The Ins and Outs of the Cigar Box Guitar

by Walker Hayes

Musicians are people who generally like to get noticed. No field is more competitive than theirs and so anything that will help a musician stand out, the better. At the same time, however, you've got a reputation to uphold and you don't want to go so outlandish that it looks like you're trying too hard. If you want a distinctive instrument that can really play, try out the cigar box guitar.

These come from an interesting lineup of instruments you can make right in your own home like the various "jug band" instruments that you've no doubt seen before. All of these instruments stand out in a crowd just because of their unorthodox nature and appearance. If you plan to play cigar box guitars, there are a few things you want to consider first. To begin with, how are you going to get one: buy it or build it?

Believe it or not, there's a substantial community of people out there who are in love with the cigar box guitar and devote themselves not just to building them but to teaching others how to make a cigar box guitar.

If you do decide to buy a pre-made cigar box guitar, you still have more questions to ask yourself. The first one is how much money you want to spend. If you want a simple instrument that just has a cool bluesy look to it, you won't break the bank. But even a high quality cigar box guitar, although it's going to cost a little more because of the niche market and the labor involved, it's not going to hurt too much either. Just be sure you know what you're getting into.

Look into having a custom model built for you if you're going to buy one pre-made. Typically, cigar box guitar makers don't have a huge stock of these instruments lying around, so it shouldn’t cost too much more to have one built to your exacting specifications. You can choose your favorite type of wood and favorite brand of cigar to make an instrument that truly speaks to your personality. Many cigar box guitar makers have a stock pile of cigar boxes on hand.

Of course, for many people, the thrill is in the process of bringing the instrument to life themselves. You can make a quick and easy instrument in an afternoon that would be good to learn on or perhaps give to a young person as a gift. Or you could spend days creating a thing of beauty that any musician would be proud to play. How involved you want to get is up to you. Whichever route you take, you can surely find the help you need with how to make a cigar box guitar.

The basic techniques you want to learn are mounting the neck of the guitar to the box, reinforcing the box so that it remains sturdy, and placing and cutting the sound hole. Be aware that everything you do can affect the quality of sound you get, so don't rush.

By now, you probably have some idea of whether or not the cigar box guitar is for you. If you decide it is, don't stop at just one build. Keep on pushing the envelope with new and exciting variations. Rock on!