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A cigar box guitar is a homemade string instrument built around a box-shaped body—often an actual cigar box—with a neck, strings and bridge. There is no single standard design: beginners often make a three-string, fretless version for slide playing, while other builds use four or more strings, frets or a pickup. The right parts and tuning depend on the instrument’s scale and construction.
What a cigar box guitar is
The name describes a design tradition, not a fixed specification. In a common form, a neck passes through or attaches to a box that acts as the instrument’s body and resonating chamber. Makers use different materials and construction methods, and the box need not always be a cigar box. A scholarly design-history article places these instruments within a broader family that also includes cigar-box banjos, ukuleles, mandolins and violins, as well as diddley bows. The Journal of Design History’s 2021 article notes that examples range from three or four strings to occasional six-string forms.
Think of it as a flexible homemade instrument rather than a smaller version of a conventional guitar with a prescribed parts list. String count, tuning, frets, amplification and even the materials vary from build to build.
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How builds differ
| Design choice | What it means |
|---|---|
| Three strings and fretless neck | A straightforward beginner pattern is a fretless instrument played with a slide. A C. B. Gitty beginner guide describes this style. |
| Four or more strings | String count changes the setup and tuning; a four-string build can be left acoustic or fitted with a pickup. See the four-string build example. |
| Fretless or fretted | A fretless neck is compatible with slide playing. Fretted designs are another option; the appropriate layout depends on the build. |
| Acoustic or amplified | A box can be played acoustically or fitted with a contact/piezo or magnetic pickup. The choice affects how the instrument connects to amplification, not whether it is a cigar box guitar. |
These are design options, not a universal recipe. Specialist plans and how-to material cover necks, fretting, electronics, tunings and strings in different configurations. CigarBoxGuitar.com’s how-to repository and its simple build guide are examples of that range.
What you need to build one
Parts depend on the design, but a basic build typically centers on a box body, a neck, strings and a bridge. You also need a way to secure and tune the strings. A beginner parts kit is one route: the C. B. Gitty guide describes a kit with strings, tuners and basic components. It is not a requirement, and its contents should not be assumed to match every design.
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- A perfect and easy way to build a slide-style (unfretted) cigar box guitar!
- Box body: A cigar box is traditional, but construction varies.
- Neck: The neck supports the strings and may run through or attach to the box.
- Strings and tuners: Select them for the instrument’s string count, scale length and intended tuning.
- Bridge: Supports the strings over the body; its placement is part of the instrument’s setup.
- Optional frets or pickup: Include frets if the chosen design calls for them; choose a pickup only if amplification is wanted.
For a first build, start with a plan that matches the materials and playing style you want rather than buying parts for a generic “cigar box guitar.” The available simple-build plans are one free instructional starting point; paid plans are not inherently necessary.
A beginner build approach
A practical first project is a three-string, fretless guitar intended for slide. The cited beginner guide provides a step-by-step example of this style. Use the instructions for the specific plan you choose: box dimensions, neck attachment and string setup are not interchangeable rules for every design.
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- Choose a plan and configuration. Decide on string count, fretless slide or fretted playing, and acoustic or amplified use before selecting parts.
- Match the parts to that plan. Confirm that strings, tuners and any optional pickup suit its configuration and scale length.
- Build the body and attach the neck as directed. Follow the plan’s measurements and assembly order rather than assuming all boxes and necks fit the same way.
- Install and tune the strings for the build. Use a tuning appropriate to the strings and instrument, then adjust the setup if the strings do not behave as intended.
How to tune a cigar box guitar
There is no single standard tuning. The how-to repository gives open G (GDG) as an example for an easy riff and also mentions DAD and open E in other contexts. These are examples, not universal settings. Choose strings and tuning together: scale length, string gauge and construction affect whether a particular tuning is suitable. A tuning that works for one build should not automatically be applied to another, especially when the string count differs.
For a three-string build, open G (GDG) is a documented starting point in the repository. For another tuning or string count, consult instructions that match the instrument rather than treating those three examples as a complete tuning chart.
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- Includes cigar box (styles Vary), guitar tuners, strings, and other hard-to-find hardware
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- Requires only basic hand or power tools and woodworking skills to build
- Build a slide-style (unfretted) cigar box guitar!
Playing and amplification
A fretless three-string build is commonly suited to slide playing. Fretted versions offer a different layout, so choose based on the playing approach you want. If you want to amplify the instrument, specialist how-to material identifies contact/piezo and magnetic pickups as options. A four-string example describes a top-mounted pickup and can also be left acoustic. The cited sources do not establish that one pickup type sounds better than the other; the choice is a design decision.
What is known about its history
A specialist history page reports that Edwin Forbes’s 1876 artwork “Home Sweet Home” depicts two Civil War soldiers at a campfire, one playing a cigar-box fiddle. It also identifies cigar-box banjo plans published by Daniel Carter Beard in 1884 and John Richards in 1886. These dates and identifications are reported by CigarBoxGuitars.com’s history page; they should not be treated as proof of the first cigar box instrument without checking the original artwork and plan publications.
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