If you know me at all, you’ll no doubt be familiar with my bent for obscure hobbies (gas lantern restoration, anyone?), so it should come as no surprise that I’ve taken up what I euphemistically refer to as “found object luthiery,” or cigar box guitar building. I’ve tried my hand at many diy audio projects in the past (see tube amp), but I’ve always sought to build a guitar from scratch (scratch like wood, not like parts). When first I caught wind of the cigar box guitar revolution a few years ago, I filed the idea away interesting alternative to “real” (read “expensive”) luthiery.
When Make Magazine ran an article on cigar box guitars (CBGs) about a year ago, my interest was rekindled and I began gathering information in earnest. Unfortunately, my graduate studies and student teaching proved quite adept at thwarting any attempts at what one might call hobbies. It wasn’t until this June that I found the time and energy to build a CBG of my own. Thanks to a couple of cigar boxes that my mom found in an antique shop, I’ve now built two playable instruments and caught the bug in a big way. I started with a mandolin, followed up with a 25” scale four-banger, and I’m now on the hunt for more boxes to fuel my new-found obsession (hint hint).
Finished mando
Interior with piezo pickup
Close up of the body
The Fuente CGB
A little back porch strummin'
Posted Jun 24, 09:43 PM.
Taken Jun 23, 10:54 AM.