CBG's 046 to 050.

For number 046 I used an old cigar box that was a little busted up and I used a resonator cone from Old Lowe in the USA. The cbg's that I have built before using these cones required  the box to be hand built but for this one the cigar box was large enough to house the cone. This is the last of the cones that I have from Mike.

I used a 40 mm x 12 mm piece of Tassie Oak + fretboard. I then inlayed rosewood on the headstock so as to accommodate the tuning pegs. Again, 635 mm from nut to bridge, 3 strings, a Klangbox "Original Flatpup" pickup (also the last Flatpup that I have) and a homemade bridge. Tuned to AEA.

For number 047 (not really a CBG) I tried my hand at building a kit guitar. It is a Strat style guitar and I called it a Frank's Frankocaster. I have been pretty happy with the build process but a couple of frets did need a redress as there was a little bit of buzz on a couple of strings. The neck had a slight bow as well so I had to adjust the truss rod a little to get the action sweet. I painted it a matt black and varnished the neck. Overall, it looks good and the sound is not too shabby. I might consider upgrading the pick ups in the future to give the guitar a little bit more bite.

Number 048 I call the Texas Special and I like this one a lot. I used a large box and a Precision style bass pickup with a volume pot. This CBG sounds mighty fine, looks mighty fine (according to the Monte Cristo website it has actual leather glued to the top) and plays mighty fine as well. Give it some distortion and it growls. 

This (as well as the H. Upmann # 45) is more like an electric guitar. Nearly all of my CBG's can be played either acoustically or plugged in but # 048 is better plugged in to an amp. Tuned to AEA using the 2nd, 3rd and 4th strings.

For Number 049 (once again not a Cigar Box Guitar) I won off Ebay for $62.70. I was going to use it for parts but once I played her when I got home I couldn't believe how great she sounded.  The pots were a mess so I basically just kept the pickups (a Jap Strat copy "Legend" from the 80's). I bought new pots, a 5 way selector, tidied up the wiring and rebadged her as another Frank's Frankocaster. So for a total cost of about $80 I have a decent sounding Strat copy that is a dream to play. I own a couple of nice vintage instruments and this one plays and sounds nearly as good and at a fraction of the price. It is the same colour as the first electric guitar I bought in 1985. A 1972 Fender Strat that I sold for a fair price about 20 years ago but which is now worth a "lot" more than what I sold her for....arhhhh but hindsight is so overrated. 

I am now on to build Number 50 and this time I am going to create a Telecaster copy. I have purchased a Tele neck off Ebay for $28.08 (so much easier than building my own...maybe one day I'll give it a go) from China as well as all the electrics (I might consider upgrading the pickups if needed). I have a slab of Camphor Laurel that I have used for the body and for a total of $60 I'll have a Tele copy. I have a 2003 American Telecaster which is just beautiful to play. I am not expecting #50 to be anywhere near the same quality as I am just having some fun making guitars. :) It does give me a huge appreciation for all guitar luthiers around the world, whether they are large companies right down to little one person shows. 

You can contact me directly at: frankscigarboxguitars@gmail.com

Here are some sounds of some of the latest CBG's that I have made at soundcloud.com

https://soundcloud.com/frankscigarboxguitars/h-upmann-cbg

https://soundcloud.com/frankscigarboxguitars/resonator-cbg

Till next time, keep building, keep playing and keep having fun.

CBG's 041 - 045

CBG 41 - 45

It has been awhile since I have uploaded some of the latest CBG's so here goes...No 41.

I took all the paper of the cigar box and painted it with the Eureka Stockade image for something a little different. As already stated, I normally use 19 mm thick timber for the neck and then add another 6 - 8 mm for the fretboard. This makes the neck about 25 mm - 27 mm thick. I have decided to build some with a thinner neck (12 mm + fretboard...the laminated neck makes it stronger and no truss rod is required) and I do like the thickness of these newer necks. Due to the thinner neck, I do have to use an inlay (rosewood) on the headstock so as to accommodate the tuning pegs. Again, 635 mm from nut to bridge, fretted Tassie Oak neck, 3 strings, single coil pick up and a homemade tele style bridge.

No 42 was a gift for my nephew's 18th birthday. This time I bought a neck from China for $35 inc. postage as well as some skull type tuning pegs and a telecaster bridge pickup. These pickups sound quite alright for the price and I was very happy with how this played and sounded when finished. Due to all the reinforcing required (which took quite some time) to strengthen the the neck the CBG is now more like a solid body that a semi acoustic. 

No 43 was a nice timber Partagas box from Cuba (photos courtesy of Paul Johnson). Again, 635 mm fiscal length, a laminated fretted Tassie Oak neck, 3 strings, single coil pick up and a homemade tele style bridge. The neck is 42 mm wide and about 19 mm thick. By using the A, D and G sting this guitar can be tuned to either A E A or  G D G.

No 44 was made so I could take a guitar away with me while I was overseas for 2 weeks...shame as it was 2 cms too long to fit diagonally into the suitcase. Anyway, same measurements again (635 mm or 25 inch scale length), 18 frets, Tassie Oak neck (about 20 mm thick), Rosewood floating bridge, 3 strings and a piezo pickup (tuned to AEA). I know a lot of people sell CBG's fretless but I feel that fretting the guitar makes it a lot more useful as you can play chords as well as slide. Fretting a CBG is a lot more work but definitely a better instrument is created in the end.

For No 45 I used a H. Upmann box and a Precision style bass pickup with a volume pot. This CBG sounds and plays quite nicely...I think I'll be using more of these pickups as they do sound pretty good.

Same measurements again (635 mm or 25 inch scale length), 18 frets, laminated Tassie Oak neck (20 mm thick and 40 mm wide), Rosewood inlay on the neck, Tele style bridge and 3 strings tuned to EBE.