Thread: Another Cigar Box Guitar WIP

I finished the body cutouts for the neck tonight. This is just a test fit.
It's finally beginning to look like that little picture I've been carrying around in my head for weeks.

bm. Body Cutout Done 1.jpg bn. Body Cutout Done 2.jpg bo. Body Cutout Done 3.JPG

I only need to cut the 'tail' off the back of the neck in the morning, then I can start thinking about assembly.

Put in a long one today, (yesterday really, it's 3am), and got the lid hinge pilot holes drilled, the string ball recess and bottom ferrule holes drilled, the ferrules flattened on one side to suit, (the lid covers them when closed), and the truss rod fitted and fretboard glued. (I'm glad that bit's over.)

String ball recess/ferrule holes/ferrule:

bp. String Ball Recess & Holes.JPG


Fretboard glued & clamped. (16 clamps, shaped balsa blocks etc):

bq. Fretboard Gluing.jpg

I got a bit more done over the last 2 days, fitted the neck side dots yesterday, then whacked the frets in today. I'll do the fret levelling when everything's together. I still need to fill the bottom of the fret slots, but that can wait until the finishing stage as well. :

br. Frets - Top view.jpg bs. Frets - Side view.jpg



My state-of-the-art fretting tools worked well.:

bt. Fretting Tools.JPG

Steve, Its only 10pm.
There's another 4 or 5 hours more till you finish for the day....

Originally Posted by _fly_

Steve, Its only 10pm.
There's another 4 or 5 hours more till you finish for the day....

Yep, still working.
(Don't beat me masta.)

Just getting the box ready to attach to the neck now.

I got one step closer to the end today:

bu. Soundboard Clamping.jpg

I just unclamped it and gave it a few test taps roughly where the bridge will be located. Rings pretty well, like a little drum:

Guitar Soundboard Ring Test.wmv

Sounds good Steve,
So is next a tongue drum or a stomp box to go with it.

Originally Posted by _fly_

Sounds good Steve,
So is next a tongue drum or a stomp box to go with it.

Ha, I'd never heard of a toungue drum until right now - just looked it up.
No, I can just stomp on the guitar body.

After I finish, next up will have to be an amp, I guess. Got nothing but the stereo and PC sound card to plug into. Got the pickup and the preamp will be here any day now.

I don't even have a chromatic tuner, yet. Considering a Boss TU-88.

Still have a fair way to go on this though. Next up are the top and bottom string ferrules followed by a bridge. (Won't mount it until the finish coats are on.) Since I copied the Martin scale-length, I should be able to mount the bridge & saddle about the same - scale length, (25.34"), + 0.11", at 4 degrees. The tuner will help when I get it.

Got lots of finish coats to apply, too, starting with a few coats of sanding sealer. Merbau is pretty thirsty stuff.

I've got a few of these
SUPRO MINI AMP HIGH-GAIN SMOKEY GUITAR AMPLIFIER NEW! | eBay
and saw this as well while looking
Mighty Moe battery powered instrument amplifier built into a guitar strap | eBay

video link here as well Video: Smokey Amps Cigarette Box Amplifier into a 2×12 | Smokey Amps.
there are others on youtube as well.

The little supro amp works great for practice around the house as it has a speaker, no need to use the extra speakers if you don't want to.

Originally Posted by _fly_

I've got a few of these
SUPRO MINI AMP HIGH-GAIN SMOKEY GUITAR AMPLIFIER NEW! | eBay
and saw this as well while looking
Mighty Moe battery powered instrument amplifier built into a guitar strap | eBay

video link here as well Video: Smokey Amps Cigarette Box Amplifier into a 2×12 | Smokey Amps.
there are others on youtube as well.

The little supro amp works great for practice around the house as it has a speaker, no need to use the extra speakers if you don't want to.

Thanks Peter, the Supro mini amp sounds surprisingly good, especially through a separate speaker. I might well buy one. It even comes with a 3 metre cable. I kept the eBay link.
I don't think I'd worry about the guitar strap amp though.

The only stupid thing with the supro is they should have moulded 2 bars across the back so you can slide a strap thru it.
Then you could use it while moving about.
I just use a couple of rubber bands to do it. Should do something permanent in that regard.

Check the website Supro Amps
As they have one that gives a clear sound and another model has more distortion.

I used to play with a few guys at work during lunch and most used to drag in 10 watt amps. I got one of the supro's and it wasn't drowned out. So all the guys got one as well.

Pete

Originally Posted by _fly_

The only stupid thing with the supro is they should have moulded 2 bars across the back so you can slide a strap thru it.
Then you could use it while moving about.
I just use a couple of rubber bands to do it. Should do something permanent in that regard.

Check the website Supro Amps
As they have one that gives a clear sound and another model has more distortion.

I used to play with a few guys at work during lunch and most used to drag in 10 watt amps. I got one of the supro's and it wasn't drowned out. So all the guys got one as well.

Pete

I agree that they need a strap clip. Still, easy to glue one on. I was going to ask if you knew the power output, but you've pretty well answered that.
I will buy one, as soon as I get the latest power bill out of the way.

Originally Posted by Hermit

I just unclamped it and gave it a few test taps roughly where the bridge will be located. Rings pretty well, like a little drum:

Guitar Soundboard Ring Test.wmv

Sounds good.