Building a Cigar-Box Guitar

As a woodworker, making your own tools is a real treat because you can make them to your exacting specifications. The same holds true for a musician – I’ve been playing stringed instruments for over 30 years and there is nothing more gratifying than making your own instruments. This cigar-box guitar (CBG for short) is one of my favourites to build. I can usually make one in a day and there is no end to the options you have for customisation.

This particular model is acoustic and fretless which is well suited for slide playing. I have also made versions that have a pick-up installed in them to amplify the sound, as well as versions with frets for chording. CBG’s are also characteristically made with odd objects and commonly found parts that you likely have laying around your shed. Using items like bolts and threaded rod for parts like the nut and bridge may seem odd but a quick internet search will turn up all kinds of weird and wacky CBG’s so have some fun with it.

Start by gathering your parts. As the name suggests, a cigar box