STL CBG

STL CBG Cigar box guitars designed and built by hand in St. Louis, Missouri

The side fret markers on this CBG are made from chopsticks.Step 1: Drill 5mm holeStep 2: Dip chopstick in wood glue then...
07/22/2025

The side fret markers on this CBG are made from chopsticks.

Step 1: Drill 5mm hole
Step 2: Dip chopstick in wood glue then insert into hole
Step 3: Wipe off excess glue and cut flush with fretboard

Rinse and Repeat

I love how this seven pointed star rosette sound hole is turning out.
09/26/2024

I love how this seven pointed star rosette sound hole is turning out.

Chopsticks as inlay dots. These particular chopsticks were 5 mm in diameter. It was a matter of drilling a matching hole...
04/26/2024

Chopsticks as inlay dots.

These particular chopsticks were 5 mm in diameter. It was a matter of drilling a matching hole, tapping in a chopstick with glue, trimming with a flush cut saw, and sanding smooth.

I don’t think it’s the right look for every guitar, but I think it will turn out cool.

Lately I’ve been laminating all the thin stock wood I can find for headstocks.The top guitar’s headstock is poplar with ...
01/09/2024

Lately I’ve been laminating all the thin stock wood I can find for headstocks.

The top guitar’s headstock is poplar with cedar grilling planks on the outer layers.

The middle piece is veneered with the thin wood strips for lighting ci**rs that come in some cigar boxes.

The bottom piece is from an insert from abrick house box. I couldn’t believe the figure in that piece when I oiled it.

Does anyone else use the inserts from boxes in their builds?

Working on storage solutions for cigar box guitars. This crate has runners on the inside of the bottom to account for th...
01/03/2024

Working on storage solutions for cigar box guitars. This crate has runners on the inside of the bottom to account for the strap buttons so the guitars sit flat. It’s made from 1x10 and 1x3 pine.

How do you store your CBGs?

3 String Cigar Box Guitar23” Scale length tuned E-B-EPiezo pickup with volume controlChrome sealed tunersBlack Walnut br...
12/29/2023

3 String Cigar Box Guitar

23” Scale length tuned E-B-E
Piezo pickup with volume control
Chrome sealed tuners
Black Walnut bridge
Neck is made from Jatoba, Black Walnut fretboard and headstock
Finished in nitrocellulose lacquer

Three String CBG by James Eddy Cigar Box Guitars
12/29/2023

Three String CBG by James Eddy Cigar Box Guitars

Here it is. The 1 string fretless bass. It’s a real thumper.This one turned out great. Originally a vehicle to find out ...
12/28/2023

Here it is. The 1 string fretless bass. It’s a real thumper.

This one turned out great. Originally a vehicle to find out if I could inlay wood for fret markers and have it look nice. The answer to that is yes.

The neck is pine, the fretboard is cedar with tree wood inlaid fret markers. The headstock is poplar with a purpleheart cap. It’s got a 25.5” scale, so it’s short scale. It has a piezo pickup under the bridge with a single volume k**b. I thought the thumb rest turned out great too. On to the next build.

I’m working on a 1 string short scale fretless bass. Here are some work in progress shots.The neck is pine with a red ce...
12/26/2023

I’m working on a 1 string short scale fretless bass. Here are some work in progress shots.

The neck is pine with a red cedar fingerboard. The fret lines are inlaid mystery wood from paint stir sticks. The headstock is poplar with a cap of purpleheart. The box is an Aladino Cigar box that has been stained blue with unicorn spit gel stain and then distressed.

The plan is to install a piezo pickup under the bridge, glue in the neck, and install a bass tuner and flatwound string. This one should be a fun guitar.

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St. Louis, MO

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