I am a science teacher and my physical science class is building cigar box guitars as a STEM project. It is the first time any of us have built one, but your videos are a wealth of information and inspiration. My prototype sounds guitar-like. BTW, we are building fretless slide guitars. Hope to write a simple blues song for the end of the year (June 25). Thanks! 😎
Here's an old woodworker's trick for gluing up two flat surfaces. Sprinkle a little bit of Kosher Salt in to the glue before you join the two pieces of wood. The salt acts as a "lock" to keep the two pieces from sliding around while you clamp them. I see several instances where this would have helped you in your video. Cheers!
That's terrible advice and always has been. You create a weaker joint by doing that. Partially because you create tiny voids all over the joint from the salt that dissolves into the glue and partly because that dissolved salt is changing the chemical makeup of the glue. It's also completely unneeded if you bother to learn proper gluing techniques.
Thanks for the tips. I just bought a kit from Stewmac. It came with a P90 pickup and I liked your idea to put the piezo pickup on the neck. Now to figure out how to wire them up is the question. Do you have a wiring diagram for something like that?
My head still can't get around the imperial system... But I'll take this video to my heart cuz I want to do one for these at least once in my life so thank you mate, cheers
got a menards yard stick for the fret board but it turned out to be 1.44 inches wide. would have had to narrow the neck to accommodate my exact 1.5 inch neck blank
Shi-eeeet, I do believe I found myself a new hobby! I'm definitely gonna try to build one for myself. Just gotta nerd over these videos a lot more so I don't f*ck up too much, and figure out what essential tools and materials I need to buy. THANK YOU for posting these gems!
The springs are only going to matter when you play the thing acoustically. They will not interact with the piezo in any way. If you use a cheap full size magnetic pickup that stretches over the vibrating springs they may interact with that like the springs on a strat interact with the springs in the underside cavity. The strings have to be stretched but still loose enough to vibrate pretty wildly with the minimal pressure they're going to get from the cigar box though.
As a Saw Filer by trade I must let you know that files are designed to cut forward and NOT backward. Your idea to grind off the teeth on the edge is good! They do make a file and the one edge is smooth and rounded but your idea is cheaper and will work great! Just push the file and it will work much better. I put my necks in a vice for this job.
Mr. Puckett: I enjoyed your tips on cigar box guitar building. I am a novice woodworker; lathe work mostly (bowls and flutes). I've been wanting to build a cigar box style guitar for some time. I noticed you placed the piezo on the neck stock. Other builders' videos I've seen have placed them on the underside of the box lid. Which position produces the best sound and why? I'd like to make my first guitar for my grandson. I'd like to assemble everything on my own. What woods would you recommend for the box, and the neck?
Mr Hodge, while I certainly no Mr Puckett, I can tell you there are plus and minuses to each way of positioning the piezo. Only in my opinion, I feel on the underside of the box makes it a hotter pickup and gives some great sounds. But you also get along with that , every time you bump it, have your hands on it , your little movements get amplified easier as well. And you are subject to a lot more feedback. The way Del describes installing the piezo, cuts down on feedback, and that’s a good thing. It still has great sound. Everyone is different and has different ways of doing things. ( no rules) I build them both ways depending on the box, what sound I am looking for, and just experimenting. I’ve learn a lot over the past 5 years from Del and others. We all have. Del has done a lot of experimenting and is a master at building CBGs. You can’t go wrong following his videos and advice. But if you start building more, don’t be afraid to experiment on your own. I alway look for different ways to use things and always ask, “What if?” A lot of times it works out well and sometimes not. Have fun if it becomes a hobby/ addiction.
Hi Del. Thanks so much for your inspiration. Setting up my new workshop now and nothing has to be perfect. Just so excited about what an ordinary guy can produce on a Wednesday evening. And... you're a lot of fun to watch during your very valuable advice and instruction. Cheers!
This video is awesome. These tips are awesome. And you, Sir, are awesome. Your skill and experience, along with your ability and willingness to share them, are truly a gift to the CBG community, Del. ~~~ Leave it to the internet to surface anyone who'd "thumbs-down" this video. I, on the other hand, cannot "thumbs-up" it enough. Keep being awesome, Del.
I have a question for you Mr Puckett or anyone else on here that may be able to help me out….I am building my own CBG and I am wondering what type of wood should I use for the neck? I have some beautiful walnut that I got in Wisconsin years ago and I also have red oak. Could I use either one of these?
Thanks Del! I've used a lot of these, I came up similar versions of some of them during my own design process (I swear!) but I refer to your video a lot and will introduce more of these elements going forward :D particularly the spring reverb - that's an awesome idea.
7:14 ... I would think you'd want to have the full brass surface facing upwards and in full contact with the box lid for the best pickup response...love the clear box at the end!!!
the hot glue kinda "softens" the sound. makes it more 'musical' in my opinion. less 'harsh' and less treble(y). as far as which side up... ?? I dont think it matters but it may be worth a try to experiment.
@@PuckettCigarBoxGuitar I listened to a cbg podcast by a maker in Australia (his name escapes me at the moment) who was interviewing a maker from the US (and his name escapes me too... sheesh!), he was saying he quite hot gluing his piezos into his cbgs because he noticed there was a loss of response due to the dampening effect of the hot glue ... ii was an interesting conversation.
Great stuff. I always watch your videos to keep up on tips. Another tip: If you can, position the gear on the tuner away from the fret board. That way when the string pulls on the post, it presses deeper into the tuning gear, not away, and there will be less chance of slipping tuner gears. I also give a 5 year guarantee on my guitars. The only two failures I have had is with hot glue. It can't take temperature extremes. I use E-6000 now and never have had a failure. It is available at Hobby stores and Walmart. There is clear and white. I use clear if any of the glue will be exposed. Of course that is on hardware, NOT wood parts.
I know I’m late and you’ll probably won’t read this, but maybe I’ll help someone else. The springs are used for a reverb effect. Instead of the artificial reverb we use today, back then the players used springs. Different springs give different sounds
@@harryodum5598 The beauty of this instrument is you can do anything you want... they are totally HOT-ROD-ABLE. I have a few real nice pickups in a few select personal instruments.
@@PuckettCigarBoxGuitar Like the Doors put it "people are strange". Don't sweat the little things man. How many are brave enough to do a show like yours?Keep on trucking ,Del
I bought a cheap ass hollow body electric guitar with no electrics at a flea market for $20 and a cheap non working electric guitar for $5, I was wondering is it possible to build a cigar box guitar using those two rejects?
I love your videos and your guitars, but personally I think the shiny stuff makes sense sometimes and others it kinda cheapens the look. Maybe just me.
You have so much more hair (2020) how. You would have like our shop Chicago Guitar Shop 2009-2019. 3 huge benches, standing drill press, 4" x 46" sander and complete VAC SYSTEM.
I am a science teacher and my physical science class is building cigar box guitars as a STEM project. It is the first time any of us have built one, but your videos are a wealth of information and inspiration. My prototype sounds guitar-like. BTW, we are building fretless slide guitars. Hope to write a simple blues song for the end of the year (June 25). Thanks! 😎
Very cool thanks. I like putting the small screws in as fret markers. I will try that on my next build
You just blew me away with the reverb springs man,,.. genius I cannot wait to build one ... Peace and thanks
Great tips. How thick can a fret board be for a min or max thickness? What is the best type of wood to use for fret board?
i say use whatever you got… beg borrow and steal…. 😜. just kidding… Thou shalt not steal … heheheee
Here's an old woodworker's trick for gluing up two flat surfaces. Sprinkle a little bit of Kosher Salt in to the glue before you join the two pieces of wood. The salt acts as a "lock" to keep the two pieces from sliding around while you clamp them. I see several instances where this would have helped you in your video. Cheers!
Yes, the salt keeps all in place. It was nightmare before I've find this tip
That's terrible advice and always has been. You create a weaker joint by doing that. Partially because you create tiny voids all over the joint from the salt that dissolves into the glue and partly because that dissolved salt is changing the chemical makeup of the glue. It's also completely unneeded if you bother to learn proper gluing techniques.
@@LordPadriac Drat! I was just going to ask ... why ‘kosher’ salt? Surely no such thing ... and if there is... another why?
The last tip is criminally underrated.
Thanks for the tips. I just bought a kit from Stewmac. It came with a P90 pickup and I liked your idea to put the piezo pickup on the neck. Now to figure out how to wire them up is the question. Do you have a wiring diagram for something like that?
go to youtube search bar and type in PUCKETT CIGAR PICKUP WIRING
My head still can't get around the imperial system... But I'll take this video to my heart cuz I want to do one for these at least once in my life so thank you mate, cheers
10 x thank you! I have just discovered this channel and this is the best thing in 2021!
thanks for taking the time to do what you do!
My pleasure!
Excellent ! Merci beaucoup !!!
got a menards yard stick for the fret board but it turned out to be 1.44 inches wide. would have had to narrow the neck to accommodate my exact 1.5 inch neck blank
bust out the file ........
Shi-eeeet, I do believe I found myself a new hobby! I'm definitely gonna try to build one for myself. Just gotta nerd over these videos a lot more so I don't f*ck up too much, and figure out what essential tools and materials I need to buy. THANK YOU for posting these gems!
The springs are only going to matter when you play the thing acoustically. They will not interact with the piezo in any way. If you use a cheap full size magnetic pickup that stretches over the vibrating springs they may interact with that like the springs on a strat interact with the springs in the underside cavity. The strings have to be stretched but still loose enough to vibrate pretty wildly with the minimal pressure they're going to get from the cigar box though.
gotcha the back angle Del .. finally found the video .. thank you from Italy
I've used most of your tips and they've worked out great for me. I want to try the back angle on the neck, for my next build. Thanks!👍😎🎸🎶
Thanks for the tips. Your videos are always informative and helpful. I have put many to good use in my builds.
Thanks Steve - Pay it forward if at all possible :-)
As a Saw Filer by trade I must let you know that files are designed to cut forward and NOT backward. Your idea to grind off the teeth on the edge is good! They do make a file and the one edge is smooth and rounded but your idea is cheaper and will work great! Just push the file and it will work much better. I put my necks in a vice for this job.
thats good information... makes sense. Thanks for the tip
Mr. Puckett: I enjoyed your tips on cigar box guitar building. I am a novice woodworker; lathe work mostly (bowls and flutes). I've been wanting to build a cigar box style guitar for some time. I noticed you placed the piezo on the neck stock. Other builders' videos I've seen have placed them on the underside of the box lid. Which position produces the best sound and why? I'd like to make my first guitar for my grandson. I'd like to assemble everything on my own. What woods would you recommend for the box, and the neck?
Mr Hodge, while I certainly no Mr Puckett, I can tell you there are plus and minuses to each way of positioning the piezo. Only in my opinion, I feel on the underside of the box makes it a hotter pickup and gives some great sounds. But you also get along with that , every time you bump it, have your hands on it , your little movements get amplified easier as well. And you are subject to a lot more feedback. The way Del describes installing the piezo, cuts down on feedback, and that’s a good thing. It still has great sound. Everyone is different and has different ways of doing things. ( no rules) I build them both ways depending on the box, what sound I am looking for, and just experimenting. I’ve learn a lot over the past 5 years from Del and others. We all have. Del has done a lot of experimenting and is a master at building CBGs. You can’t go wrong following his videos and advice. But if you start building more, don’t be afraid to experiment on your own. I alway look for different ways to use things and always ask, “What if?” A lot of times it works out well and sometimes not. Have fun if it becomes a hobby/ addiction.
Super helpful! So generous to share your hard-won knowledge. Does marking the notes as you did result in a pentatonic scale? Thanks as always!
Eric Shaffer yes it does Eric !!! Good catch 😎
Thank you! You have taught me so much!
Hi Del. Thanks so much for your inspiration. Setting up my new workshop now and nothing has to be perfect. Just so excited about what an ordinary guy can produce on a Wednesday evening. And... you're a lot of fun to watch during your very valuable advice and instruction. Cheers!
This video is awesome.
These tips are awesome.
And you, Sir, are awesome.
Your skill and experience, along with your ability and willingness to share them, are truly a gift to the CBG community, Del.
~~~
Leave it to the internet to surface anyone who'd "thumbs-down" this video.
I, on the other hand, cannot "thumbs-up" it enough.
Keep being awesome, Del.
Glenn Watt thank you sir for the kind words and the encouragement. I’m standing on the shoulders of many a great enthusiasts... such as yourself 😎.
Great Stuff, thanks for sharing the great tips!
Top tips. Nice one Del. All the best from Liverpool UK. Home to a lil beat combo you might have heard of? ;)
Ha! @Norbury53
Learning new stuff every day !, thanks
I have a question for you Mr Puckett or anyone else on here that may be able to help me out….I am building my own CBG and I am wondering what type of wood should I use for the neck? I have some beautiful walnut that I got in Wisconsin years ago and I also have red oak. Could I use either one of these?
i use whatever is “straight” 😎
Thank you so much
For the tuning, couldn't you use your digital tuner to find the correct positions for the notes on the fretboard?
Súper LIKE !!!! Thanks for this TIPS, yeahhhh 😎🤟, regards form Aragon, Spain.
Thanks Del! I've used a lot of these, I came up similar versions of some of them during my own design process (I swear!) but I refer to your video a lot and will introduce more of these elements going forward :D particularly the spring reverb - that's an awesome idea.
Only one slight problem... A carp would be better at picking out the notes for the fret markers 😁 hopefully I can use a tuner.... Great video! Cheers!
you just need to learn 'how to listen' i guarantee you you can hear the notes...
Hey Del. How long are the necks that u make for your guitars?
This was freaking awesome. There are so many ideas I’d like to incorporate into some homemade instruments.
The reverb idea blew my mind .. yes great ideas
More great content. Thanks, Del!
Very cool man! Thanks!
Awesome as usual Del,just a quick question if you have a tone and volume switch do you still ground the pickup to the top of the volume pot
always ground... when in doubt...GROUND!!! any other questions ???
Puckett Cigar Box Guitar thanks bro
I'm wondering if it's usual to attach the piezo to the neck versus attaching to the box?
Piezo glued on the lid will pick up 'scraping' noice when handling the CBG.
Thanks for the tips
Great Video
Brilliant tips thanks for sharing
Sir you are awesome
Great infos! Thanks
Where do you get the fretboards?
7:14 ... I would think you'd want to have the full brass surface facing upwards and in full contact with the box lid for the best pickup response...love the clear box at the end!!!
the hot glue kinda "softens" the sound. makes it more 'musical' in my opinion. less 'harsh' and less treble(y). as far as which side up... ?? I dont think it matters but it may be worth a try to experiment.
@@PuckettCigarBoxGuitar I listened to a cbg podcast by a maker in Australia (his name escapes me at the moment) who was interviewing a maker from the US (and his name escapes me too... sheesh!), he was saying he quite hot gluing his piezos into his cbgs because he noticed there was a loss of response due to the dampening effect of the hot glue ... ii was an interesting conversation.
@@hurdygurdyguy1 proof is in the pudding...
Great stuff. I always watch your videos to keep up on tips. Another tip: If you can, position the gear on the tuner away from the fret board. That way when the string pulls on the post, it presses deeper into the tuning gear, not away, and there will be less chance of slipping tuner gears. I also give a 5 year guarantee on my guitars. The only two failures I have had is with hot glue. It can't take temperature extremes. I use E-6000 now and never have had a failure. It is available at Hobby stores and Walmart. There is clear and white. I use clear if any of the glue will be exposed. Of course that is on hardware, NOT wood parts.
yup - good point... thanks for mentioning it
Gracias 👍
Noob question: What do the springs do?
I know I’m late and you’ll probably won’t read this, but maybe I’ll help someone else.
The springs are used for a reverb effect. Instead of the artificial reverb we use today, back then the players used springs. Different springs give different sounds
You can buy these files...... Anywhere they sell files. You crack me up
Nice
if i had some peanut butter... i could have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich... if i had some jelly
I don't understand why you don't use a good pickup?
that would be like putting lipstick on a pig. plus... cigar box guitars are meant to be lo fidelity
Using your good pickup isn't putting lipstick on a pig! I guess it's all in the ear of the player
@@harryodum5598 The beauty of this instrument is you can do anything you want... they are totally HOT-ROD-ABLE. I have a few real nice pickups in a few select personal instruments.
Please provide
I didn’t know Will Ferral was into cigar box guitars?!
nice video, too bad you guys don't use the metric system...
What's a metric?
Flawless
i got a few thumbs down...
@@PuckettCigarBoxGuitar Like the Doors put it "people are strange". Don't sweat the little things man. How many are brave enough to do a show like yours?Keep on trucking ,Del
I bought a cheap ass hollow body electric guitar with no electrics at a flea market for $20 and a cheap non working electric guitar for $5, I was wondering is it possible to build a cigar box guitar using those two rejects?
Ab so freaking lute lee !!!
I love your videos and your guitars, but personally I think the shiny stuff makes sense sometimes and others it kinda cheapens the look. Maybe just me.
Wood glue isn't a contact cement, that is a bit of a waste.
I actually jumped a bit on your entrance.
"forced-ner" bit... Just trying to help you out, not being a troll. Thanks for the tips.
B Revs I always thought it was “Forcing her”..?
@@PuckettCigarBoxGuitar #metoo!!! LOL
The Forstner bit was named after Benjamin Forstner (25 March 1834 - 27 February 1897) inventor
You have so much more hair (2020) how. You would have like our shop Chicago Guitar Shop 2009-2019. 3 huge benches, standing drill press, 4" x 46" sander and complete VAC SYSTEM.
The people who disliked this video are the ones who can't build a nice cbg
muy bueno 🖑🖑🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷
"Alright, here's a GOOD tip." 🤔🤨
This guy is full of it lol good video
Amigo sos ultra salame
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