This article will explain what you need to know about the bridge when starting out with cigar box guitars with helpful hints on choosing which is right for you.
- adjustable
- angle
- biscuit
- bolt
- bone
- definition
- floating
- fret wire
- height
- homemade
- plastic
- saddle
- tremolo
Adjustable Bridge
As a beginner to cigar box guitars I didn’t realize that they can have an adjustable (or hardtail) bridge installed. In fact I didn’t even know what it was, but then I realized I had one on my electric guitar.
It’s a metal bridge with independently adjustable string entry points set on adjustable saddles. They are often used on “strat” style electric guitars.
Since these string entry points are fully adjustable they could be seen as a little more tricky to deal with. Although you probably won’t want one on your first cigar box guitar, it’s worth knowing a little about them:
| adjustable bridge | floating bridge | pros and cons of adjustable bridge | |
| height of string from box top ( affecting action at 12th fret) | independently adjustable | difficult to adjust individual strings | easier to obtain better intonation |
| scale length of string | independently adjustable | more difficult to adjust individual strings – need to angle the bridge carefully | easier to obtain better intonation ( see paragraph below on bridge angle) |
| back angle of guitar neck | less important for getting a low action at the 12th fret | helps with getting a low action at the 12th fret | easier to obtain better intonation |
| cost of bridge | more expensive | less expensive | costs more |
| ease of installation | more difficult to install | easier to install | need to install a wooden block inside the box to stabilize the fixing of bridge to box lid |
| adapting a standard 6 string bridge | made of metal so can’t be cut shorter | can be cut down | need to buy from a cbg specialist |
You can buy 3 and 4 stringed versions of these bridges. Bear in mind that some cheap ones may not work well. In the UK I like to recommend buying from these companies :
Installing An Adjustable Bridge On Your Cigar Box Guitar
- Fix a wooden block inside the box to provide good anchor points when screwing in the bridge
- For maximum flexibility, install the adjustable with each string entry point set to the middle position with regards to height to start with.
- Install the bridge with the string entry points set as far forward as possible when you are measuring scale length. This allows for the string length to be longer as needed.
- As far as length goes, the string will always need to be at least the scale length ( double the nut to the 12th fret) but it can need to be longer for good intonation.
Angling The Bridge On A Cigar Box Guitar
When you decide on a scale length for your cigar box guitar, you know that the distance of the bridge from the nut is double the distance from the nut to the 12th fret. However for correct intonation ( playing in tune) the actual distance may need to be a little different (we are talking mm difference here not cm) for this reason:
The bass string and the top string are such different thicknesses that this effects the length of string required. Thicker gauge strings need to be a little bit longer than their lighter gauge counterparts. This is because the pitch of a heavier gauge string will increase slightly more than a lighter gauge string as they are fretted.
The bridge will often be angled slightly so that the where the bass string has a fractionally longer scale length than the top string.
For more information see my article on intonation
Biscuit Bridge On A Cigar Box Guitar
A biscuit bridge is so called because it looks like a round biscuit. This type of bridge is used on a resonator guitar which is a tricky build for a beginner builder of cigar box guitars and is beyond the scope of this article but read my article here on resonator guitars
Bolt As A Bridge On A Cigar Box Guitar
On my first build, I opted to use a bolt as the bridge. This was easy to install and the ridged surface of the bolt held the strings securely without the need for cutting slots which was an added bonus.
I did not install a saddle under this bridge and just rested the bolt on the box lid. I did need to mark where the bolt bridge sat on the box lid so that when I change the strings it will still keep the instrument in tune. I used pyrography to mark around the bolt.
Bone Bridge On A Cigar Box Guitar
Bone has long been used in the making of guitar bridges and nuts. It is hard enough to securely hold the strings if slots are cut for them to pass through.
It’s important the slots are cut accurately, both in terms of depth and width. The correct slot depth will ensure that the strings are held at the correct height. The slot will need to be cut to the correct width to ensure that the strings do not buzz.
You can buy bone bridges either for a standard six string guitar and cut it to the correct width or buy from a specialist cigar box guitar supplier. Alternatively you could cut one from a piece of bone or horn.
It is very important when you cut, sand or shape bone that you wear a good face mask to ensure that you do not inhale any particles of bone.
Definition Of A Bridge On A Cigar Box Guitar
- The bridge is the part of the cigar box guitar that the strings pass over before they are attached to the tailpiece.
- The bridge sits on the saddle which sits on the box lid.
- The position of the bridge is critical so that the instrument plays in tune.
- The distance from the nut to the bridge is twice the distance of the nut to the twelfth fret.
Floating Bridge On a Cigar Box Guitar
Most cigar box guitar bridges are movable, in that they are not glued in. They can be called floating bridges.
Fret Wire Can Be Used As A Bridge On A Cigar Box Guitar
Just as the nut on a cigar box guitar can be replaced by using a jumbo fret as a zero fret, fret wire on a wooden saddle can be used as a bridge.
Another reason for adding fret wire at the bottom of the cigar box guitar is to prevent the strings cutting into the box lid as it passes over the bottom of the box to the tailpiece:
This almost looks like a second bridge added behind the saddle, but the scale length must always be calculated from the bridge nearest the nut.
Height Of The Bridge On A Cigar Box Guitar
The height of the bridge is critical for good intonation on your cigar box guitar.
One of my early builds was completely ruined because I glued the neck and saddle to the body of the guitar. I thought I had everything in tune but later I realized that the strings were set far too high at the 12th fret. The instrument was unplayable.
Learn from my mistakes- use screws and not glue when you are attaching the neck and do not glue the saddle in place. Handmade instruments that are as adjustable as possible will give you the best chance of ending up with something that plays well.
The bridge on a fretted guitar needs to be set at a height so that the strings are approximately 2.5 mm or about 1/8 inch from the fretboard at the 12th fret. This makes the instrument playable in tune without fret buzz. A slightly higher bridge will give a guitar with higher action which is good for playing with a slide.
Homemade Bridges For A Cigar Box Guitar
If you don’t want to buy a ready-made bridge for your cigar box guitar, try using a metal bolt or another piece of metal such as jumbo fret wire. Alternatively cut one from bone or horn wearing a good face mask to prevent you inhaling any particles.
Plastic Bridges For A Cigar Box Guitar
Synthetic plastic bridges are an alternative to using bone. Again, any shaping or sanding of this material requires you to wear a good face mask to prevent you inhaling dust particles.
Slotting files for cutting the slots in bridges and nuts are a specialist tool and you will get better results if you can afford them, but you will probably want to use cheaper small files at least for your first few builds.
Take care and go slowly when cutting the slots and reducing the height of the bridge. Remember that it is easy to remove too much material and then you will need to start again.
Saddle
We can’t really talk about bridges for cigar box guitars without mentioning saddles. The saddle is the part that the string passes over and it sits on the bridge. Often we talk about bridge and saddle a bit interchangeably and it’s all a bit confusing. I like to think of the saddle sitting on a horses back to remind me that the saddle is the top bit.
In very simple cigar box guitars that use a bolt for the bridge there may not be a separate saddle and the bolt sits directly on the box lid. In general however, the bridge is a piece of wood on which the saddle sits.
Tremelo
A tremolo bar attached to a bridge will bend the notes as it is moved. Although electric guitars use these, they are not used on cigar box guitars unless they have a solid body.
Useful Hints For Choosing A Bridge For Your Cigar Box Guitar
As you can see there is a bit more to choosing a bridge than you might first think. Here is a guise o help you decide which is best for you:
| cheapest | easiest to install | most adaptable |
| homemade from fret wire or a threaded bolt | bolt or floating bridge and saddle from a cbg specialist | adjustable hardtail 3 or 4 stringed bridge |