Cigar box guitars | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

Please consider registering
Guest
sp_LogInOut Log Insp_Registration Register
Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
sp_Feed sp_TopicIcon
Cigar box guitars
6 February 2014
11.44am
Avatar
Joe
Pepperland
Admin
Forum Posts: 5723
Member Since:
31 March 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Has anyone played/owned one of these? I’ve become intrigued since seeing the Sound City documentary last week, in which McCartney plays one.

Apparently McCartney’s was given to him by Johnny Depp. It was made by Matty Baratto, who runs a store in Hollywood (his CBGs are very expensive, though – I read he charged $3,000 for the McCartney CBG – a Reso-Fiddle tenor, if anyone’s interested – and amp).

IMG_2343.JPGImage Enlarger

They look really fun to play, and there’s a pretty big community of people building and playing their own. Might have to get one (my crafting skills are pretty weak so I don’t think I’ll make one).

Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs

Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!

15 February 2014
6.52pm
Avatar
12StringKing
The Kaiserkeller
Members
Forum Posts: 49
Member Since:
14 February 2014
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

We made some of these in a class that I took. I mean, we made other things, but the simplest of guitars were the cigar box types. Obviously they weren’t near professional, and I personally had mine set to banjo tuning, to add a tenor guitar sound to it.

 

They’re nice for if you’ve got small hands and don’t mind something sounding rather rustic. Personally I’d rather play a mandolin or ukulele in terms of small instruments, but a nice DIY cigar box is cool for a bit of sound depth.

15 February 2014
9.20pm
Avatar
WETSRoosa
Mountains of East Tennessee
Candlestick Park
Members
Forum Posts: 1097
Member Since:
6 August 2013
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

At local festivals in our area, there’s a guy who sells banjos made out of soda cans.

"There's no such thing as bad student... only bad teacher."

7 March 2014
2.32am
Avatar
Musketeer Gripweed
Coldspring Harbor, NY
Royal Command Performance
Members
Forum Posts: 249
Member Since:
17 January 2014
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Joe said
Has anyone played/owned one of these? I’ve become intrigued since seeing the Sound City documentary last week, in which McCartney plays one.

Apparently McCartney’s was given to him by Johnny Depp. It was made by Matty Baratto, who runs a store in Hollywood (his CBGs are very expensive, though – I read he charged $3,000 for the McCartney CBG – a Reso-Fiddle tenor, if anyone’s interested – and amp).

IMG_2343.JPGImage Enlarger

They look really fun to play, and there’s a pretty big community of people building and playing their own. Might have to get one (my crafting skills are pretty weak so I don’t think I’ll make one).

Joe, I bought a kit for making one, there awesome if your a guitarist or into instruments. So you can purchase kits online if you want to do it that way. And yeah thats cool Paul played with it on Cut Me Some Slack given to him by Johnny. Also saw an old PBS blues special from ’89 and I think Bo Diddley is play a 6 string version. Was an awesome special. I also want to purchase a Dulcimer, love Brian Jones Dulcimer playing on Lady Jane, Stones didn’t perform that song for 45 years, after Brian was out.  Theres footage of him performing live with it if your into exotic instruments of topic but cool string instrument. 

10 March 2014
2.46pm
Avatar
Joe
Pepperland
Admin
Forum Posts: 5723
Member Since:
31 March 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Hey, let me know how you get on with the kit. I considered buying one but I’d probably mess up even the basics. Still toying with buying a pre-made one, probably a Shane Speal creation.

Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs

Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!

7 April 2014
10.34am
Avatar
Joe
Pepperland
Admin
Forum Posts: 5723
Member Since:
31 March 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I mentioned on another thread that I’d commissioned someone to build me a cigar box guitar. It’s done, and he made me a video to go with it!

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/…..so-for-joe

It has a short-scale neck, similar to the one McCartney played. It also has a resonator cone so it’s louder than normal CBGs, which will allow me to annoy the neighbours when I play in the garden on hot summer evenings. Looks like a whole heap of fun.

The guy who made it is Shane Wagstaff, and this is his site. It came in at £200 plus £12 for UK postage (unamplified, non-reso CBGs are a lot cheaper, even more so if you build your own). Can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs

Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!

7 April 2014
11.46am
Avatar
WETSRoosa
Mountains of East Tennessee
Candlestick Park
Members
Forum Posts: 1097
Member Since:
6 August 2013
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Joe said
I mentioned on another thread that I’d commissioned someone to build me a cigar box guitar. It’s done, and he made me a video to go with it!

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/…..so-for-joe

It has a short-scale neck, similar to the one McCartney played. It also has a resonator cone so it’s louder than normal CBGs, which will allow me to annoy the neighbours when I play in the garden on hot summer evenings. Looks like a whole heap of fun.

The guy who made it is Shane Wagstaff, and this is his site. It came in at £200 plus £12 for UK postage (unamplified, non-reso CBGs are a lot cheaper, even more so if you build your own). Can’t wait to get my hands on it.

 

Jesus, that thing is sweet. I know nothing about guitars and even I know that’s awesome. Makes me want to learn how to play guitar. Have fun with that guitar!

"There's no such thing as bad student... only bad teacher."

7 April 2014
12.11pm
Avatar
Joe
Pepperland
Admin
Forum Posts: 5723
Member Since:
31 March 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I will!

CBGs are normally 1-4 strings – I think three-stringers are more common, but there aren’t really any rules. I wanted four so I can tune it to play like a tenor ukulele if I want.

There are loads of different tunings that people use though. I’ve heard it said that the best thing to do is just experiment and see what works. This guy tunes his to DaDa and it sounds good for slide blues:

Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs

Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!

8 April 2014
1.51am
Avatar
IveJustSeenAFaceo
Arrived Somewhere (But Not Here)
Rishikesh
Members

Reviewers
Forum Posts: 2842
Member Since:
1 November 2013
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I’d want a four so I could tune it like my bass (though higher)

(This signature brought to you by Net Boy and Net Girl. Putting messages in modems since 1996.)

8 April 2014
9.07am
Avatar
Joe
Pepperland
Admin
Forum Posts: 5723
Member Since:
31 March 2008
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I think my one is tuned like a bass (EADG) – he mentions it towards the end of the video.

The following people thank Joe for this post:

IveJustSeenAFaceo

Can buy me love! Please consider supporting the Beatles Bible on Amazon
Or buy my paperback/ebook! Riding So High – The Beatles and Drugs

Don't miss The Bowie Bible – now live!

8 April 2014
12.07pm
Avatar
Ahhh Girl
sailing on a winedark open sea
Moderator

Moderators

Members

Reviewers
Forum Posts: 22821
Member Since:
20 August 2013
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Joe, will we see a video from you pop up in the the “Your Beatles Covers” thread with your cigar box guitar?

The following people thank Ahhh Girl for this post:

Mr. Kite
Forum Timezone: Europe/London
Most Users Ever Online: 2057
Currently Online: Skelter
Guest(s) 225
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Top Posters:
Starr Shine?: 16105
Ron Nasty: 12534
Zig: 9827
50yearslate: 8759
Necko: 8051
AppleScruffJunior: 7585
parlance: 7111
mr. Sun king coming together: 6394
Mr. Kite: 6147
trcanberra: 6064
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 88
Members: 2931
Moderators: 5
Admins: 1
Forum Stats:
Groups: 3
Forums: 44
Topics: 5567
Posts: 384978
Newest Members:
murgleis, elena, Soph, DJD1234, Steve M
Moderators: Joe: 5723, meanmistermustard: 25211, Ahhh Girl: 22821, Beatlebug: 18241, The Hole Got Fixed: 8410
Administrators: Joe: 5723
Scroll to Top