6 String Cigar Box Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

I own several cigar box guitars – some I built – some I bought – usually fretted four strings that I mando tune. I wanted a three string for slide – I liked that this had a disk with a slide technique lesson. I was more than pleased – as an instrument, it's as good as most any CBG – they are all pretty crude at best. This one was easy to assemble – holds tune – sounds good acoustic or electric. There were some comments on it not using an actual cigar box, but a factory-made stylized resonator box. While this is true, it is at least as good as a cigar box, and I can understand why they broke that way for consistency and ease of build (which as I said, was super easy). Aesthetically, most people would probably prefer a real cigar box, but come on – it's like a uke – cheesy is part of the shtick. The lesson is good – play along CD and a book – comes with a good glass slide. I recommend it – worth the list price – all the better with the discounts.JoeFromSD

This is a great way to learn slide guitar. It is small & easy to learn. The book is full of great info. The CD is great, with back tracks, A tuning track so you do not need to buy a tuner, as long as you have something to play the CD in. It would be a good idea to buy a cheep tuner. As far as the price you just can't beat it. You can buy one for any wear from under $20.00 to $59.95. you just have to look around for a good price. Even at $30.00 to $ 40.00 is well worth it. The sound of the guitar very good and a small amp helps the sound but is not a must. Also you can take this any ware. In all this is a great product and was well thought out. Plus it is just fun to play!!handcuff123

I wanted a three string cigar box guitar and between a black friday discount and backstage pass points, I couldn't pass this up. Some reviewers complain that it's cardboard but domestic cigar boxes are predominantly cardboard. Also, Fender recently built a cardboard Strat that couldn't be told from a "real" Strat in a blind test. Build time was about ten minutes. I ran the strings around the tuners contrary to the directions so the string paths were straight. Sounds great acoustic and also great amplified. The only thing lacking is markers on the side of the neck. Maybe not sturdy enough for roughneck kids but a good introduction to the cigar box genre. Nice slide included.Mike

I've built several of these diddley bow kits and they're historically authentic, with the exception of using a new guitar tuner instead of a bent nail or whittled tuner. A cigar box makes a great resonator and these diddley bows sound nice and loud. These kits are just a little more involved than the C. B. Gitty "Pure & Simple" kit (also sold on Musician's Friend: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/c.b.-gitty-cigar-box-pure-simple-3-string-slide-guitar-kit). You'll need to cut a hole for the neck to go in…but it's still a very easy instrument to build. Great for pedagogy. The guitar is played with a slide (provided) and is a great way to learn the slide guitar concept. Blind Willie Johnson started out on a one-string "diddley bow" cigar box guitar and used a pocketknife for a slide. He developed his unique slide style from learning songs on a single string. It's a process heard time and again from many old blues legends.Shane S.

I wanted a fretted guitar, but got an unfettered one. I don't remember the ad specifying if the instrument was fretted or not. If the information was clearer on the ad, that would be helpful. I really like the Wal-Mart web site. I always go there for anything I want or need.Buster

When we bought this, I figured it would need some putting together. Be prepared with a couple hours and make sure you have the correct tools. I have neither so will most likely get another one.Twenty five down the drain 🙁Roy

If played acoustic only, no volume and sounds tinny. When hooked to amp volume is fine but still has a tinny sound. Returned.Kim

This guitar feels great in the hand, and is fun to play. However, it is extremely cheaply made and will likely not last long. The neck is horizontal to the body, giving reduced string clearance, and while the box edges are nicely dovetailed, the back and face are so thin, that they might be made of pressed board. There is a truss rod in the neck, but it connects to a small block of wood that's lodged in the body, so is not structurally that useful. There are no struts that cross the width within the body. This feels great and is fun to play, sounding a little tinny but not terrible if you manage the sound. I really wanted to keep it and play it as it felt so good, but I wanted something to last more than six months. It is a very cheap guitar and is built very cheaply. I asked a luthier if any parts of the guitar were salvageable if it broke, and his response was 'no'. I bet this review isn't posted – it's the second one I've written, and the first one was pulled.crumbs2a

This is a great little guitar! I have had several travel guitars including the Martin and Taylor versions and I think this beats them hands down. You can’t find a better travel guitar especially for the price. This is the third one I’ve purchased as I’ve given them away and moved them on— people appreciate them very fast. I do recommend using a little pillow wrote a tale so you’re are mangoes are the same as for a regular size guitar Makes it much easier to play any small guitar.I do recommend using a little pillow or rolled up small towel so your arm angles are the same as for any regular size guitar. This makes it much easier to play any small guitar. Very lightweight. One came with perfect action, but the other two I had to do a truss rod adjustment to get the optimal action which can be very good. The adjustment was simple. Orangewood customer service is excellent .Thomas B.

Not just for the money, its just a nice guitar! So my packaging had a few issues, it looked like it had gotten hung up on a fork lift tyne and dragged across the floor, I was nervous about opening it. But it was very well packed, not even a blemish. Everything I ordered was there, the guitar itself coming from California to South Alabama, undoubtedly passed through abrupt temperature and humidity changes, yet it was almost in tune out of the box. So much so, that I could tell that it had been tuned properly, and the QC person rolled the heads back about a half, or maybe 3 quarters of a turn just to relieve stress from the rod and neck. The E. Ball strings are pretty nice, feels like standard Bronze Phosphorus strings. I wiped them down with a clean cloth, and no dust or anything whatsoever came from them. I had no loose bindings, no sharp fret wires hanging over, and the ride height is perfect. Its almost unbelievable to get such a nice guitar for what I paid. The gig bag is certainly not the worst one I've ever seen, its padded nicely and has the backpack straps which I like. I hope that you guys never change your core business model, of offering the add-on accessory pack separately, which in my open leaves more room for nicer details like good strings, and real bone. And also allows you to offer slightly higher quality accessories. Very nicely done. I understand that now that you're up and running good, I hope that you still offer a guitar like the Rey at that low price point, for those who may be like I was growing up, and just couldn't afford a decent guitar. They always sounded like crap, couldn't tune them…and for a couple decades I just gave up. I'm back into it again, thanks to this guitar, I'm going to be upgrading soon, but I will probably always hang on to this one…I like it that much. Thanks guys, no complaints from me…God Bless you all, – Jeff Andrews, Mobile AL.Jeffery A.

I really like guitars from Orangewood’s “Playa” collection including my mahogany Dana mini guitar. (I also own a mahogany Rey guitar and have examined a friend’s Victoria guitar.) I will outline my recommendation reasons below, but also will attempt to temper any unrealistic expectations. Size: The diminutive Dana guitar is IMHO a great instrument for hauling around outside the home or playing where space is tight such as on the couch, or at a desk or table, where larger instruments might more readily bump into things or make playing cramped. The shorter scale length might be helpful for those with small hands, but isn’t *that* much different from longer-scale instruments to make going back and forth a big problem. Sound: A small guitar won’t have the deep, resonant tone of a larger instrument no matter how much you pay. That said, after being used for a while, the Dana “plays in” nicely — the tone getting better than out of the box. It’s voice is completely loud enough and resonant enough to satisfy reasonable expectations. Materials & construction: The bracing and general construction seem to be good. Mine is a very handsome, rich honey-chocolate brown with contrasting off-white binding. The laminated materials are a good economical choice but also don’t sacrifice much sound quality. I think this is due to the clever design of these “Playa” instruments, which seem to have thin top, back and sides as well as light bracing and a thin finish; these things together, I think, make for louder, more resonant tone. A key benefit to the laminated wood of the guitar body is that it’s less sensitive to changes in humidity and temperature. I play my laminated guitars much more frequently because they are not so “fussy” — though I do nonetheless humidify them in the winter months. The light construction may benefit from lighter strings. I prefer electric-like playability, so I restring my guitars with 10-46 strings. This makes the instrument more player friendly and may also help the guitar to last by reducing string tension. The tuners are adequate, but have turning ratios that just require slow sneaking up on perfect pitches. Set up: Of the three “Playa”-collection guitars that I’ve examined in detail, NONE arrived set up to the standards of professional guitar technicians. I believe that Orangewood way oversells the “professional” set up on their “Playa”-collection guitars. However, my Dana arrived about a year later than the others, and was the best set up of the three. This guitar arrived at my doorstep with the neck having extreme forward bow. This was not just due to string tension. The double-action truss rod was actually adjusted to increase the neck relief, which was excessive to say the least. I had to tighten the truss-rod adjustment just to get to neutral tension engagement, then continue tightening to get the neck relief to an appropriate setting of about .006”. The set up required no additional adjustment. This was a big improvement over the other “Playa” guitars I’ve examined, which required both nut and saddle tweaking. I am a guitar-tech hobbyist, so I have the tools and knowledge to check out and set up acoustic guitars. My Dana had a fingerboard that was not straight from the factory. I know this because despite the slight waviness of the fingerboard when straightened as much as possible by truss-rod adjustment, the frets are surprisingly level — though they obviously vary considerably in height to compensate for the wavy fingerboard. But let me be realistic. To be able to sell a guitar at these prices, some corners will be cut when compared to the manufacture of guitars that cost five or ten or more times the price. This also applies to guitar set up, which may be the most time-consuming, and therefore expensive, single aspect of guitar creation. So, of course, the set ups on these economy guitars will be less than perfect. (Okay, that said, Orangewood might please stop way overselling their “professional” set ups done in the USA.) So my general recommendation regarding set up on these “Playa”-collection instruments is, upon delivery, to pay a good luthier/technician to check them over to assess keeping or returning, and, if a keeper, have him or her set them up for your level of play or personal preferences (that is, if you aren’t qualified to do it yourself). And that brings up my final, important set-up point, which is that the truss rod's purpose is to compensate against string tension. Action is properly adjusted at the nut and saddle. Bottom line: I have the Orangewood guitars because they are a good value, they sound good, they don’t require obsessive attention to humidity or temperature, and can be fun to play both for a beginner and a more experienced guitar player. The Dana fulfilled my final requirements, which were a guitar that travels more easily and doesn’t require quite so much space to play.Doug H.

Having relatively recently started learning guitar on an electric stratocaster-style guitar this was a great transition to the acoustic segment. The thinner body makes it much more comfortable to play than say a dreadnought and the neck is comfortable to transition too, yet the guitar doesn't seem to sacrifice as much sound as you'd expect from a thinner guitar. The finish of the guitar is that of a more expensive guitar for example the rosewood finger board. On arrival I actually thought the guitar looked better than the pictures on the website suggest but do note that because of the finish it is prone to showing finger marks which would need cleaning time to time. I would highly recommend this guitar.Richard P.

After suffering a permanent back injury I could no longer play my elictric guitar as it was too heavy or my acoustic electric guitar because it felt like it was twice it's normal size because I could no longer find a comfortable position for myself to play it. I bought a keyboard thinking that I could still play music. Afterv two weeks of playing around with the keyboard I gave up pllaying. Then I saw on the internet one night an advertisement for a 3/4 size Yamaha acoustic electric guitar guitar with a slimline bosy which looked like a nice guitar so I checked out males and females playing it and sounded very nice so I bought one. Man am I'm so glad I did. I got the sunburst like this one on sale. I was excited as l took it out of the box and went straight to my mancave and started playing it. It was perfecty in tune and for a guitar of this size it's got such a beautiful tone playing ACOUSTIC. So I plugged it in and it's as good as it sounded on YouTube. As an 67 yesr old man who started playing guitar when I was 16 years old, this is a beauty. I recommend this guitar to beginners, anyone with small hands and even people who want a good guitar to take with them without taking up much space in your car. Yep, it's a beaty.Deano

This CBG ismade in China, it say this nowhere on this site or anywhere else. Many fret ends were unpolished and hurt the palm of my hand. The pickup system is weak and noisy. The neck contour and finger board is playable. The sound is fair for a resonator. The biggest problem is they put a thin veneer cover plate on the back to access the electronics, a disaster waiting to happen and the pictures did not show this. The cover plate is very thin and could crack easily or be pried over time by snagging on a shirt. The best part was the dealer shipped fast and readily accepted the return due to the condition of this CBG.Mark

I have played guitar for fifty plus years. 42 years with my Martin D-35. I have no experience with cigar box guitars but decided to take an affordable risk. It has good construction. It came setup to my liking. Keeps its tune – GDGB. I like the sound. I like the looks of the guitar. Its fun to play. I liked the price. Its not my Martin. I dont want it to be. It stands on its own merits.rrdilworth74

This CBG ismade in China, it say this nowhere on this site or anywhere else. Many fret ends were unpolished and hurt the palm of my hand. The pickup system is weak and noisy. The neck contour and finger board is playable. The sound is fair for a resonator. The biggest problem is they put a thin veneer cover plate on the back to access the electronics, a disaster waiting to happen and the pictures did not show this. The cover plate is very thin and could crack easily or be pried over time by snagging on a shirt. The best part was the dealer shipped fast and readily accepted the return due to the condition of this CBG.Mark

I have played guitar for fifty plus years. 42 years with my Martin D-35. I have no experience with cigar box guitars but decided to take an affordable risk. It has good construction. It came setup to my liking. Keeps its tune – GDGB. I like the sound. I like the looks of the guitar. Its fun to play. I liked the price. Its not my Martin. I dont want it to be. It stands on its own merits.rrdilworth74

If played acoustic only, no volume and sounds tinny. When hooked to amp volume is fine but still has a tinny sound. Returned.Kim

This guitar feels great in the hand, and is fun to play. However, it is extremely cheaply made and will likely not last long. The neck is horizontal to the body, giving reduced string clearance, and while the box edges are nicely dovetailed, the back and face are so thin, that they might be made of pressed board. There is a truss rod in the neck, but it connects to a small block of wood that's lodged in the body, so is not structurally that useful. There are no struts that cross the width within the body. This feels great and is fun to play, sounding a little tinny but not terrible if you manage the sound. I really wanted to keep it and play it as it felt so good, but I wanted something to last more than six months. It is a very cheap guitar and is built very cheaply. I asked a luthier if any parts of the guitar were salvageable if it broke, and his response was 'no'. I bet this review isn't posted – it's the second one I've written, and the first one was pulled.crumbs2a

Fun cigar box resonator – remember the price related to the quality – no-frills – I found another resonator same setup but great quality with pickup.. It is a good value –davedrexdc

Girlfriend bought me a Seagull Entourage Rustic for my birthday and I loved the sound and build quality of the instrument. I've since purchased several for family members and friends as as first instrument or a "step-up". Every site said the S6 was the perfect starter…meh! Only problem with the Entourage Rustic was the nut width made finger picking a chore. I decided to purchase an S6. Playing it in store…rusty strings and all…I could tell it was perfect for my purpose. It has enough space between the strings to allow my fingers to pluck away. I'm finally getting it to the point where the top is aging and the sound is becoming resonant, harmonically rich, and almost three-dimensional. The Entourage Rustic is a great Strummer but mine is now my permanent DADGAD guitar. I tuned it down a whole step (CGCFGC… right?) and have put the capo on the second fret. This allows me a heavier set of strings and the spacing at the second fret is wide enough for my fingers. I may replace the second fret with a stainless steel fret in the near future…as my version of a "zero" fret. Incredible guitars made to impeccable standards…yeah, they've won a fanboi. I've also purchased a Taylor that's nice enough. I just seem to gravitate towards the Seagulls. Leaving the Taylor in the corner.JohnnyScottish

I had a teacher who owned the old S6 model and I always loved the feel and sound of that guitar, it stuck in my head for years. I couldn't ever find one locally and I used to not trust buying guitars sight unseen online, until recently. I got a few less expensive instruments to test it out and was impressed w/ how perfect they showed up ready to play and matching the reviews in every regard, even the flaws. So I waited for the right coupon and bought the new and improved version of the dream guitar I always wanted and I'm so glad I waited and ended up w/ the new one because it's even better! The look is outstanding, mine is just like every picture you can find of one they are all perfect and uniform in appearance, some natural woods will have a lot of variance in grain and color, these all look the exact same. The sound is heavenly, this is where I feel this guitar beats it's predecessor and many other fine instruments like Taylors, Yamahas, and some Martins I've played. It has a very rich full tone and a shimmering quality to it's sustain that makes me think it just creates more natural harmonics and resonance than any other acoustic guitar I've ever played. I've been playing just over 15 years and have fooled around w/ at least 20-25 different acoustic guitars alone, I own 4 others aside from this one- and none of those can compare to this sound of this guitar. It can almost run you out of a small room if you're playing hard it projects so loud, and the resonance/sustain is unbelievable- as long as you can hold a note fretted it will keep ringing, when it starts to fade add vibrato and the sound comes back like it's hooked up to a amp w/ a lot of feedback. The most excellent tone and string spacing I've ever found for finger picking. It's just the right sound for an acoustic lead part w/ melodies and Travis picking because it's highs are higher than others. It feels perfect too w/ the semi gloss finish and that contoured neck, best acoustic guitar ever for the $.John

Okay this product is good. The pickup is fine and it's a great amount of fun. BUT: The fret work is terrible. Really. They stick out of the neck, and it feels like playing with sandpaper on your fingers. Terrible rash after half an hour of playing, still has not worn off. Also the action is really bad and the second fret is buzzing like crazy on mine. I need to get that fixed, but I hoped to get it working right off the box as I am travelling a lot and don't have time to take care of my guitars (which is why I took this one). Overall if the item and the object is really fun and smart and cool (you really get that "cool" factor when playing live and people notice and start laughing at your baby-sized guitar. Also includes a "cute" factor for those who are into that.) But the quality is really poor and needs quite a bit of work to be really useful without cutting your hand. Also a mild annoyance, but the headstock is not blue. I selected this one because the picture showed a blue headstock and it looked cooler than the black one. I got the black one. Minor annoyance, still an annoyance. I would not make this choice again I think, or be prepared to go to the guitar store and invest an additional 100 dollars in fret work and proper setting.pauwohre_0

I purchased this guitar a few years ago and it is my go-to ever since whether I am at home or while traveling. I have rather small hands and not very good stretch so it makes playing my other guitars rather painful after an extended period of time. I like playing this guitar because even though it has a full scale fretboard, everything just feels smaller in my hands when I play it. The width of the neck is smaller than my other guitars makes it easier for me to reach and my hands don't get as fatigued as easily. The sound is great! I only play for fun and have a small 100W amp but it sounds excellent no matter whether I'm playing metal or jazz. The only problem I have with it is there is a little bit of fret buzz when I am playing certain notes. It is not really a problem with the instrument itself. I ordered this by mail and never had it set up after it arrived. I am not comfortable doing it myself so I will have to take it into the store whenever I get the chance. I am sure that once I get it adjusted properly, I will have no problems with it. I love this little beast.Sordesco

A solid four stars. Travel guitars all have their limitations and this one is certainly no exception. But despite those limitations this instrument fulfilled its needs on a recent trip. Which is why I waited to write this review until after it was used for its intended function. It's size and weight were convenient for traveling through airports and overhead bins. It was durable despite being mashed by other carry on luggage. It was fun to play through Vox classic rock plug in amp with ear buds but difficult to stay in tune. Also used a basic leather strap with rough suede to compensate for awkward weight distribution. This kept the strap from sliding in that the guitar is neck heavy. All travel guitars like the Traveler series suffer the same malady. The Neck is straight as an arrow and the action is very good. Haven't changed the strings yet but the stop tailpiece is adjacent to the pickup which may make string changes difficult. All in all, I would not gig with this guitar but for the money it served its purpose preparing for a gig upon my return. A good value overall with some limitations.Rockinvet

Fun to play. The tuning of the four strings is D G B E, so you can use abbreviated standard-guitar chords. The sound is surprisingly robust considering the the fact the guitar body has mitered box joints. Of course it does not make mellow bass — those 2 strings are absent. I still haven't found a comfortable way to hold this thing, so I am here looking for a suitable guitar strap — one that says I am not a hick, I just play a square guitar. There is a end pin in the guitar body. I will have to hook the other end of the strap to a string around the headstock. I like it.mczdcl-2ahozyz