Built yourself a cigar box guitar, eh? Chances are, you'll want to plug it in and annoy your neighbors. So let's build a cigar box amp!
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There are two kits, or amp modules, I'd recommend for
Built yourself a cigar box guitar, eh? Chances are, you'll want to plug it in and annoy your neighbors. So let's build a cigar box amp!
There are two kits, or amp modules, I'd recommend for making your first cigar box amp.
The first is C.B. Gitty's 2.5w amp kit (Check out photos below of the step-by-step build). The second is a Low Voltage Audio Amplifier NJM386D LM386, which can be found on eBay and similar sites.
They both work great, and I've used them regularly when making these mini-amps of mayhem. Some of the advantages of the C.B. Gitty kit is that it has everything you need to make an amp. All the wires are neatly labeled so you don’t have to worry about reading a diagram, and it has a gain pot that can be adjusted with a screwdriver to give your amp a dirty tone.
The NJM386D LM386 module costs a little less, but by the time you buy a speaker, jack, volume knob and 9-volt battery lead, they are practicality the same price. The NJM386D LM386 module is a no-solder kit as well, so you can just connect your leads to the chip using a small screwdriver.
Tools you will need:
• Soldering iron and solder
• A drill and drill bits
• A hole saw (that matches the size of your speaker)
• Sandpaper
• Screwdriver
• Safety goggles
• Gloves
• Not-so-common common sense.
Some Quick Tips
I tend to use old book-shelf stereo speakers in cigar box amps. A bigger speaker = bigger sound, plus the only way to open most of the speaker cabinets is to crack them open with a hammer. It's great fun and works