulcimer. Never bought the tenor guitar in the end; I couldn't find a decent one without major structural problems. I bought an electric mandolin instead. I can't play it until Christmas, but there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it structurally, so I won't be bothering you with questions!

 

[lpdeluxe]

Now we need some enterprising cigar wrapper to ship his smokes in Les Paul-shaped boxes.