20 DIY Tips For Decorating Your Cigar Box Guitar

Whether you’ve bought or made your cigar box guitar, customising the look of it makes it unique.

Distressing The Box And Neck
Beginner Pyrography
My 3 Best Top Tips For Transferring An Image To Your CBG
Useful Tips For Better Decal Application To Your Cigar Box Guitar
Printing Paper Decals For Your Cigar Box Guitar
Printing Onto The Carrier Paper Of A Sticker Sheet
Using PVA Glue and Mod Podge
Transferring a Laser Printed Image Using Alcohol
Making a Plastic Decal With Clear Bookbinding Tape
Water Slide Decals
Notes On Printing Onto Plastic Stickers
Using A Vinyl Cutter To Decorate your CBG
A Guide To Drawing Straight Onto The Wood
Painting The Box
Using Floating Paint For A Marbled Cigar Box Guitar
Staining Your Guitar
Applying Oils To Protect The Wood
Which Use Varnish To Use On Your Cigar Box Guitar

Distressing The Box And Neck

Whichever method you choose to apply a graphic design, once your guitar has your design on it , you may want it to look older rather than shiny and new.

Don’t be too heavy handed, especially over any transferred image.
Go slowly and take your time.
Use wire wool and/or sand paper to distress the wood and your image.
Diluted wood stain is also useful to add an aged look.
You can distress the metal box corners and tail piece by dry brushing with a dark paint or coloured varnish. This method will not actually rust the metal so you don’t risk rust getting everywhere.
You can mix coloured stains to make your own bespoke colour or use a lighter colour all over with a darker colour as accent on the edges and corners.

Beginner Pyrography

If you are a confident artist you may want to use pyrography to burn a design into the wood freehand. I’ve never been that confident and I like to sketch my design with a pencil onto the wood first.

A soldering iron is all that you need to mark simple circles as fret markers.
If you want to draw thinner lines you will need a pyrography kit. This is the Razortip one we bought from our local woodworking shop and here is a link for those not in the UK
If it’s a complicated design that I don’t feel happy tackling myself, I transfer the image onto the wood first and then trace over it with the hot iron.
Whereas a soldering iron is brilliant for making fret markers and side dots, the finer point that you can use with a pyrography kit allows you to draw much finer detail.
There are many shaped nibs available including ones for marking feathers and fur.
The main problem with pyrography is that it’s a bit like drawing with a permanent marker. To remove any errors you need to use sandpaper to rub it back.
With that proviso, I really love doing pyrography.
It’s very satisfying to see the design pop out of the wood and as you improve you can show detail and texture.
The lines are dark brown but different woods burn to slightly different colours.
you end up with what looks like a sepia coloured line drawing.
It’s also possible to colour your design with coloured wood dyes, coloured varnishes or water based paints.
Just make sure that you don’t apply the colour too thickly. You don’t want to obliterate the line drawing.

My 3 Best Top Tips For Transferring An Image To Your CBG

(including how to mirror an image for free)

Experiment with scrap wood first – then you can be confident you will enhance your guitar
Ensure that you know if you need to mirror your image before you transfer it
If you do need to mirror an image and don’t have a graphics program on your computer or the capability to mirror an image on your printer, you can use the free windows program paint 3d:

Do You Need To Mirror The Image Before Transferring It To Your Cigar Box Guitar?

METHOD	MIRROR IMAGE REQUIRED?
Printing paper stickers	No
Printing onto wax paper	Yes
Using PVA and Mod Podge	Yes
Alcohol	Yes
Sticky tape	No
Water slide	No
Vinyl	No
Drawing	No
Pyrography	No

Useful Tips For Better Decal Application To Your Cigar Box Guitar

Whether you buy or print your decal, smooth application is a must.

Use this applicator tool from amazon.co.uk as it’s really useful for applying decals smoothly. A similar one is available on amazon.com here or you could try an an old credit card to minimize bubbles as you apply your decal. The applicator tool has a soft covering over the blade to minimize damage to the decal.
I find it easier to start at one edge and apply the decal gradually. Starting in the middle has not worked well for me.
For a plastic or vinyl decal, a small amount of soapy water applied to the wood will help the decal to glide on smoothly.
Using the applicator tool will drive out any excess water which you can mop up with a paper towel.

Printing Paper Decals For Your Cigar Box Guitar

This is the very simplest method of making your own custom sticker.

With just a home printer and some address labels, you are free to print stickers of your own design rather than relying on what’s available to buy.
Address labels are good for smaller designs and photo labels or A4 or letter size labels are useful for larger designs.
You can even just use printer paper and glue. I recommend using a glue that can be spread thinly and evenly without making the paper too wet: glue stick or spray adhesive is best.
A4 or letter size sheets of stickers come on a carrier sheet which is needed in the next method, so don’t throw them away!
The printed design will need protection with a coat of clear varnish.
You will need to make sure that the varnish will not smudge the ink. In general, inkjet printers will need a varnish that is solvent- based rather than water-based, whereas laser printers are better with water-based varnishes.
A spray-based varnish or lacquer will give a smoother result, especially if you spray 3 or more thin coats.
Test the lacquer on a small patch of printed paper before applying either the sticker or lacquer to your guitar.

Printing Onto The Carrier Paper Of A Sticker Sheet

This involves printing with an inkjet printer onto the waxy paper that paper stickers like address labels come on. It seems really weird but I have had a lot of success on transferring images in this way.

Printing onto the waxy side is a bit like making a mini printing press. You can use waxed kitchen paper but I have had much better results with the address label carrier sheet.
You do need to remember to reverse the image before printing , (see flipping an image) especially if there are any words on your design.
Remove the stickers from the carrier sheet and use them if possible on another project.
Keep the carrier sheet as flat as possible and do not crease it as you remove any remaining paper.
Set the printer to print your design in reverse.
Print at draft or eco setting so there is not too much ink on the sheet.
You can use a coloured image or black and white.
Be extremely careful not to smudge the image as you remove it from the printer.
Leave the ink to dry for about ten minutes.

Applying The Image To Your Cigar Box Guitar

Carefully cut around your image so that you can see roughly where the design is from the wrong side of the paper.
You only get one shot at putting the design onto the wood, so place it down with the inky side down and do not move it.
Carefully rub on the paper to transfer the ink onto the wood. I like to use the vinyl spreader that I mentioned previously (rather than my hand) and wipe it over from one side to the other.
Remove the paper and see your transferred image.
If you’re not happy, remove the design with a damp cloth or sand paper and repeat the transfer process.
It’s a good idea to practise transferring the design onto paper or scrap wood before you apply it to your guitar.
This is an ideal image to use as a template for pyrography, for staining or painting.
Alternatively, leave it to dry and seal with varnish or spray lacquer.
The image is water soluble so anything water-based that you apply over the top can make it bleed.

Using PVA Glue and Mod Podge

This method uses the fact that you print a reverse image onto paper that has a thin layer of PVA glue previously applied and dried to make a kind of DIY plastic sticker.

I recommend you practise this method beforehand until you are confident of the method.
Apply a thin even layer of PVA glue to the paper or thin card and let it dry.
Print your image in reverse onto the glue. ( See previous instructions on how to mirror an an image)
Apply an even layer of Mod Podge to the guitar where you want the image to stick.
Carefully place the image onto the wet Mod Podge.
Leave to dry for several hours, preferably overnight.
Do not try to just peel off the dry paper as you will remove the image too, instead remove the paper layer by soaking it with water.
Carefully rub away the paper and PVA glue leaving the image intact within the Mod Podge layer.
The image may wear off to give a distressed look but it doesn’t fade too quickly.

Transferring a Laser Printed Image Using Alcohol

This involves a reversal of the laser printed image. (See flipping an image)

Place the laser printed image face down onto the wood and tape it securely.
Apply alcohol to the back of the paper to dissolve the ink and transfer it onto the wood.
You can use cotton wool balls, a cotton bud or a small paintbrush to apply the alcohol.
Rather than use your favourite tipple, I recommend rubbing alcohol from the chemist ( isopropanol or propan-2-ol) or bioethanol which is sold as fuel for indoor fires.
This method will not work with an inkjet print but if you print it and then take it to a photocopier, the laser copy will work well.

Making a Plastic Decal With Clear Bookbinding Tape

A laser printed or photocopied image can be transferred to thick plastic bookbinding tape or clear sticky-backed plastic to make a DIY plastic sticker.

Cut the design to size and place it face down onto the tape and press firmly with the back of a spoon to transfer the ink to the tape.
Now to remove the paper, soak the paper and tape in warm water.
Use you fingers to carefully rub away the paper. Repeat the soaking if necessary.
Once all the paper is removed, leave the sticky side up to dry.
You will find it is still sticky enough to stick to the wood but you will probably want to add varnish over the top to seal the edges.

Water Slide Decals

You can buy printable water slide decal sheets that allow you to print your image, protect it with a clear glaze and float it off the backing paper and onto your guitar.

Using an inkjet printer set to best quality, print your design on the shiny side of the decal paper.
Let the ink dry.
Spray at least one layer of clear acrylic spray over it.
It is better if you use two or three coats of the acrylic spray, allowing each layer to dry between coats.
Cut out your design close to the edge of the printed design.
Float the design in warm water for about a minute.
Place the image onto your guitar, near where you want it to end up.
Slide the design off of the backing paper and into position.
Gently pat the decal dry, making sure you get all the bubbles out.

Notes On Printing Onto Plastic Stickers

There are plastic sticker sheets that you can buy for printing but I have found that these do not give a very lightfast image.

UV light tends to fade the image.
I have not had good results even with using a UV fixative spray over the top.
I have also read that some people have found some plastic sticker sheets too thick for their printer.

Using A Vinyl Cutter To Decorate your CBG

If you have access to any of the vinyl cutters that are available for craft use at home, you can cut your own decals. These include Cricut Or Silhouette or Brother Scan And Cut.

Cutting machines are not a cheap buy and you will probably need to spend a couple of hundred pounds to buy one new. You may find a second hand one for cheaper as the manufacturers are often bringing out newer models and keen crafters may upgrade.
These machines work a bit like a printer in that they connect to your pc or laptop. Instead of printing the design, they have a moving head that contains a sharp blade that cuts out a design.
Bold one colour designs, such as black or dark coloured silhouettes are the easiest for beginners to master.
The machines usually come with some preloaded designs which you can use as they are or adapt, but the best thing about them is that you can design your own decals right from scratch.
Since I have a Silhouette Portrait machine, I can speak more knowledgably about this machine.

Using A Silhouette Portrait To Cut Vinyl

The software gives the option to trace pictures, convert them to cutting files and then cut them out of vinyl.
Small complicated decals are fiddly to cut and weed out the waste vinyl but are a bit easier to apply to the wood.
I have found that applying a transfer tape that is not too sticky ( including masking tape) really helps with transferring small pieces of vinyl.
When I cut out large decals I have needed extra care in applying them to ensure that there are no bubbles under the vinyl or creases in the vinyl.
I like to start applying the vinyl by sticking one edge down and then using a spreader like the one I have previously described to gently ease down the rest of the decal.
A sharp pin can help to pop any bubbles that form, but once the vinyl is applied it is not a good idea to try to peel any of it up as it will stretch.
If it does end up looking a horrible mess, you can remove the whole decal with a blade and start again.
You will need to think about whether to apply varnish over the top of the vinyl to help seal the edges.
I would only recommend this if you are absolutely sure that you want the decal to be permanent.

A Guide To Drawing Straight Onto The Wood

Unless you are extremely confident in your drawing ability, you will probably want some kind of guide to help you keep on track.

Old fashioned tracing paper or duplicate paper may be exactly the low tech solution and you may be young enough to not know this method.
Tracing paper is not always that easy to get hold of any more but any paper that is see-through that you can draw on with a pencil can be used. Greaseproof paper from the kitchen is a good choice.
Draw or trace your design onto the paper.
For tracing, fix the paper over the design you are copying and tape it with some low tack masking tape. Use a fairly sharp pencil to mark the design, taking care not to puncture the paper.
Flip it over and scribble over the lines of the design with a soft pencil such as a B or 2B. Ensure that every part of the drawn design is covered, but you do not need any pencil at all on the blank areas.
Flip the design again and place it over the wood, taping in place firmly.
Now draw over the design again. This will transfer the image onto the wood because the pressure will push the soft graphite onto the wood.
Loosen the tape on one side and check that the image has transferred. If not, tape it back down and repeat the drawing over the missing areas.
Remove the paper and take care not to smudge the design as you use a more permanent method of marking the design. Pyrography or painting are two methods I recommend.

Painting The Box

Any type of paint you have at home will probably be suitable to use. This includes acrylic, emulsion, eggshell, satin and gloss.

You can use a brush or mini roller to apply the paint
Thinning the paint gives an interesting effect because you can see the wood grain through the colour. Water-based paints should be thinned with water and oil-based paints with solvent.
Mix paint colours before applying or blend them on the wood itself.

Using Floating Paint For A Marbled Cigar Box Guitar

Oil-based paints will float on water and we can use this fact to create swirling patterns on the guitar. You can buy marbling kits or use acrylic paints on water slightly thickened with cornflour.

The thickened water is made by mixing a couple of tablespoons of cornflour with cold water to make a paste and then stirring on boiling water to make a slightly thickened “sauce”.
Tip the cooled mixture into a container that is large enough to dip the guitar.
Float your acrylic paint on top of the water.
Several colours can be used.
Apply small dots and longer streaks of colour.
Do not over mix the colours. It’s best to use a cocktail stick, fork or something similar to gently swirl the colours.
Dip the guitar under the surface of the water.
As you lift it out, the paint will adhere to the wood.
Hang the guitar up to dry without disturbing your design.

Staining Your Guitar

Wood stains are available in a range of colours. and can be water or solvent based.

If you are applying stain over a transferred image, test a small area to make sure that you don’t smudge the design
Mix the contents well before applying as the colour can tend to settle to the bottom of the tin or jar.
You can mix coloured stains if you can’t find the exact colour you want.
Use a brush or sponge to apply the stain, practising on a scrap of wood before you commit to adding stain to your guitar.

Applying Oils To Protect The Wood

There are several oils that work well on the wood of cigar box guitars including Danish Oil, Linseed Oil, Tung Oil and Tru Oil.

Oils will not necessarily work well over a decal or painted or stained surface so try it on a small scrap first.
Oils not only protect the wood but enhance the grain.
Many oil will darken the wood.
Work in a ventilated space and wear gloves to protect your skin.
Apply the oil with a soft cloth that does not shed fibres.
You can apply oils with a brush or piece of foam if you prefer.
Leave to dry before buffing with a clean cloth.
Many oils are classed as flammable so it’s a good idea to keep used cloths in a jar with a lid screwed on.
Danish oil is my personal favourite.

Which Varnish To Use On Your Cigar Box Guitar

Varnish not only protects your design, but coloured varnish can add extra depth of colour.

Before you use varnish over the top of stain, paint or other decoration, test it on a scrap of wood as some varnishes will ruin a design underneath.
The main thing to remember is that water-based varnishes (often sold as interior wood varnish) will dissolve water based designs such as inkjet prints. However, for a distressed look this may not be a problem if you prefer a faded smudged look.
Solvent-based varnishes ( often sold as exterior wood varnish or yacht varnish) will affect photocopies and laser prints.
Spray varnish applied in several thin coats is a good choice if you have different layers of decoration to cover
Alternatively use a brush, remembering that repeated thin layers give a smoother finish than one thick one.
Rubbing down with sandpaper between coats needs to be done carefully and with very fine sandpaper, especially if you have applied decals to your guitar.

Final thoughts

There are so many ways to customise how your cigar box guitar sounds and looks and this, I think, is one of the best things about starting this hobby.