An Absolute Beginner’s Guide To Cigar Box Guitar

Written by Kim in Building and maintaining a cigar box guitar,Chords, scales and tuning,General Info And Helpful Hints

I’d never even heard of cigar box guitars until I walked into a local folk music shop and saw these 3 stringed box instruments. I was intrigued and asked to have a look at one.

You may seen a video on YouTube or a documentary on the TV or perhaps you have seen one in a shop or online.

It’s possible to buy a beginner cigar box guitar for under £100. You can build one for even less. Get your hands on one: either buy it or build it. Then start playing. You can learn 3 or 4 chords much more easily on a 3 or 4 string than on a 6 string guitar.

Where Can I Buy A Cigar Box Guitar?

So for you, maybe a music shop specializing in folk instruments is a good place to look. There is a list on the resource page of places to buy, but you may be able to find one built locally to you. I also want to encourage you to have a go at building one yourself which is great fun.

Building a guitar was a huge learning curve for me as I knew very little about woodworking but I watched tons of videos and had a go. We had a few DIY tools at home so I started with just those.

What Do I Need To Build My Very First Cigar Box Diddley Bow?

my very first build- a diddley bow from a bought box and broom handle
  • Something to make a neck. For your very first build I recommend using a broom handle or wooden curtain pole to make a 1-stringed diddley bow.
  • A box, preferably wooden. Either buy a cigar box or make your own wooden box out of thin wood. Something like 20cm or 8″ wide x 30cm or 11″ long x 8cm or 3″ deep is a good size, but use what you have.
  • A machine head (also called a tuning peg). You will need one for the string. See useful gear for beginners for machine head choices. At a push, you could use a screw on a diddley bow.
  • Something to make a bridge. A metal bolt can be used for this.
  • A rivet or screw to hold the string at the bottom.
  • A guitar string which is not too thin. Any of the three bottom strings of a 6 string guitar will be fine. That’s the low E, A or D string. It doesn’t matter if it’s an acoustic, electric or classical string if you aren’t going to use a pickup. You could also use a banjo or ukulele string.
  • A drill and drill bits up to about 1cm.
  • A screwdriver and either screws, a hook or corner protectors to close the box.
  • A chisel, plane or rasp to thin the neck for the machine head.
  • Sandpaper.

What Do I Need To Build My First Cigar Box Guitar With More Than One String?

  • A box, preferably wooden. Either buy a cigar box or make your own wooden box out of thin wood. A good size is a box about 20cm or 8″ wide x 30cm or 11″ long x 8cm or 3″ deep .
  • Something to make a neck. It’s better if the wood is a hardwood, like ash or sapele, but for your very first build you might prefer to use a cheaper softwood like pine. This will probably warp quite quickly but using a cheaper wood is a good starting place. Alternatively buy a premade neck specifically for a cigar box guitar.
  • Machine heads (also called tuning pegs). You will need one for each string.
  • Something to make a nut and a bridge. A couple of metal bolts can be used if you don’t want to buy parts.
  • Rivets or screws or a metal hinge with enough holes to hold the strings at the bottom.
  • A set of guitar strings. You can buy a specialist set but for your first build it’s probably easiest to use any of the four bottom strings of a 6 string guitar. That’s the low E, A, D or G string. It doesn’t matter if they are acoustic, electric or classical strings.
  • If you want to amplify your guitar, I would recommend a circular piezo pickup pre-wired to an output jack. A connected volume control is helpful but not strictly necessary.

What Tools Do I Need To Build My First Cigar Box Guitar?

Beginner tools for building a cbg
  • A saw if you are making your own box or neck. A handsaw is fine for your first build.
  • A drill and drill bits up to about 1cm. A circular drill bit of 2cm or larger to cut sound holes is useful.
  • A screwdriver and either screws, a hook or corner protectors to close the box.
  • A chisel, plane or rasp to thin the neck for the machine head. I love this Shinto rasp for shaping necks, available on amazon.com or available on amazon.co.uk. Beware as it’s really sharp. It’s like lots of saw blades bound together.
  • Sandpaper.

I’m Left-Handed – How Can I Choose A Suitable Cigar Box Guitar?

You can either play a standard cigar box guitar, holding the neck in your left hand or play a left-handed guitar.

If you are making your own cigar box guitar, make sure that you put the lowest, thickest string on the right-hand side of the neck with the neck pointing up. The thinnest, highest string should go on the left.

If you have a bought a right- handed cigar box guitar and want to convert it to left handed, you can do this yourself:

  • On a 3 stringed guitar, remove the top and bottom strings and swap them over.
  • On a 4 stringed guitar, remove all the strings are replace them with the lowest string on the right of the fretboard with the headstock at the top.

See this post on how to safely remove the strings. You do not need to cut the strings as you will hopefully be able to re-use them if they are long enough. Unfortunately this might not be possible, depending on the position of the machine heads(or tuning pegs) so be prepared with a spare set of strings.

There is more information in this article: Tips For Left-Handed Players Of A Cigar Box Guitar

How Many Strings Should I Choose For My First Cigar Box Guitar?

If you don’t want to start with a 1 stringed diddley bow, I suggest a 3 string guitar for your first. Chord shapes are easier and there is less pressure on your wrist and fretting finger.

What Else Will I Need To Buy With My First Cigar Box Guitar?

Parts Of A Cigar Box Guitar

It’s useful to know what the parts of a cigar box guitar are before you buy or make your own, especially as some parts have alternative names. Try to learn the names.

It’s especially important to try and remember which is the bridge and which is the nut as they are often used to describe where you need to put your hands.

I kept getting confused between which is the saddle and which is the bridge so I now try to remember that the saddle is on top , just like the saddle sits on top of the horses back.

How To Tune Your First Cigar Box Guitar Without a Tuner

  • Fret the bottom string at the 7th fret and compare it to the open middle string. Tune the middle string until you will find that they are the same note.
  • Next, fret the bottom string at the 12th fret and compare it to the open top string and tune the top string until they are the same note.
  • Then, fret the middle string at the 5th fret and compare it to the open top string and you should find that they are the same note.
  • Repeat this until you are happy with the tuning or use a tuner.

Using a Tuner To Tune Your Cigar Box Guitar

  • A diddley bow does not really need tuning to a specific note unless you are playing with others.
  • For a 3 string guitar: Use the tuner to tune the lowest, thickest string. This will usually be tuned to G (but could also be tuned to an E or D)
  • Play the unfretted top thinnest string and that is also a G ( or E or D) but up an octave.
  • The middle string should be tuned to a D ( or G or A)

Playing Your Cigar Box Guitar For The Very First Time

You’ve got your guitar or diddley bow ready and tuned and are eager to get started.

  • For right handed players, sit down with the box resting on your lap and the neck in your left hand. This is easier than standing, at least to start with.
  • If you are left-handed you can either play this way or have the neck in your right hand. If you choose to play with the neck in your right hand, make sure you have the strings reversed unless you have a 1 stringed diddley bow.
  • You can use your fingers on your strumming hand or a pick or plectrum.
  • Playing the cigar box guitar is as much about rhythm as the notes or chords, so I suggest you just try strumming the open strings and don’t worry about your fretting hand.
  • When you are confident that you can keep a fairly steady beat, try fretting by putting your forefinger across the 5th fret just to the left of the fret-wire ( to the right for left-handers). Press hard enough to push down the strings. Expect this to sound terrible at first. It helps if you make sure that the creases of your finger don’t sit right on the strings.
  • If you are using a slide, there is a difference on the position on the fretboard. A slide needs to sit on top of the fret wire or directly over the fret line of an unfretted instrument.

How I Got Started With Cigar Box Guitars

I’ve played six string guitar for many years, starting on a classical instrument at school. Then I played acoustic and electric for a bit. I even ended up teaching beginner guitar. However, the transition from nylon strings on my classical guitar to metal strings was much harder than I anticipated and I was always pretty disappointed in my ability.

Years later, I first found out about cigar box guitars when I went to my local folk music shop and saw these weird looking box instruments with 3 or 4 strings . I wondered what they would sound like and the guy in the shop gave me a quick demo. He was pretty amazing, playing blues and then great-sounding riffs. He then invited me have a go and that was it. My cigar box guitar journey had started.

You Can Make Your Own Proper Instrument.

This is my second build, a 3 stringed fretless guitar made from a biscuit tin

I was even more excited when I realised that I could make my own instruments. I started with a diddley bow and then made 3 stringed guitars with hand-made boxes or tins for the box.

I wasn’t someone who was great at wood work but we did have a few hand tools and I did loads of research to find out how to start. I’ve written beginner guides on this site to help you.

Where Can I Find More Beginner Info For Cigar Box Guitar?

Now that I’ve discovered cigar box guitars I really enjoy playing them and teaching others. I’ve started the site I wish I could have found for myself as an absolute beginner.

I recommend you read these articles next:

Choosing a pick

All about fret markers

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