Workshops

Have you been thinking of getting your own cigar box guitar but I just haven't had exactly what you are looking for?  Why not build your own!? Sign up for a build-your-own workshop and design your very own cigar box guitar under my guidance to your specifications.  

Check my calendar for upcoming scheduled workshops and sign up here.

Build your own CBG steps

1. Choose a neck and style of guitar

Fretless

Dulcimer Style Fretted

Fully Fretted

2. Choose a box:

Choose a cigar box from a collection of suitable good acoustic cigar boxes

3. Choose the number of strings: 3 or 4?

4. Choose a color of tuners and set aside the correct number of tuners, screws and tuner bolts.

5. Determine placement for tuners based on string number. Draw guide for drilling tuner holes.

6. Set neck into jig and drill holes for tuners. Clean up with sand paper. 

7. Install tuners.

8. Drill appropriate string holes in the tail end of the neck.

9. Attach the neck to the surface of the cigar box’s lid or bottom depending on preference.

10. Drill holes for jack and volume pot and install pickup.

11. Drill sound holes into cigar box.

12. Place the nut and cut slots for the appropriate number of strings (NOT TOO DEEP!)

13. Place the bridge in the correct place.

14. Choose a tuning (see page 4) and select the correct strings. 

15. String the instrument and adjust the depth of the nut slots if necessary.

Explanation of choices 

Quick guide:

Absolute beginner:

I recommend fretless or dulcimer style frets as both are simple to learn and more forgiving than traditional guitar or a fully fretted instrument. The 3 string open G tuning is the most commonly used tuning for cigar box guitars and has plenty of tutorials available online.

Seasoned guitar player or future guitarist:

If you already know how to play guitar or are looking to learn to play a traditional 6 string guitar then you want to get a full fretted instrument. I also recommend stringing it with 4 strings tuned to the same tuning as the top four of a standard guitar.

Frets:

Fretless guitars are played with a slide. These guitars are tuned to open tunings and played like lap steel or dobro and are easy to learn.  Predominantly used in blues, bluegrass and folk music they have a distinct sound and are fun to play. If you want something fun to pick up and pluck around on now and then, this is your go to… just don’t lose your slide!

Dulcimer fretting is traditional amongst mountain dulcimers and sometimes called the “no wrong notes” fretting. Every fret on the neck only belongs to the same major scale so none of the sharp or flat notes are available. Think of it like only having the white keys on a piano.  This simplifies playing and allows for easy experimentation. This style of fretting is common in bluegrass and Appalachian mountain music.

Full fretting as the name suggests, this gives you access to every note on the guitar. If you already play guitar, this is likely what you’ll want to get as it will feel most comfortable. If you eventually want to learn guitar, this is also what you should get as it will help you reach that goal. 

Strings

String choices can vary greatly even within each number choice.  For example, it is traditional that cigar box guitars are built with 3 and 4 strings, but those combinations can have multiple tuning styles. This can always be changed later with your instrument too!. 

Here are some of the options. The number beneath each set corresponds to the string number out of a traditional pack of 6 string guitar strings you would use with 6 being the largest “bottom” E string and the 1 being the “top” highest E string.

3 strings: 

Open G (GDG) - most common cigar box guitar tuning with a lot of tutorials available. 

Strings: 5,4,3

Open D (DAD) - Dulcimer tuning, also a lot of tutorials on how to play. 

Strings 4,3,2

Standard Guitar (GBE) - Uses the top three strings of a standard 6-string guitar, allowing you to easily map familiar chord shapes.

Strings: 3,2,1

4 strings: 

Open D (DADD) - Dulcimer tuning with double high d, traditional mountain dulcimer tuning.

Strings: 4,3,2,2

Open G (DGBD): Tuned identically to a standard 5-string banjo (without the drone string), making it perfect for both blues and bluegrass.

Strings: 4,3,2,1

Open G (DGDB) - An easy 4-string slide variation that lets you play major chords right across the frets. Also the same tuning as the top 4 strings of a guitar.

Strings: 5,4,3,2

Chicago Tenor (DGBE) - Tuned just like a ukulele or the highest four strings of a standard guitar.

Strings: 4,3,2,1