Learn How To Build A Cigar Box Guitar

If you have a broomstick or an old guitar neck lying around you could make use of them to build a cigar box guitar. It’s a matter for your own conscience whether you can take the neck off a guitar or the head off a broom but the rewards will be great once you show your friends and family your cigar box guitar. This historic instrument has been played by Jimi Hendrix, Carl Perkins, B. B. King and Carl Perkins, and people will be amazed at the music that can be coaxed out of an old cigar box.

If you are reasonably handy you should have the tools and know-how to build a cigar box guitar successfully on your first attempt. All you need in the way of tools is some fine and coarse sandpaper, a hacksaw, a box cutter and a drill.

Find yourself a cigar box. For the neck, if you don’t have one from a cheap guitar, you can use piece of poplar two inches wide by one inch thick by three feet long. Also get a dozen or so one inch nails, some wood glue and some wood stain to finish your guitar. From a music store get yourself three tuning pegs and an A, D and G acoustic guitar string.

For amplification use a pickup for an acoustic guitar with the jack in a hole in the side and the pickup itself on the cigar box lid.

Cigar Box Nation is the ultimate site for info on cigar box guitars and here is PDF tutorial on making a cigar box guitar.

And today’s video features a Delta blues played on a cigar box guitar . . .