Simple Cigar Box Guitar Upgrade

Using some fender washers and a nail, you can upgrade your Uncle Crow or stick-on-box cigar box guitar, giving it more volume, sustain and resonance. Give it a shot!

[@mulekickhandmadeguitars8465]

Quite awhile back, I built a dulcimer and did exactly the same thing with the neck, after seeing a video by a guy showing how he does his necks. As you said, unmuting the top is what changes the whole thing. Funny thing is, I made my dulcimer out of nothing more than Home Depot materials, and the sound totally blew me away. It was the neck and bridge construction, as you're demonstrating here, that gives it such an amazing resonance. Guess we don't really need to by exotic woods to build an instrument. Good video, guys.

I love these videos about experimenting guitar tones from construction variations/upgrades right from the raw guitar body. This brings so much empirical knowledge for the whole community. Thanks for this awesome tip! Just subscribed your channel!

[@jonneet2126]

I like the sound of both!

[@stevesstrings5243]

Wow! That’s a big change in sound. Thanks for the tip!

[@benbaker6069]

Great job, guys. I had experimented with the spacer trick a while back in the shop, and had been meaning to work more with it. I also once tried scalloping the neck where it goes over the box (leaving an unscalloped portion at each end for the attachment screw to come through. Leaving that soundboard as free as possible definitely makes a difference! I love the short Gitty Gang theme song snippet thrown in at the end too!

[@Dave_Dodds]

Great tip! I'm waiting on a pure and simple kit for my first home build CBG. Did you do anything to the bridge to account for the slight height difference with the washer trick? Or am I overthinking?

[@sergioreynoso3058]

a 1/8 cut out under the arm supporting it to the box on the edges will do it too leaving the top free

[@thomasmorgan2346]

Are your frets painted on or are they the wire frets very much enjoyed your video Sir

[@ecalzo]

Brilliant Sir .. thank you

[@BKRMON]

Might try leaving out the center washer in front of the bridge.

[@normbarrows]

Most of the difference is from the different boxes used. Try again with identical boxes. Better yet - neck thru box, attached only to sides, not touching top or bottom, with bridge floating on the top. The neck must move the air in the box, yet the box must vibrate freely to project the sound. The neck moves more air when its inside the box, instead of on top of it. By not touching the top or back, they are free to vibrate and "pump" the sound out the sound holes. Sound holes don't need to be big. The bigger / more holes in the box, the worse it works as a speaker/sound box. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpC8fKuLqseMlck

[@gtechblues]

Good idea but I prefer when the neck is fixed inside the box. Better resonance for me…

[@AndiGitarre1]

Very nice

[@CigarboxSchulzi]

Great, guys! Here‘s another tipp: close the box with screws and the sound will be better! At least, this is my experience.

[@centermid7mb]

I am curious as to how that nail was attached to the bridge?

[@fredkoontz5091]

What if you was to put a sound post under the bridge like a fiddle?

[@jwwebster9292]

How long is the neck over all

[@adambilge2834]

Why did you use Fender washers instead of Gibson washers. Gibson rules!!!!!!!!

[@dgperforms1]

Why on top of the box???? These must be kits

[@jonneet2126]

Are these fretless?

[@jedidiahvanfossen9725]

Put the neck in the dang box haha

[@CigarboxSchulzi]

Great, guys! Here‘s another tipp: close the box with screws and the sound will be better! At least, this is my experience.