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The simplest documented cigar box guitar is a three-string, fretless instrument built by fitting a straight hardwood stick through a flat-lid cigar box. You need ordinary measuring, cutting, drilling, fastening and sanding tools—not a specialist lutherie shop. In the beginner layout described here, the nut and bolt bridge are 25 inches (635 mm) apart. That is the scale for this plan, not a universal cigar-box-guitar measurement.
What you are building
This plan makes a stick-on-box guitar: a 1 × 2 inch (19 × 38 mm) hardwood neck passes through the box, while the box acts as the sound chamber. It uses three strings and no installed frets. A fretless neck is the least complicated choice and works especially well for slide playing. You can mark fret positions as visual references, but a beginner does not have to cut fret slots or install fret wire.
Keep the lid free to move. The bridge sits under the strings, and the closed lid must not be forced tightly against the neck; clearance lets the lid vibrate.
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- Detailed, easy-to follow assembly instructions
- Will make a 3-string Acoustic-Electric Cigar Box Guitar
- Includes Basic Piezo Pickup for plugging into an amp
- Fully Fretted Neck with Zero Fret
- Only basic hand tools required
Materials and tools
Materials
| Item | Specification in the beginner plan | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Cigar box | Flat lid | Sound box and vibrating top |
| Neck stock | Straight 4-foot length of 1 × 2 inch (19 × 38 mm) hardwood, such as maple or oak | Neck and headstock |
| Strings and tuners | Three strings and three tuners | String tension and tuning |
| Bridge hardware | Two 1½-inch hex bolts plus a nut that fits one bolt | Bolt bridge |
| Fasteners | Two ¾-inch #10 countersunk wood screws; three ½-inch #6 round-head screws | Neck, lid and string retainers |
| Finishing and shop supplies | Sandpaper, painter’s tape and boiled linseed oil | Smoothing, masking and optional finish |
Tools
- Square and tape measure or yard/meter stick
- Small handsaw, file or rasp, razor knife and clamps
- Drill and bits, driver bits and a flat-head screwdriver
- Mallet or hammer and an awl or other pointed tool
Choose the straightest neck stock available. Follow the linseed-oil manufacturer’s directions and warnings, including its drying and fire-safety guidance.
Build the fretless guitar step by step
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Lay out the neck and headstock
Mark the neck length and headstock on the 1 × 2 stock with a square. Keep the edges straight and the headstock layout symmetrical enough for the tuners you have. Saw the outline, then smooth the cut edges with a file or rasp and sandpaper.
-
Mark the box opening and fit
Use the neck as a pattern to mark where it enters and exits the cigar box. Cut the box carefully with a razor knife or saw as appropriate for its construction. Test-fit the neck repeatedly; it should be secure without crushing the box.
-
Sand and optionally finish the neck
Round sharp edges and remove splinters before assembly. If you use boiled linseed oil, apply it only as directed on the product label and let it cure before installing hardware.
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C. B. Gitty Basic Cigar Box Guitar Kit with Detailed Assembly Instructions- Has all the hardware you need except the neck (easily found at hardware stores)
- Includes guitar tuners, strings, and other hard-to-find hardware
- Full 26-page assembly how-to guide included, packed with detailed photos
- Requires only basic hand or power tools and woodworking skills to build
- A perfect and easy way to build a slide-style (unfretted) cigar box guitar!
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Decide whether to add reference marks
The plan includes fret-location distances even though it is presented as fretless. Treat those marks as optional position references for slide or finger placement. If you want a genuinely fretted instrument, use a scale-length fret calculator or dedicated fretting guide: every fret position depends on the chosen scale, and installing frets adds cutting, leveling and setup work.
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Fit the neck and lid
Set the neck in the box and close the lid. Confirm that the lid closes normally and has room to vibrate rather than pressing against the neck. Adjust the opening or neck fit before fastening anything.
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Fasten the lid to the neck
With the fit checked, clamp the parts and use the specified wood screws to secure the lid and neck. Drill pilot holes where needed so the box wood does not split. Keep screw heads flush and clear of the string path.
-
Install the tuners
Lay out the tuner holes on the headstock, mark them with an awl, drill to the tuner manufacturer’s required size and mount the tuners with their supplied hardware. Check that each post turns freely.
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Complete "Pure & Simple" Cigar Box Guitar Kit - the Easiest CBG Kit to Build, Bar None!- Complete cigar box guitar kit, designed to be the EASIEST kit to build, bar none!
- Includes all parts, hardware, neck and illustrated instruction booklet.
- Only a screwdriver required to assemble. Build it in an hour or so at your kitchen table!
- Perfect project for first-time cigar box guitar builders, or for parents to do with a child!
- The easiest, most affordable way to build your own cigar box guitar.
-
Install the strings and retainers
At the nut, place one string in the center and the two outside strings about 5/16 inch (8 mm) from the neck edges. Use the small screws as retainers where the plan calls for them, keeping the strings aligned with the tuner posts and bridge.
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Make and position the bolt bridge
Use the two 1½-inch hex bolts and the matching nut to form the bridge assembly. Slide the bridge beneath the strings so the nut-to-bridge distance is exactly 25 inches (635 mm). Measure from the nut’s string-bearing point, not from an arbitrary edge of the headstock. Recheck the measurement with the strings at their intended height.
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Drill sound holes last
After the neck, strings and bridge are aligned, mark and drill sound holes in the box. Drilling late avoids placing holes where they interfere with the neck, bridge or lid hardware.
String height, playing style and tuning
The fretless version is naturally suited to a slide: the player controls pitch by placing the slide at the desired position. Finger playing is possible, but intonation requires more precise finger placement because there are no frets.
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- Has all the hardware you need except the neck (easily found at hardware stores)
- Includes cigar box (styles Vary), guitar tuners, strings, and other hard-to-find hardware
- Full 26-page assembly how-to guide included, packed with detailed photos
- Requires only basic hand or power tools and woodworking skills to build
- Build a slide-style (unfretted) cigar box guitar!
Action is the string height above the playing surface. Higher action leaves room for a slide; lower action is more comfortable for direct finger contact but requires more careful setup. Do not lower the strings until they clear the lid and bridge without buzzing.
Three-string instruments can be tuned in several ways. The separate StewMac kit guide identifies low-to-high E-B-E as standard for that kit while noting that other tunings are possible. That tuning is not a universal requirement for this 25-inch fretless plan.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How this differs from a prepared, fretted kit
A scratch build and a kit solve different problems. The beginner plan above asks you to cut and fit a neck, make a bolt bridge and decide how to use a fretless surface. A prepared cigar-box-guitar kit generally supplies more purpose-made parts and may be designed for traditional frets and electric hardware.
| Choice | What it changes |
|---|---|
| Scratch, fretless stick-on-box | More wood fitting and drilling; simplest construction; especially suitable for slide; 25-inch scale in this plan |
| Prepared, traditionally fretted kit | Less raw cutting but more fret layout, leveling and low-action setup; follow that kit’s own bridge and wiring instructions |
In the StewMac kit instructions, the floating bridge is located using the zero fret and 12th fret as half-scale references, then moved 1/8 inch toward the tailpiece for compensation. Those measurements apply to that kit’s fretted layout, not to the fretless 25-inch instructions above. The same guide includes fret-leveling steps for finger-style setup.
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- Measure 25 inches (635 mm) from the nut’s bearing point to the bridge position.
- Confirm the three strings are parallel and the outside strings are approximately 5/16 inch (8 mm) from the neck edges at the nut.
- Close the lid and verify that it can vibrate without being clamped against the neck.
- Turn each tuner and bring the strings to pitch gradually rather than applying full tension at once.
- Inspect every screw, cut edge and drilled hole for splinters or sharp metal.
- If a string buzzes, first check bridge seating, lid clearance, neck fit and string alignment before removing material.
Common mistakes and fixes
The lid will not close
Remove the strings, mark the contact point and enlarge or reshape the neck opening carefully. Refit until the lid closes while retaining clearance to vibrate.
The strings do not line up with the bridge
Loosen tension and recheck tuner spacing, nut spacing and the bridge’s position. The center string should run down the neck centerline; the outer strings should remain evenly spaced.
The instrument feels wrong for slide
Check that the action is not so low that the slide strikes the lid or frets—there are no installed frets in this plan. Raise the bridge slightly if necessary, while preserving the 25-inch scale position.
You want accurate finger fretting
Do not guess fret locations or copy the optional marks as if they were a complete fret job. Choose a scale, calculate each position for that scale and plan for slotting, fret installation, leveling and nut setup.
The Bottom Line
For the easiest route, build the three-string, fretless version first: a straight 1 × 2 hardwood neck, flat-lid cigar box, ordinary hand tools, three tuners and strings, and a bolt bridge placed 25 inches (635 mm) from the nut. Keep the lid free to vibrate, then move to a fretted or prepared kit only if you want lower-action finger playing and are ready for the extra layout and leveling work.
Quick Recap
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