This Cigar Box Guitar SUCKS!!

[@crackerjack3359]

Nice job Michael. I have found that increasing the height of the nut and reducing the height of the bridge achieves the same thing without taking the neck off.

[@brianmargetts821]

Hi ya Mike, how are you doing mate. Big G Brummie Bri here you’ve just answered my query of why I see angled saddles on some CBGs, still building still learning from watching you, and still trying so hard to make them sound like you do. My building is progressing quicker than my ability to sound that good, but I’ll keep bashing on with a bit of effort and a lot of hope, and help from videos like this. Cheers mate, all the best Big G.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Brian. I appreciate that. M~

[@jeffmartin3406]

Thanks, you helped me fix my hub cap guitar.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Your welcome, That's awesome. M~

[@BKRMON]

Love your DIY string tree. I have looked thru all the commercially available ones in that style. They are all too wide for a CBG. Guess I will follow your cue & make my own. Thanks!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks BK. Yeah, the nail trick works out great, and you can't beat the price lol

[@grmelectric6826]

Great video! Working on my first cbg now. Can’t wait to get it together

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Awesome. good luck with it. M~

[@piercedarrow57]

Perfect timing for this Video!!! I am in the Process of fixing Two of my old Guitars that ALSO Suck...Both have that Terrible String Height problem! Going to shim the Necks up, get the proper Neck Angle and they won't Suck anymore!!! Thanks for the Informative video Michael !!!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Piercedarrow. I think every builder has one or two of these lol M~

[@PuckettCigarBoxGuitar]

i love watching other people work 😊

[@donbruno5952]

Your videos are always well done and informative. Always enjoy them!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks you, Don. M~

[@richbutters2106]

Hi Mate, I watch all your videos and this one is the best. After watching your videos I have made a couple of CBGs but have not been successful in making one that sound good. I now know where I am going wrong. I am again in my workshop to correct my CBG. Cheers

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks. Good luck with the fix. M~

[@raytbrown2]

Nice playing. TBH - I didn't expect how nice it was going to sound. Very pleasing. TY! Nice to see the bridge intonation walk-thru too, as I didn't know how that was done. Subbed!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks brother. M~

[@jautrey727]

It's always good to give the old relics a second chance. Including old crows like us!!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

That is true. M~ 😀

[@Hillsman001]

I’m addicted to this channel. Man that sounds really good.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Hillsman. I appreciate that. M~ 😎

[@ellerrhodes]

Love watching how to make adjustments like this...Awesome job!!

[@davidgleatham9966]

Nice presentation. Having made several diverse stringed and other sound makers; each found needs for tweaking. As to the hold down, I have used multiple small screws; but being cautious about drilling a metal rod, i would choose two eye screws and pass the rod through them. They would sit about where you placed the holes, or to the outsides of the string. I prefer individual hold downs so each string is easy to change. I love using magnetic pickups, especially with a piezo pickup as well. CB Gitty has a 1/4" thick mag PU that works well for shallow locations. Add a volume pot for each works best as does tone control, but one can get away with none or fewer pots; or a blend pot. The mag(s) tend to do the main work and the piezo adds natural ambience (and hysteria) as needed... cardboard cigar boxes lack some tone and volume. Also, I prefer to leave space between the neck and soundboard (as you have(?)) to get reasonable chance of sound with no amp. I enjoy your sharing. Really glad to see the insides.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks David. M~

[@mrskint55]

I have pretty much the same problem with my first cigar box guitar so I’m going to fix it after watching this .thanks for sharing.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Mr. ML. I have a few more I need to fix myself lol

[@Tbonz19]

That is exactly what I need to do to my sucky CBG. Thanks for motivating me to make adjustments to mine. Now if you could do a trouble shooting of bad wiring job video, I'd love you even more! lol

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Tbonz. 😎🎸

[@kevinorr6880]

First time I’ve seen the tuning for intonation. Thank you

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

You're welcome, Kevin, Thanks for watching. M~

[@roymccarty6931]

Great makeover! Do you have a video on how to play that tune you're playing in this video?

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Roy. I'm not sure which video it is, but it will be in my Lessons Play List kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnrHda2bj7mIhq8

[@rohlfing63]

Huge improvement. I need to go back and rework my first build again. Already went back and reinforced the neck to eliminate bowing, but adding some back angle would also be helpful.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks, Yes it came out great, sounds and plays awesome. Yep, fix em up. M~

[@cygneturesounds]

I love your playing at the end, what a great tune!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks . M~ 😎

[@shipoffools2183]

Just enjoy listening to you play!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks. M~

[@brianking5092]

Michael, that sounds really good with just the piezo. Nice job.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thank you, Brian. I agree. M~

[@kilogram064]

Go easy on Buster. He was probably wanting to take the lead vocal on the next song. 😊😊😊

[@megabyatt]

Thankyou Michael , another brilliant presentation and great tips for my first build. Had trouble with intonation 😊

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Your welcome, I'm glad you liked it. M~

[@frankiemanning1743]

Sounds good. I've learned a lot about cigar box guitars. My wife got me one last year and I've had fun playing it. But I've got to redo the bridge,cause the intonation is off. It's sharp at the 12th fret. But the bridge is a hinge that is screwed in. I'll figure it out. Thank you for the videos

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Frankie. Good luck with the intonation. M~

[@frankiemanning1743]

@@SouthernFireGuitars I think I'll have to take the bridge off and mount it on the end of the cigar box and use a bolt to raise the strings off the body.

[@stephencockburn1801]

I am watching from Aussie thanks for your great video s

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Your welcome Stephen. Wow you're on the other side of the world. lol

[@ranman58635]

I've done 4 or 5. Went back on them cause my skill grew. Good work@that

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks. M~

[@haroldyeager6124]

I like that idea a of your string tree.

[@chesterblack1654]

Thanks for the video. What are your thoughts on the lekato mt-4100?

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Your welcome Chester. Its not bad for a cheap tuner, works pretty good. M~

[@drewadd1]

Great work love your videos

[@David-pj6pz]

Love your stuff old-timer

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks David. M~

[@derrick_builds]

Nice rebuild. Keep up the hard work.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Derrick. M~

[@danc.5607]

Sounds great. A question: rather than adding the 1/8” spacer, would a taller bridge have accomplished the same thing?

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

No, because lifting the back block up 1/8'' angels the whole neck down ward, so the head stock is now 1/8' lower than before. M~

[@kennethturk7629]

I was thinking about doing that to my first build a blind man's bluff cigar box .

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

It can't hurt. M~

[@joshuataft5541]

Always good vidios..thanx for making it..I always wanted a 4 string cigar box guitar but I guess that's technically na tennor I think. Idno. Thanx again

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thank you, Joshua. M~

[@thomasbarnardjr9657]

I really like these videos. How difficult is it to learn how to play one of these? I'm planning on trying my hand at building one of these, and learning how to play it.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Thomas. They are pretty easy to learn. I have a large play list of lesson videos. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnrHda2bj7mIhq8

[@thomasbarnardjr9657]

@@SouthernFireGuitars thanks, I'm definitely gonna give these a look.

[@Liesl_Cigarboxguitar]

You're answered many questions for me as always Michael 🙂 Thanks!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Your welcome Liesl, Thanks for watching. M~ 😀

[@ronellis3857]

Awesome Mike, thanks!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Your welcome Ron, thanks for checking it out. M~

[@user-wg3pd9kb3b]

Man, that sound sweet. Thanks for the rebuild tips .

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Tim. I was impressed with the sound as well. M~

[@DugMcClure]

Amazing demonstration! Well done!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Dug. M~

[@tomhall3175]

Hi. I talked to u a little while ago about my camacho 3 string. About the strings being too hi. I tune my guitar to G D G and i measured the length and put it at 25 in length fret board. The bridge is only a small diameter wooden dowel . So when i tune it and then i press the 12 fret it is not a, g d g its like a f# and the other two strings are off also. This is my first guitar am i am getting really confused lol. Shouldnt the 12 fret be g d g also when held down ? Is it because the strings are too high..... Thanks.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Hi Tom. It could be due to high strings or you may need to set the intonation by adjusting you bridge. M~

[@jamesmcdowell8441]

Great video . Thanks 👍

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks James. M~

[@leonmiller7711]

Nice Hammer Action on that pickin!

[@joehardin1737]

Cool little sound🤘 nice to see the old builds come around to the new ideas through the years. I bet that spiders ears are ringing 😂😂

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thank you, Joe. LOL M~

[@ADEker]

Burning !! Fast & Easy !

[@therealjba]

Just a quick question : do you remember what kind of paint (and painting method - brush, spray can…) you used for this one ? It looks very nice. Until then, I used my boxes as is, or just put a light wood stain, but I'd like to try painting them (and it not to look too amateurish) Thanks !

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

It was a red spray paint, and semi gloss polyurethane spray can. It can out nice. M~

[@therealjba]

@@SouthernFireGuitars It really did ! I especially like that one can still see the imprint, even with the paintjob.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

@@therealjba After I painted it, I sand some of the paint off a little to see the graphics on the box. gives it a nice look. M~

[@MsSnakeeyes13]

Thanks! The world is a little less sucky. Keep up the good work!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks John. M~

[@michaelkibble740]

Wow it sounds better than ever

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Michael. M~

[@MrBill-br7bx]

Hey Mike, every time I watch your videos I learn something. So I'm sending something back. Cutting frets. I use an app called google sheets and programmed it with the scale specifications and automatically it will give me the fret cut for any size fret scale just change the scale length in the input, very quick. Now I've gone redneck engineering. Using a radial arm saw and an old plywood blade I cut the frets. I ground the blade kerf down very tight with a 4 inch side grinder to an appropriate thickness to fit medium fret. The radial arm saw gives me depth adjustment easier than my miter saw. The plywood blade has no carbide teeth and about 100 steel ones which cut pretty fair. It does require multiple hits with the side grinder to get a good thickness for fret grab in the wood. Using a siding miter would require a jig for holding the fret board. I mark the fence on my saw a few inches back and add the same to the fret measurements to coincide wide the blade. Now I eyeball the marks not the blade and fretboard mark. Lastly I use a metric ruler. Millimeters are very easy compared to fractional increments. 1 inch equals 25.4 millimeters exactly. You have inspired.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Mr. Bill. That's some good ideas. M~

[@MrBill-br7bx]

11:00am 6/27/2023

[@MrBill-br7bx]

I'm messing with the idea of putting a metric measure rule on the fence on my radial arm saw so I can put one mark on my fret board and move it down the rule for each appropriate measure of fret. My thoughts are eliminating one transfer of measurements to keep with the accuracy needed on the fret board. Example move the mark on the board, make the cut, move the mark on board make the cut and so on. Saves on pencil lead. The spreadsheet makes any size fret board possible.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

@@MrBill-br7bx Sounds like a plan. Good luck with it. M~

[@sixoffive]

michael as always you make it look easy

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Six. M~

[@titoshinshi3742]

Michael you got skills . Excellent video thank you.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks my friend. M~

[@kingtkuehn]

Mine sucks too! l🤪 😎 Many blessings.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks king, Tweak it out. M~😎

[@dvjvbv]

No suck there! Nice playing!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks, M~ 😎🎸

[@josepakun]

gracias por enseñar

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Jose. M~

[@weldingandfab6484]

My guy has skill! That guitar sounds so good!!

[@davidbennett6786]

nice groove !!!!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks David. M~

[@Grumpy_CBG]

I personally use the 19th fret harmonic and 19th fret note to set intonation. Both are exact same pitch note. Love ya work Michael 👍👍🇦🇺

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Brad. Some of mine don't have 19 frets lol

[@kurtniederstadt97]

1:16 excellent video and fine craftsmanship Michael, beautiful chord progression at the end, that bad boy has gorgeous tone now!!!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

@@kurtniederstadt97 Thanks Kurt. Yeah, it plays and sounds a lot better now. M~

[@michaelgeary9370]

this problem is much more quickly solved by removing all the frets, raising the action as high as you fucking want, and learning slide baby!

[@willg4944]

Liked this video so much I watched it twice.😊

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Glad you liked it!! Thanks Will. M~

[@rb95403]

Best I've ever seen!

[@joeelk479]

I have a number of Lap Steels. I Have never cigar box guitar to quote Michael HUMMMMMMM

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

You can play these on your lap as well lol

[@DrRodCullen]

Great video again Michael. Love hearing you play too - you do have the knack of making it look effortless 👏👏👏

[@twatmunro]

I can't believe how good that thing sounds.

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thank you, Rod. M~

[@Timboslice321]

This video didn’t suck!!!!

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Timbo. M~ 😎

[@arieswaters]

See I told you there really is a God

[@frankgrider3836]

👍👍

[@brianedwards3109]

Dude I'd love to meet ya and ask a galIzion questions....

[@misterx8592]

Tell us how you really feel….don’t hold back!

[@misterx8592]

Lol

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

That guitar SUCKED lol

[@velhomajor]

Wow 🇧🇷🐺

[@mikewofford2198]

That video didn't suck

[@SouthernFireGuitars]

Thanks Mike. M~