CigarFox

How do you get the frets right on a cigar box guitar? Mine is not intonated very well.?

How do you get the frets right on a cigar box guitar? Mine is not intonated very well.?
I used the 24.5 inch diagram off of cigarboxguitars.com and printed it out then affixed it to the neck that I made but the sound is not in tune. Is there an easier way to put frets on cigar box guitars so I can actually get the frets intonated right so that you can play chords on it…

Measure the distance from the bottom of the nut to the 12th fret.

Add 3/16″

This distance should equal the distance from 12th fret to bridge saddle. If it doesn’t then you’ll have to move the saddle and/or bridge.

A Cigar Box Guitar Builder’s Guide to Stringing and Tuning / Bottleneck Slide Blues / Open Tuning

I’m making a cigar box guitar and I need a little help?

I don’t have any tuning pegs around… is there anything I can use instead of tuning pegs?

Hello there,

I would advise you to buy actual tuning pegs if you plan to play the guitar. I have played string instruments that used wooden pegs for tuners. That was common with vintage (antique) ukes.

The problem with those sort of tuning pegs is that they do not hold the string in tune as you play. The string constantly goes out of tune. You have to retune the string after a song, sometimes part way through a song. That is no way to play. That is a problem on a lot of cheap guitars. The tuning pegs do not hold tune. Homemade ones will not likely hold tune either.

Avoid the headache and buy the tuning pegs. You can buy some off eBay for a few bucks. Money well spent.

Later,

American Folk Blues Prison Ballad / Cigar Box Guitar / Bottleneck Slide / Open Tuning