Building a Cigar Box Guitar - part 12 - the Demo

Video 12 in the Cigar Box Guitar build series with Ben at Crimson Guitars in the UK. www.crimsonguit...
This really is the last video in the Cigar Box Guitar build series. Here Ben demonstrates the finished guitar after his kids got hold of it over Christmas. Ben plans to make many more of these instruments, his daughter wants the next one, and he will be filming most of the builds.
Thank you for all your support and kind comments during this series.
Please Note: Crimson Guitars no longer supplies kits for cigar box builds

[@GregsGarage]

I have yet to see anyone build a CBG and NOT be grinning from ear to ear when complete. Great build Ben... Thanks for bringing us along.

[@mrtelechi]

Having built these, (not to mention my thumbitar) I have never seen anyone put so much detail into one, wonderful to watch, thank you.

[@brianstoneley227]

I enjoyed watching you build your CBG very much. I envy your tools and your skill set. Very useful for anyone wanting to make a CBG. The best bit is at the end when you show the pleasure of creating such a nice piece of kit. Please keep that child like enthusiasm and joy. It’s infectious, in the best way. Thanks and best wishes Brian.

[@mickeyburns3494]

Great series. I did a CBG building course last year and had promised to pick up the wife afterwards. Naturally, I was having so much fun I was late. Must be a feature of cigar box builds...

[@patrickjaroch5084]

Ben i cant help but state again How much fun this build was to watch. I would love to see more Build videos Like this. Maybe do another one to auction off at the end . you could certainly generate a lot of views . and while this seems like a novelty instrument it is sure to sell especially to parents of young children who want to have a teaching tool and an instrument light enough for a child to handle . Cheers from Ohio

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you for all your support and kind comments during this series. Please click like, and if you haven't already, please subscribe. Let us know what you think of this series in the comments below. We are always looking for suggestions for future videos. Thank you for your support.

[@N.Willems]

+Crimson Custom Guitars hoping to see more cigar box guitar builds/vids!

[@doekebekius1271]

+Crimson Custom Guitars Make one with a pick-up in it!

[@codyj1102]

I really like these video's, maybe a special thing to bake cakes in as a body, in Dutch is it is called an "springvorm" but I don't know the translation, sorry

[@N.Willems]

Cody Janssen its called a baking tin

[@marcelovidorete7510]

+Crimson Custom Guitars I love CBG's, but don't build one. If you have some minutes post the link of this video in the Ciga Box Nation fórums, this lot of mads (like me) will love to see this.

[@catherinewood6850]

CBG’S are so much fun to build and play! Now grab yourself a slide, and start doing some Delta Blues!!

[@IhabIAmer]

Ben's passion is a life's source of inspiration...a unique personality he is ... Keep it up young man

[@Chris-kh2fm]

I am so glad I fell upon your site. I've been thinking about building an electric Guitar for sometime now, but thought It was a bit ambitious. Then I watched this Cigar Box Guitar build and I've just got to build one. Your enthusiasm is very infectious, thank you so much for showing this. I will check your website for the kit. Will you do another please.

[@JasonHurlburt]

It's awesome how happy you were to make it

[@ChrisJakins]

I first discovered this channel a few weeks back when I was searching for a fret levelling video. Ben's succinct style of presentation stood out for me and I subscribed. Now I find myself half way through my own cigar box build. This is my first ever attempt at building an instrument of any kind and I'm having great fun. I've watched a great many of your videos and now I also find myself collecting woodworking tools at an alarming rate and daydreaming about hand planes...! Thank you Crimson Guitars for your informative, inspiring and entertaining videos. I shall no doubt be purchasing more tools and bits and bobs from you as my hobby progresses.

[@riskmandel1]

can't wait for more builds!

[@roguejellybean2651]

Loving those middle eastern vibes in there! Amazing series, thank you so much!

[@jaytee8188]

Great video series Ben, because of the limited time frame it hugely reduced your many & lengthy digressions! I would however dispute your claim that you're not a musician, in my mind anyone who can just pick up and produce music especially from something as unconventional as a CBG should consider themselves a musician, well done Ben.

[@waynedentith8557]

Loved watching each episode! To the point of frustration on episode 11 when KZbin struggled to load it! Well done Ben.

[@stratsw]

Ben that series was absolutely delightful, I was eagerly waiting each day to watch the progress of that fantastic build. Thank you, and for all the enlightening videos that you do. I'm living in East Riding of Yorkshire now but used to live in Lulworth, so think I may move back and come on some of your courses !! Simply great work that you and your gang do.

[@rjthompson9906]

first, great series. I have been building these for about 6 months or so, so any info and information I can get on how others do this I really appreciate. I never played anything till I made one and I got the bug, made one for all my sister's. it was awesome seeing a guitar builder go down this rabbit hole . also a thought as far as the nut goes, instead of the screws you used, ridged fencing staples worked well for me. thank you for your insight ben, absolutely enjoyed it.

[@stevewithaphen]

Watching your build makes me want to play guitar. Still have my violin from 1975. I love music. Guess I need to look for a guitar box. I wonder if an old ammo can would work? It's one of those skinny ones.

[@walterrider9600]

thank you Ben it looked like it was a fun build.

[@burbage54]

Excellent series, thoroughly enjoyed them all. I could see you with your own TV show, I think a fly on the wall show in a luthier's workshop would be very absorbing. And if you lavish that much attention to detail on a CBG I wish I could afford a proper Crimson guitar!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you, I'm looking forward to giving the TV show idea a really good go.. It's exactly the sort of television I would want to watch myself so hopefully will work out. As to guitars, keep an eye on our site and channel, I'm prototyping two new ranges of production guitars right now at the circa £800 and £1400 range respectively. I'm very very excited and will have some to show off very soon :)

[@burbage54]

Haha, one day maybe :) I'm struggling to find a decent cigar box i can afford to have an attempt at making a diddly bow or three string! Keep up the good work.

[@arnieslab]

Check out cbgitty.com they have boxes

[@christopherrosier1724]

Just ordered my kit! Can't wait to get started!

[@tommyfennell8670]

How's the kit going?

[@davidrahn9903]

I really enjoyed watching this series. It's really helped me with my stick dulcimer build, as well as all your other videos. Thanks a bunch.

[@gingataff]

Lovely rootsy tone, the mid honk gives it quite an exotic sound.

[@michaelkvietkus]

Thank you for sharing the fun you've had building the box. My young son & I decided to build one from bits & pieces for a wood shop class project in middle school. We had no idea what we were doing. So in our internet research we stumbled upon your site a few years ago. Even though you focused on high end bespoke custom builds, we learned what we needed to do allowing us to complete our project. We also took the thru box approach for added strength. I did add an acoustical 3 part pickup for amplified assistance. Am wondering about sound hole sizing, and if there is a rule of thumb about determining location & box to hole size considerations. Made mine smaller, & that seems to make the sound more treble vs deeper bass. Thanks for the tutorials then & now. Three cheers for sharing you passion for creativity!

[@kodijackson5466]

I absolutely loved this entire series. you're amazing at what you do and I love to see how sincere and passionate you are in this series. It inspired me greatly to begin a project of my own. much appreciation.

[@radbot1]

I honestly love the sound of this guitar.

[@GWPerry]

I like your CBG and your playing.

[@arnieslab]

Cigar box nation has some cool ideas and lots of people willing to help new people. They have a website and Facebook page.

[@frederickthorne2496]

it sounds great, Ben!

[@bluesfool1]

Going to build my first one from a kit pretty soon

[@stevewithaphen]

I appreciated watching your craftsmanship!

[@raoulduke8382]

I like it a lot, and it looks very fun. My only qualms are the headstock shape, and to me, the neck appears to be wider at the nut, than at the last fret...? If possible, can you do a tutorial on how you drill holes for string through ferrules, and keep them straight and in line? I just drilled them on a tele body, and had one of the six go slightly wonky on me, and it is beyond frustrating. Thanks.

[@rayk141]

Nice video to close out the series build. Some builders are using hardtails for bridges. Maybe you can do a build with one and show how to go about setting those up for better intonation. I have subscribed. I'll be watching. ThX again !!!!

[@Noseypoke-mr7th]

Great vid Ben...Now build an ElectricCBG Humbuckers + piazo......YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!! heh heh

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Damn right I do! B

[@LegoLover008]

awesome series and now you've really tempted me to give it a go xD

[@MrStarguy]

That's really impressive

[@grewejames1]

Tons o fun watching the creative process. very inspiring!

[@esa062]

I have a just the same Trotec hygrometer too :-) It's one of the few that can deal with how dry it can get here when it's -25 C like today. I doubt there are many CBG's with a nicer fretboard than that.

[@flower-ld5id]

I've seen an Egyptian lute with wires tired round the neck for frets. presumably they can be moved to make microtonal music! I think I should make one. would you ever make anything like that Ben?

[@stg5ive]

It sounds great!

[@MrStevanmax]

That was awesome! Now I think I have 'the bug'. Thanks.

[@ModNicGuitars]

Yay more!

[@billkaroly]

Ben you should have made this electric piezo and standard pick up.

[@Han________]

can someone point me to the video from crimson guitars where the whole team made a cigar box guitar under the clock? I really enjoyed it an years later want to watch it again as I'm about to build my first. But i've scrolled the whole channel and can't find. Thanks in advance!

[@josiesequins4962]

That sounds amazing! Well done.

[@VernWellington]

Do ever think about making a cigar box bass? Or perhaps just your standard 6 string guitar cigar box style??

[@MusicMike939]

Very good series. I have enjoyed watching. I have a question though. You put up these 12 cigar box videos pretty fast. But the first video of yours I watched was the clarity guitar and you still haven't finished uploading those videos several years old now. When are you gonna do more? Also since you have been enjoying 3 string how about 5 string guitars? Someone needs to make them.

[@timberdish]

Class. I've really enjoyed watching this series and it has been great to see how taken you are with the instrument at the end. Hmmm. Being a bass player, primarily, thoughts of cigar box basses have started formulating. :-D

[@christobacon1]

damn.... now I want to build one and I also realized that I have about 5 feet of raw walnut (8/4 thick) (actually it's half heartwood and half sapwood but still, kilned dried and steamed... would it be suitable for a neck even if it's not completely heartwood?) which means I would only need a fretboard, a cigarbox, strigs and a thrust rod... that would be nice if you were to stop feeding my impulsivity...

[@Jakanddaxter1999]

Ben can you do a video about zero fret nuts and how to make them please?

[@CountryHouseGent]

So Ben, you were over time on the build and as a result, home late for supper etc. Did you have to sew them back on in the morning? ;)

[@budoray]

Too cool.

[@BustaChimes]

You should try and make a resonator version next time

[@91donwilson]

When you gonna start making pickups??? Crimson Guitars 3-4 string pickups would be awesome!

[@alext9067]

Hey....question. Why didn't you radius the frets before installing?

[@paulmathias1908]

Awesome, thank you!!

[@TonyBrown-lf5nj]

I agree with Puckett 6 strings are 3 strings to much ,nice build

[@EwainW]

That thing sounds gorgeous, would love to hear it with piezo pickup. Ben, what you're playing sounds a lot like a band called The Tea Party, any influence?

[@alext9067]

I think the F hole looks very good.

[@JustHereForBeingHere]

I'd love to hear that guitar played into a high quality mic. It sounds like it would kill in a studio.

[@grateful4068]

Watched this, and was sad to learn you no longer offer CGB kits when I went to your site.

[@menofsticks]

But, does it djent?

[@flower-ld5id]

yes mate!

[@connorleon5349]

8 string fanned fret cbg hmmmm...

[@nathansmith960]

Can you build one with an EMG 81?

[@Kosh42EFG]

Gutted the kits seem to no longer be available :(

[@roguechild5324]

Ben, suggestion a Cigar box bass guitar?

[@MyVintageVictory]

Awesome! How about a 6 string? Cheers, G

[@grenadillo1]

What's happened to the tool reviews? Recently on this guitar site the only videos you have been posting are, um, guitar making ones, really wasn't expecting that😀

[@basvredeling]

Did you change the nut with the screws?

[@kemptonklutz]

I absolutely love it too Ben. It sounds a little bit Jimmy Page to me. Can I have cig box half price?

[@Gmoneythenord]

Is it just me or was Ben playing metal riffs on this little beauty.

[@codyj1102]

maybe you can make an cigar box guitar with a piëzo and p90 pick-up

[@stg5ive]

You should put a P-90 in it

[@MarkLindsayCNC]

+stg5ive -- Real Life SHTF P-90s sound fan-flippin-tastic in CBGs. Lots of folks using them in their builds.

[@adamoneale4396]

can you do a vid of slide playing

[@TheSK00T3R]

Make one with pickups!

[@BigEdWo]

now that you mentioned the zero fret. why didn't you level it the same height as the other frets? i didn't get that. same height, that's what a zero fret should be like, right?

[@SylviaAdamsMusic]

+BigEdWo Has to be higher or it will rest on the first fret and cause problems. It's to give the same sound on a open string as it would with a fretted note.

[@BigEdWo]

+Nathan Roundhouse nathan, a nut should not raise the strings obove the rest. should it? you get me confused now. look. if you press down a string in front of a fret it does not cause issues and the string does not lay flat on top of any other fret. same is true for a zero fret or the nut slots. it should be exactely the same height as the other frets. sounds logical?

[@BigEdWo]

+Brandon Adams brandon. the nut material has no effect on the sound of the string. let's say you have a bone nut. play the string open and play the first fret. does it really sound different? not to my ears at least.

[@BigEdWo]

***** maybe my english is not good enough to make myself clear. i'll try it one more time. look. press down a string on the first fret. if your bridge is set correctly the string will not touch the wire of the second fret. that's correct? now. both frets have the same height. right? if you add another fret, the zero fret, would you expect a different behaviour? no. so the zero fret has to be level with the other frets as well. actually it doesn't matter if it is a zero fret or an actual nut. the slots are cut to the same height the frets are. i was wondering why ben put a higher fret in the zero position.

[@BigEdWo]

oh - now it makes sense to me too. having just a key as a bridge might be the reason. thanks for the clue. have a nice day nathan. bye.

[@Billo1281]

Fucking awesome!

[@Kianquenseda]

How do I get the kit ? 👍

[@nightingaleguitars]

But does it Djent though?

[@saltyshaun68]

hey ben. love watching your shows man. where is your accent from dude?

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I'm a mixture of Zimbabwe, South Africa and about 15 years in the UK.. To top it off I'm Canadian by birth! Colonial mongrel much?

[@saltyshaun68]

Lol. I was born in Harare and grew up in Richards bay south Africa, live in sunny Scotland now. Love your guitars dude. Really want to own one one day.

[@kemptonklutz]

You could them oil can jobbies.

[@SionynJones]

now i want to make a cigarbox guitar but don't fancy the cancers

[@StudioExit13]

I'm infected. now I wonder what a chisel box would sound like... hm :)

[@adalfernandez4205]

u need to make a fretless and make a slide

[@jimmyross6812]

Build a electric and use a slide

[@saintgarluth]

**im not a Mucisian** 2 seconds later : Jams on Cigar Box...

[@Barrygee]

A cigar box guitar and not a Bottle neck slide in sight....a shame

[@oogieguitars85]

Why you guys alway do a cigar box the cheapest way as possible ??? Take your time ......

[@patrickjaroch5084]

Ben i cant help but state again How much fun this build was to watch. I would love to see more Build videos Like this. Maybe do another one to auction off at the end . you could certainly generate a lot of views . and while this seems like a novelty instrument it is sure to sell especially to parents of young children who want to have a teaching tool and an instrument light enough for a child to handle . Cheers from Ohio