If you want to make a very basic guitar you can do so with a piece of 1x2-inch oak, string, a few hardware odds and ends, and a cigar box.


Cigar box guitars have been a growing trend in maker culture for the past decade and there are loads of tutorials out there. I chose to share the tutorial video from Maker Workshop above as it uses a very approachable low-cost materials and ease-of construction. If you enjoy making a guitar using this method you can move on to more professional approaches.

John Park from Make builds his cigar box guitar by plotting and then drilling holes for the strings and tuning pegs. He then adds two scrap pieces of wood trim to create a nut and a bridge to hold the strings above the neck. The string used is nylon masonry twine but if you don't already have that on hand you may just want to consider buying cheap guitar strings as you probably won't save any money if you have no other uses for masonry twine. Next tuning pegs are constructed from eye bolts, washers, and wingnuts and the guitar is strung as shown in the above video. Finally the cigar box is glued shut then the guitar neck is centered and epoxied over the box to provide resonation. In the video John also add a piezo transducer to give the guitar an electronic pickup, but that is completely optional.


Cigar box guitars are fun to build and play and make inexpensive homemade holiday gifts.

Cigar Box Guitar on Make: television | YouTube