View Full Version : Cigarbox Electric Mandolin
I'm thinking of either trying to built one myself or have someone build one for me. #I talked To Bill Bussman and he sent a photo of an acoustic cigar box mandolin that he built. #I'm looking for something similar but was thinking of the body being a solid piece of wood inside the cigar box. #Anybody have any experience with something like this? #Anybody interested in building one for me? #I'm thinking about a four string model....maybe eight. #I have no experience with electric mandolins so any suggestions you might have would be more than welcome. #I'm thinking this would be a pretty cheap project. #I have read some stuff on cigarboxguitar.com and it looks pretty easy to build the guitar...Not sure about a mandolin?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
krishna
Apr-21-2004, 8:20am
Ben ,if you don't mind waiting awhile, (6 or 8 months)and if you buy the parts and send them to me ,I'd be happy to build one for you.I won't charge tou much OK
thistle3585
Apr-21-2004, 1:26pm
What might be an interesting way to go is to use a wood cigar box. They are rare, and probably fairly expensive, but you might be able to find one. Thats a neat idea. I might try this after finishing my solid body electrics.
I have a couple of good wooden cigar boxes. What Bill Bussman suggested was to cut a peice of alder to fit inside the box. I'm just not to sure what kind of pickup I would want as I have no electric guitar/mando experience. I do think this would be a pretty cool project. Thanks for the replies so far. There is a pretty famous cigar box builder over in Memphis that has built guitars for some of the local blues guys, but I don't think he builds mandolins. The guitars I have seen are all three string models with a fretless neck. They have a simple peizo pickup inside the box. One thing that is a possibility would be to tune the three string guitar to GDA like a mando tuning. Thanks!
joshro78
Apr-22-2004, 7:59am
Almost all cigar boxes are made of wood. Some are just covered with paper. I think the wood boxes you are talking about are box construction with hinges and no paper. They are almost as common as the paper ones. I can walk next door right now and buy a ton of them. Just ask your local cigar shop owner. They always keep these boxes and sell them if you just ask. I get mine for 3 bucks apiece.
Jim Garber
Apr-22-2004, 8:23am
Joel Eckhaus/Earnest Instruments (http://www.earnestinstruments.com/ceegar.html) makes nice sounding, well-made ukes out of cigar boxes.
Jim