The Wednesday DIY Cigar Box Guitar Club

Mickey Plays Da Blooz

I know I keep coming back to them and promising sooo very much, but I really am going to finally get around to doing a couple of Cigar Box guitars.

I know, you've heard it all before.

Anyway, I figured if I documented it as I went along, maybe the odd personage would find it useful and want to join in too. It would also force me to get off me chuff and do it, of course.

I'm not thinking of anything flash, just a lovely three stringer slide box, which is about as authentically Jooky as you can get I reckon.

So if you fancy having a go - here are a few things you will need:

1. A Cigar Box:
This should be a wooden one, not cardboard... If there is such a thing as a tobacconist near you, ask and they might give or sell you one. If not eBay is your friend. Either way, I wouldn't pay more than a couple of quid, tops.

2. A piece of wood for the neck.
Get something like Mahogany or Sapiele or Oak, A piece 36" x 2" x 1" will do you fine. Our local timber merchant - now there is a phrase I never thought I'd write - charged a quid or so for such a thing, and planed it as well, gord bless 'em. Again, any piece of wood that size will do - slicing an old shelf is a fave too, of course - though I'd go for a hardwood as it will need to be strong enough to hold the tension of the strings.

3. Two nuts and bolts:
These will be the nut and the bridge. They should be 3" long. You can use other things, but these are easy to get.

4. A Hinge:
This will need three screw holes in it. Here is one I got from Homebase, but anything similar will do. If you can't find a hinge, don't worry you can just drill a few holes and use them instead.


5. Three tuning pegs:
You can use other things, but I have some acoustic tuners to hand, and will use them. Anything goes though, so see what you can lay your hands on.

6. A Pickup:
I'm going to put a pickup and volume control in mine, but you don't have to. It's pretty easy though, if you don't mind soldering a couple of wires together. To do this I've got a Strat pickup, a 'pot' volume knob thing and a jack socket, and a couple of bits of wire. If you haven't got a pickup to hand, a piezo disk can be had for pennies, I'll give some links when we get there. I might use one of those thinking about it, they sound beautifully raw. Yep, piezo disk it is. Cool. If you really get stuck, give me a shout as I've got a fair few lay around that I'll never use.

And other than a few finishing supplies such as screws, Danish oil or paint, strings and a couple of tools, that is that.

Easie and a peasie.

I think this could be a little Wednesday night DIY club.
Probably with no members.
I'm popular like that,
seriously.