Cigar Box 6 strings: Collaboration Esprit Guitare / Pipiri guitars

The project

We’ve been talking about it with Eric for several months now (Pipiri Cigar Box Guitars): create a Martinican guitar!
The ideal would be to be able to have 100% local production. We already know that certain elements will be complicated to produce locally, such as mechanics or part of the electronics.
But for the rest, we can do it!!

Where do we start?

To begin our collaboration, we simply start with the most obvious: the 6-string cigarbox (or guitar box). There is a big demand, since Eric’s cigar boxes are in circulation on the island. Some guitarists prefer to have 6 strings.

To go quickly, on the prototype, we start with an already made neck, Stratocaster type, which we will adapt to a cigar box. We’ll add the electronics and all the hardware and it should work!

Here we go!

We start by recutting the headstock to revamp it and give it the “wings”, signature of Pipiri guitars.

Then, we move on to the delicate part: making the through and support part of the handle. Without revealing any major manufacturing secrets, this is where the alignment of the handle will come into play. Key step, therefore.

At the same time, we adjust the fret leveling of the frets and prepare the electronic circuit.
For this prototype, we chose a Gibson type assembly. We have a neck pickup (single coil) and a bridge pickup (humbucker). We will control this with a three-position switch, a volume knob and a tone knob for each microphone.
It is the most complete solution in terms of hardware. So it’s a good test, if it fits 😉 Yes, the cigarbox is small…

Once all this is done, we can move on to editing.
The neck finds its place, we place the bridge and the electronics and we can move on to fitting the strings and tuning.

Once set, plug it in and see what it does!!
And frankly, I love it. We find the small grain of the cigarbox on the versatility of the guitar. It’s cool!

Next step

The next step, after validation of this prototype, is the production of a first model intended for sale. This time, the neck will also be manufactured by us, which will simplify the process of adaptation to the body and improve the sound reproduction.

A suivre !!

The Esprit Guitare workshop

The Esprit Guitare lutherie workshop welcomes you by appointment for maintenance, repair, setup or customization of guitars, bass, ukulele and more 😉
Feel free to contact us or book an appointment.

Esprit Guitare – a passion for instruments in Martinique.

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