Cigar Box Guitars

[boost]

I know it's a bit off the beaten path from high dollar high gain tones but I just got a cigar box guitar last night. I can't remember when I was this excited last about a piece of gear. These things are cool as hell, fun to play and kind of addicting. I still have the Tru-Oil smell on my hands from this thing!

There's a cool story behind mine but I'll post that with pics, local guy did it. I have to get pics and some video of it posted up soon. You can check out his work at huntzmeyer.com. I don't think a pic of mine is on his site yet as it was just finished the other day. He does a lot of them for guys in the military overseas. Cool guy. I just gave him a bunch of parts I had laying around to help him out with future builds for the boys overseas.

Anyway, it's something different if anyone's interested.

 

[Marshall Law]

here is my Daddy Mojo Cigar Box Guitar with pick up and my can of cigars pre amp, they are cool as hell and give you that blues slide sound you have always heard totally COOL, click pics for bigger view

 

[Joeytpg]

man that's AWESOME!

where did you buy it? ?

 

[Marshall Law]

man that's AWESOME!

where did you buy it? ?

that video you posted is a real neck and bridge and pick up that ain't a real cigar box guitar IMO , here is a video of a 3 string homemade cigar box guitar, mine is a 5 string, this is how your suppose to play them
this isn't me

 

[boost]

http://huntzmeyer.com/cbg_110945.html

The link above is to my guitar. The guy who builds them is a mechanical engineer and goes about things a bit differently (his everyday vehicle is a 50's Chevy truck that is unconventionally modded and drives no matter what the weather). My guitar is significantly louder than other CBG's from other builders that I have seen. He uses alot of brass, machine screws with inserts for the neck attachment, nice break angle over the bridge, thins out the top and adds sound bars for better tone, etc. Really takes a different approach then slapping a neck on a box and calling it a day. Nothing wrong with that and true to tradition, but these have some added technology while staying true to the CBG heritage of what one is. A Fender neck and bridge on a box does not make a CBG IMO.

The Daddy Mojo guitar ads were the only thing I ever knew about CBG's. I always liked the ones they put in their ads. Huntz Meyer lives in my hometown and works at a place I do business with. I got lucky and handed him a box to do. I had no idea what it would turn out like, but to say I'm pleased would be an understatement.

 

[Lution]

what do cigar box guitars usually sell for?

 

[AndyK]

Very unusual! What is it, 5 of the most popular strings? Reminds me to change the batteries in my Cigarette amp!

 

[boost]

what do cigar box guitars usually sell for?

It all varies on the material and work that went into one. You should be able to get a decent one for around $125. I think an 'upscale' one might run you double that. Some people have put them up for up to $1,000 but I seriously doubt anyone would pay anything near that for one. If they did I'd like to meet them. I have a $5,000 Squire for sale.

You have to realize that these things are scratchbuilt and price could all depend on the person building them. I'm sure there are douches building these things too just like anything else!

 

[boost]

Very unusual! What is it, 5 of the most popular strings? Reminds me to change the batteries in my Cigarette amp!

Strings vary. Seems like 3 & 4 are common but there are 5 & 6 string ones (like the one posted above). Usually they are in an open tuning of some sort but I guess you can do anything. Maybe a Keef thing with the 5 strings? Not a lot of rules when it comes to these things as you can see.

My 3 string is tuned G-D-G. You can play it fingered or with a slide on 1,2, or 3 strings. Real easy to figure out even if your not used to the open tuning thing. I'm not and I took to it right away. Alot of fun.

My next one will probably be a 4 string resonator in a D tuning so it gets all swampy sounding.

 

[Hua and a tele]

Actually cigar box is all I play now. Got my first show coming up in october me on cigar box,drummer, and a vocalist. Here are pics of my main one. The pickup 4 string humbucker was custom wound by Ted Crocker and the guitar itself was built by MJ Sullivan guitars out of Boston. As far as someone who's interested check out the cigar box nation site you can find plenty of great builders or plans to build you own