Handmade Cigar Box Guitars – great sound and quality…guaranteed
Choose a CBG from below or design your own and contact Nigel to order now.
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Below is a selection of our handmade cigar box guitars. The first step is to have a look at the examples below and choose your own design. Then Contact Nigel to order. We use only quality parts and do not use piezo pickups. Each CBG is branded and serialised and we guarantee our work. Prices include postage and handling for all states, except regional WA (extra $30). We also post internationally. Contact Nigel for international postage prices.
Wondering about frets? A fretless, slide instrument is easier to play because there are no chord shapes or fingerings to learn. It’s all open tuning and you follow the dots (fret markers) on the neck with the slide to make chords. The original CBGs were all slide instruments. They didn’t have the technology to fret them and that’s where that blues tone comes from—the slide. It’s about keeping it simple and raw and uncomplicated.
To create a unique instrument with an individual sound, choose from a variety of:
- Pick-ups, including humbucker pickups (a more grungy sound e.g. Les Paul), handwound three pole pickups (stripped back, raw blues sound) and single coil pickups (clean, warm tones e.g. Fender, Strat/Tele);
- Woods for necks; and
- Cigar boxes from around the world.
Hear Nigel play his cigar box guitars on the ‘Resources’ page or on my youtube channel.
CBG lessons McTrustry Cigar Box Guitars offers both free how-to-play videos and cigar box guitars lessons via Skype or in Brisbane to have you strumming like a Bluesman/woman in no time and to keep you inspired. CBG lessons will be tailored to your level whether you’re a complete beginner or advanced. We want to make sure you are not only happy with your CBG but can go out there and impress your friends and family (and yourself).
‘Muddy Waters’ box guitar
‘Muddy Waters’ box guitar
Midnight Rambler
‘Midnight Rambler’
‘Smokin’ Gun’
‘Smokin’ Gun’
Roadhouse Blues (left hander)
‘Roadhouse Blues’ (left hander)
Roadhouse Blues
‘Roadhouse Blues
‘Smokestack Lightnin”
‘Smokestack Lightnin”
Slide is available for $20 (see slides)
‘Jimmy Jazz’
‘Jimmy Jazz’
SOLD but can build similar (build time approx. 1-2 wks) – Contact Nigel
‘Robert Johnson’ box guitar
Robert Johnson Box Guitar
Back in Black
Back in Black
Gift Voucher
Not sure which cigar box guitar to buy for someone?
A gift certificate will solve your problem.
Guaranteed to make them happy.
The lucky recipient can contact Nigel and select the guitar of their dreams or have one made specifically for them.
- Free delivery!
- Handmade, unique gift!
- A personal surprise that they will treasure!
- Easy to learn and fun to play!
After purchase you will be directed to a page where you can fill in details and leave a message to be delivered with the guitar.
More Details
A creative and unique gift that will be heard throughout the years! An original, hand crafted cigar box guitar built by Nigel McTrustry – there’s nothing on earth quite like it!
Mr Mojo Risin’
‘Mr Mojo Risin”
Bolivar Lefty
‘Bolivar Lefty’
Crossroads
‘Crossroads’
‘Crawlin’ King Snake’
‘Crawlin’ King Snake’
SOLD but can build similar (build time approx. 1-2 wks) – Contact Nigel
‘Twin Tone SKA’
‘Twin Tone SKA’
‘The Whopper’ Bass
‘The Whopper’
‘Lefty Arturo’
‘Lefty Arturo’
‘When the Levee Breaks’
‘When the Levee Breaks’
‘Lefty’
‘Lefty’
‘Yellow Dawg’
‘Yellow Dawg’
‘One More Cup of Coffee’
‘One More Cup of Coffee’
SOLD but can build similar (build time approx. 1-2 wks) – Contact Nigel
3 string slide cigar box guitar
Cuesta-Rey cigar box (Dominican Republic)
Single coil Pickup
Volume and tone controls
Antique key bridge
Tasmanian Oak/Tasmanian Blackwood Neck
Scale: 24 3/4 inch
$445 (incl. p&h within Australia except WA: +$30)
A slide can be purchased for $20 (see below)
‘Black Cat Bone’
‘Black Cat Bone’
‘Preachin’ the Blues’
‘Preachin’ the Blues’
‘You Gotta Move’
‘You Gotta Move’
‘Sandman’ 2 string bass
‘Sandman’
‘Sunshine of Your Love’
Sunshine of Your Love
SOLD but can build similar (build time approx. 1 – 2 wks) – Contact Nigel
3 string slide cigar box guitar
Robaina Cuban cigar box
Humbucker pickup
Tone and volume controls
Antique key bridge
Tasmanian Oak Neck
Scale: 24 3/4 inch
Price: $445 (including p&h within Australia except WA: +$30)
A slide can be purchased for $20 (see slides).
‘Smokestack Blues’
‘Smokestack Blues’
Slide is available for $20 (see slides)
‘Mini Hobo Traveller’
‘Mini Hobo Traveller’
The perfect sized 3 string slide cigar box guitar for travelling! Will fit into a backpack.
Bolivar Cuban cigar box
Humbucker pickup
Volume and control knobs
Antique key bridge
Merbau and Tasmanian Black neck
Scale: 20 3/4 inch
$425 (incl p&h within Australia)
A slide can also be purchased for $20 (see slides).
‘Four Stix’
‘Four Stix’
–SOLD but can build similar (build time approx. 1-2 wks) – Contact Nigel
4 string slide cigar box guitar
Romeo y Juliet Cuban cigar box
Single coil 4 pole pickup
Volume and control knobs
Antique key bridge
Tasmanian Oak and Tasmanian Black neck
Scale: 24 3/4 inch
Price: $450 (incl p&h within Australia except WA)
A slide can also be purchased for $20 (see slides).
‘Honey Waite’ Bass CBG
‘Honey Waite’
SOLD but can build similar (build time approx. 1 wk) – Contact Nigel
2 string slide cigar box guitar bass
Partagas Cuban cigar box
Mini humbucker pickup
Antique key bridge
Wenge (African rosewood) and Tassie Oak neck
Scale: 30 1/4 inch
Price: $550 (incl. p&h)
A slide can be purchased for $20 (see below)
‘Spoonful’
‘Spoonful’
SOLD but can build similar (build time approx. 1-2 wks) – Contact Nigel
3 string slide cigar box guitar
Arturo Fuente cigar box (Dominican Republic)
Bill Lawrence Dual Rail Humbucker pickup
Antique key bridge
Tasmanian Blackwood neck
Scale: 24 3/4 inch
$575 (incl. p&h within Australia except WA)
A slide can be purchased for $20 (see below)
‘Little Red Rooster’
‘Little Red Rooster’
SOLD (but if you have a record you’d like put on your CBG, Contact Nigel now.
3 string slide cigar box guitar
Las Cabrillas cigar box from Honduras
Humbucker pickup
Little Red Rooster original Rolling Stones 45″ vinyl
Volume and control knobs
Antique key bridge
Tasmanian Blackwood Neck
Scale: 24 3/4 inch
Price: $525 (incl p&h within Australia except WA: +$30)
A slide can be purchased for $20 (see slides).
Mini cigar box guitars
Mini cigar box guitars
These cbgs have a short scale and are great for TRAVEL and a good starting place for KIDS.
They may be smaller than the normal cigar box guitar but they still pack the same punch.
This is an example.
Cost range depending on wood and boxes: $425 to $450 (incl. postage and handling).
Please Contact Nigel for information or to specify what you need.
Slide
218 Dunlop slide
This is the perfect slide for a three string cigar box guitar
$20
