Attaching the Fretboard to the Box

We've successfully taken care of putting frets on the guitar, so we're close to having our guitar ready. This next step takes care of one of the final preparations on the guitar. We're about to attach our fretboard and cigar box.

We will need wood glue (I use Elmer's), six finishing nails which are somewhat small, just below an inch in length, and a hammer. Apply a small amount of wood glue to the indented section of the fretboard that goes inside of the box. Close the lid, and using the two protruding sides of the fretboard as handles, gently pull the box and fretboard together. Keep reading ahead while doing this however, as you made need to open the box while the glue dries. While doing this, make sure that your bridge and nut still measure up to the exact same scale length as before.

If the cut out sections on your cigar box have provided enough wiggle room to allow you to open the box while still keeping the fretboard attached, do so and wipe off any excess wood glue that has flowed out from the box. If you don't have this kind of wiggle room, do not let the glue dry very much before opening the box and separating the fretboard and box. Wipe off any excess glue and begin attaching them again.

Once the glue has had some time to dry, grab your nails. We will put two on each end of the lid of the box in the space where the fretboard rests underneath. Space them out evenly, and take care in where you place them. Remember that the strings will also be right above them, so hammer the nails in as far as possible. I always hammer mine in to where the head of the nail is flush with the lid of the box.

If you would like a cigar box guitar that still opens in spite of the fretboard being attached, you only needed those four nails and are done! If you would like to seal the box, go ahead and put finishing nails in the side of the lid that rests on top of the side of the box.