I don't claim to have invented this design, but here's how I make a robust neck through with a heel, leaving plenty of space under the lid for pickups/bracing etc. There are plenty of ways to go about this, and no right or wrong way. However this design helped me overcome a number of obstacles in my early builds. I will skip over quite a few basic aspects of CBG building so it might be an idea to have a grasp of scale lengths etc. first.
This article is not aimed at seasoned builders, but rather those who were just starting out. Or even more specifically, myselfabout 3 years ago when I started making these!
The only thing this diagram doesn't show is 'back angle', which I use on all of my builds to improve ergonomics. Just imagine the block at the front on the box is lower than the one at the back. It's that simple, and can make a big difference to how well a guitar plays. This, along with some other tips is covered in another how-to here.
Rex And The Bass: Memphis Cigar Box Guitar #313 Review
So - you need a 1 metre length of hardwood, and a separate fretboard (6.5mm/1/4). Cut the neck blank into 2 pieces. This will depend on the kind of box you are using. You want the upper piece to extend into the box by about 100mm, and the lower piece to extend roughly 40-50mm from the front of the box, creating an overlap of roughly 6/150mm (see the picture above). You can use whatever headstock design you prefer, scarf etc.
The first job I do is cut and glue up the scarf joint. I cut the scarf using a jig and a big chop saw. Along with the Dremel and drill, these are the only power tools I use to make necks.
To glue up the scarf, I clamp the two pieces of the neck to the bench and then apply a clamp at the joint. If it slips, move the pieces back and try again. You want to get this right. Some people swear by sprinkling a little salt on the glue to stop it slipping. I haven't tried it myself. Once the glue has fully cured I slice off some material from the top side to bring the thickness of the headstock down to about 15mm.
Pure & Simple
So at this point I've marked the frets using a metre ruler and Stew Mac's Fret Calculator, scored them with a knife and they're ready to slot. It is worth investing in a purpose made fret slotting saw and mitre box for this job. I've drawn a centre line and marked across the frets diagonally to place the marker dots. Carefully drill them out to the required depth. This would be much easier with a pillar drill but I don't have one.
Once the fret slots are cut, I taper the fretboard. This step is completely optional, but since trying it I have found it impossible to go back to square necks. If you want some tips on doing this, I wrote a 'how to'here. Once you're happy with the shape of the fretboard, you can add your side dots, if you wish.
In the below picture, I am gluing all of the remaining parts of the neck together; the fretboard, the lower portion of the neck that runs through the box, and the headstock 'wings' which will allow me to get a bit more creative with the design. These are made from fretboard scraps.
The Cigar Box Guitar Maker
I leave the neck in the clamps for 24 hours. I know many people would say this is unnecessary but I prefer to err on the side of caution. This is what it looks like after taking the clamps off. In this picture I have already used my mitre box to create a 'slope' where the two neck sections meet which will be the basis of the heel.
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Building A Cigar Box Guitar
Scroll uastyle>ud/** Scrollup **/ud.scrollup ud.scrollup:hover ud uascript type=text/javascript>ud x$(document).ready(function() else ud });ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(), 600);ud return false;ud });ud });ud ua!-- End Scroll Up --Learning a brief history of the cigar box guitar should give you some serious inspiration to build one of your own. The cigar box guitar was originally a homemade instrument for individuals who couldn’t afford to buy an actual instrument. The trend took off in small African-American communities in the late 1800s and later during the Great Depression because of widespread poverty.
If you lived in that time period without money and you wanted to play an instrument, you needed easy-to-find tools and supplies, along with a talent for resourcefulness and ingenuity. The necks were usually made from broom handles and most only had one string. In fact, there was a saying that playing a cigar box guitar only hurt once. When mom was gone, the kids would take apart her broom and stick the handle through a cigar box. They would then take the wire that held the bristles on and stretch it over the broom handle until they could produce a sound. When mom got home, she would give the kids a good whipping, but had no way of putting her broom back together…so the kids played, and it only hurt once.
The first time I saw a cigar box guitar, I knew I had to build one. I hadn’t done much woodworking yet, but it looked like something I could tackle. I discovered that they are quite simple and can be built with some basic household tools. As a bonus, the cost is very low and the possibilities are endless; no two cigar box guitars are the same. When you really get creative, your guitar can say a lot about your personality. Make it yours.
Cigar Box Guitar Neck (bass) 31” Scale
Most of the tools to make your guitar are common in homes. If you don’t have them, check with your family, friends, or neighbors. Any tools or lumber you need can be found at most hardware stores. For the guitar components, the best place I’ve found to get them is online at C.B. Gitty Crafter Supply (www.cbgitty.com). A cigar box can be found at most tobacco shops that sell cigars for, at most, $5.
In no way are you restricted to the parts list I’ve provided. There are many different options available for tuners, strings, etc. The measurements I’ve provided below are for the parts I’ve listed. If you do choose other parts, your measurements might be different. Use a ruler or caliper to measure each part so that it will fit correctly.
The first thing to build is the neck of the guitar. Although “neck” refers to the middle part of the guitar, our neck will extend all the way through the cigar box, so it will be longer for now. The neck needs to be a hardwood or it will slowly bend over time with the tension of the strings. A few good recommendations are in the parts list above. The board dimensions should be 1″ X 2″ X 36″. After you buy the board, you’ll notice that the board’s
Dilwe Guitar Neck Fretboard, 21 Frets, Unfinished Cigar Box, Guitar Bass Part, Maple Neck Fingerboard
Measurements are 3/4″ X 1 1/2″ X 36″. This difference will not have an effect on the measurements below. Use your coping saw to cut the neck to length if it isn’t 36″ long.
Looking at the design of the wood, decide which end you would like to be the head and write “head” on the end of the neck. The next thing to do is cut a notch out of the end of the head where the tuners will go. Mark 4 1/2″ in from the end of the neck and 1/4″ in from the fret side (you’re marking 1/4″ on the 1″ side of the board).
Now, it’s time to cut out the head-piece. Use your coping saw to cut the piece out. When you’re done, use a file and sandpaper to get it nice and smooth. When I build these guitars, I like to leave them a little rough around the edges to show some character.
Cigar Box Guitar Neck, Hard Maple And Fretted
It’s time to put the neck down and pick up the cigar box. The way you cut the cigar box will depend on what type of box you have. Most paper-covered boxes have a lid that lays down inside the edges of the box. A lot of non-paper cigar boxes have a thicker lid that lays down on top of the sides rather than inside it. No matter the cigar box, the next step is to mark
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