Custom Built Cigar Box Ukulele

Recently I built this beautiful custom Cigar Box Ukulele for Austin, Texas musician Carolyn Wonderland.

It is made from a black Brick House cigar box, a mahogany neck, ebony fret board, electric pickup, and some cool antique brass. It even has the 1960's Flying Heart inlay done in abalone shell.

Take a look at this beauty!

The re-purposed antique brass came from the historic West Hill Hardware Store in Akron, Ohio.  This is a great old time hardware store with many hard to find parts. I love this store and stop in every chance I get.

See more of my Cigar Box Ukulele's

Brand New FREE Cigar Box Guitar CD Download

Just in time for the holiday season! A Cigar Box Christmas 2011. You will hear some of the old time holiday favorites played by some of the best Cigar Box Guitar performers of today.

To get you FREE copy just click on A Cigar Box Christmas 2011

Be sure and send your holiday music loving friends here for their own FREE copy!

Happy Holidays!

Just in Time for the Holidays!

I've just finished 3 beautiful Cigar Box Ukulele's.  They can be played acoustically or plugged into your favorite amp.

OK I lied... I had 3... one just sold!! I only have 2 left and they are nice! Take a look for yourself. Click on Happy Holidays with Cigar Box Ukulele's :-)

Wow! Impressed... I just sold another one! Only one left until I get the next 4 finished.  Check it out here.

Just click on the little icon pictures of the uke's and the picture gallery will open, enjoy!

All 3 Cigar Box Ukelele's sold! Not to worry there are 4 more in the works... stay tuned.

Daddy Stove Pipe - Does the Delta Blues

I think you will enjoy this artist called Daddy Stove Pipe as he does a masterful gutsy bluesy style of the delta blues for you! All played on his Cigar Box Guitar

Goin' Down South

Slidin' the High Line Enjoy this great slide cigar box guitar!

Amazing Inlay Work!

This some of the most beautiful finger board inlay work I think I have ever seen!

Legendary Guitar Player: Johnny Winter

Few modern day guitar players can compare to pure bluesy growling Texas sound of rock guitarist Johnny Winter.

Johnny started his career at the age of 14 playing in Texas clubs. He got a standing ovation from an all African American crowd when he managed to talk B.B. King into letting him on stage to play. This was at the age of 15.

A lot of people are not aware but Johnny came up with many of the innovative slide guitar techiques used today in rock guitar playing.

Enjoy this legendary guitarist as he plays Mean Town Blues at Woodstock

How to Tune 3-String Cigar Box Guitars & Some Cool Jammin'

If you are looking for a simple easy way to tune your 3-string cigar box guitar then you have arrived!

Click this link and enjoy, this is so easy!!!

While you are here how about a little foot stompin' music to brighten your day! These 3 fella's will have you up and dancing in no time and wondering why you haven't built your own CBG yet!!! Just click on foot stompin'

FREE Christmas CD

Well here it is Christmas season once again and time again for your free Cigar Box Guitar FREE Christmas CD download!

It seems like it was just a short time ago I was posting last years CD Christmas link. Oh well time flys when you are having fun, right?

We at Buttermilk Music we you a Merry Christmas and a really great new years!!

Click here for your FREE 2010 Christmas CD download... Enjoy!!

Lost Verse In Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy Man!

I'm sure you will enjoy this youtube clip of the musical genius Donovan singing his famous "Hurdy Gurdy Man".

What's so fine about this particular clip is your chance to hear how Donovan was in India studying meditation with the Beatles.  While they were together in India playing, singing and meditating together George Harrison of the Beatles said, "Don I can write a verse for that song."

Donovan adds it into his concert as you will see and hear in this youtube clip!  Please share this great music and wonderful piece of history with your friends and family by giving them the link to this blog.

Have an amazing music day!

Simply click here for Hurdy Gurdy Man (Comes Singing Songs of Love) and enjoy!

Greatest Underrated Guitar Players Part II

By: Kenny Auyoung





Warren DiMartini (Ratt): What impresses me most about DiMartini is that fact that despite being known as a speed demon who is content to throw a startling flurry of notes at the listener, is that he knows the value of a rest.

Too many metal artists try to play as fast as possible, and DiMartini can keep up with the best of them, but I'm more taken with the fact that on songs like "Lay it Down", "Wanted Man" and "Round and Round", it's DiMartini's artful use of pauses and mutings to lend depth and character to what would otherwise be just another ripping metal tune.



Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go's/solo): The Go-Go's will never be known for stunning musicianship, but Kathy Valentine's reputation suffered from being thrown together with a group of girls who were far less proficient in their playing. Not to say that the Go-Go's were not any good. Their style of music was based on catchy beats and fun lyrics, so being technically perfect was not a requirement.

Unfortunately, the fact that this was an easily exploitable fault that the critics could grab a hold of, the band was unfairly criticized for being "a bunch of girls who could barely play their instruments." If they had bothered to check, they would have found the Valentine was actually an experienced and talented guitarist, making the switch to bass to fill the spot with the Go-Go's.

Actually, a casual listen will show that Valentine's bass playing stands out more that Charlotte Caffey's or Jane Wiedlin's guitar work. At times it's almost melodic. Since the Go-Go's Valentine has gone solo, along with a side project called the Delpines. I would strongly urge you to check out Valentine's appealing mix of rock and punk on her "Light Years" album.



Slash (Guns 'N' Roses/Velvet Revolver): Guns 'N' Roses now Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan once claimed that Slash had "the fastest right hand I've ever seen." While it may be argued that the left (fretting) hand is more important for a guitarist, after hearing Slash play, there can be no discounting the value of a fast right hand.

"Sweet Child of Mine", "Paradise City" and "Welcome to the Jungle" received more radio play, but to hear one of the best examples of Slash's work, check out "Mr. Brownstone" on "Appetite for Destruction".



Steve "Steamin" Clark (Def Leppard): It seems that all great artists have their demons and Steve Clark was no exception. Before alcohol claimed his life at too young an age, Steve Clark had built up a legacy of fine work that will live on.

Steve's gift was an ability to build spatial separation into his phrasing. It was almost as if he was playing in a huge empty amphitheater in which each note rang out perfectly and separately and yet, along with the complimentary work of bandmate Phil Colin, fit tightly together like pieces in a puzzle. The song "Love Bites" from the "Hysteria" album perfectly illustrates this point.

Unlike previous member Pete Willis, Colin provided a perfect foil for Clark to play off of. Unfortunately, Def Leppard seemed to be associated more with the fact that drummer Rick Allen played with one arm, the result of a 1984 auto accident, taking some of the attention away from the fact that Clark's playing made Def Leppard one of the finest pop metal bands of the 80's.

Author Bio

Kenny Auyoung: Webmaster @ GetMeABand.com - Looking for a band? Search through thousands of musician's profiles to find the right band members in your local area. Find musicians, start a band, and play music.

Greatest Underrated Guitar Players Part I

By: Kenny Auyoung
Ask anybody who the greatest guitar players in the history of rock music are, and you'll likely get the standard answers. The big three, Clapton, Beck and Page; certainly Eddie Van Halen; maybe Stevie Ray Vaughn. The metal-heads will cite Randy Rhodes and George Lynch. These are all valid answers, but if you would put forth names like Elliot Easton and Andy Summers, you might be likely to get a blank stare in return.

Too often great guitarists are overlooked simply because they lack the flash of a star like Eddie Van Halen or because they are part of a group that simply has an overabundance of talent and they tend to be moved to the background.

Take Andy Summers, guitarist for the Police. Everybody knows who Sting is, and there is no doubt that he is tremendously talented, as is drummer Stewart Copeland. As part of that unit, however, Summers was often overlooked. What is so amazing about Andy Summers is not only his command of the instrument, but his overwhelming versatility.

From ska to punk to reggae to straight ahead rock and roll, nothing is outside of his ability. His style has been described as minimalist, but that minimalism is a plus, and he is to be credited for not falling prey to his critics and trying to overplay to compensate for a lack of complex layers of sound.

Below, in no particular order, I've listed some of my favorite underappreciated players, and the reasons why I consider them to be great.Elliot Easton (The Cars): Elliot Easton is probably the greatest reason for the success of The Cars. Without Easton's accessible rock guitar cutting through the synth driven Cars sound, they never would have found the mainstream acceptance that they did.

Imagine the spacey pair of Ric Ocasik and Greg Hawkes playing over an equally new-wave influenced guitarist and you have a style of music that would not appeal to people on a large scale. Easton's Buddy Hollyesque sound, however, served to make

The Cars commercially viable. "My Best Friend's Girl" from their debut album is an excellent example of how Easton's contribution was essential in creating hit records for The Cars.

Author Bio


Kenny Auyoung: Webmaster @ GetMeABand.com - Looking for a band? Search through thousands of musician's profiles to find the right band members in your local area. Find musicians, start a band, and play music -


Stay tuned for Part II of Greatest Underrated Guitar Players!

FREE Cigar Box Album Download! The Budrows!

I have been following the Budrow's, a father and daughter duo, for the past year. They are very versatile in their styles of music. They do a fantastic job with anything from Led Zeppelin to classic blues.

I'm really glad to see they have finally put out an album called "whatcha hear is whatcha get". This FREE CD features excellent electric cigar box guitar playing and super bluesy vocals on classics like:

* pile o' bones
* johnny coldheart
* no luck at all
* into the fire
* little mister
* and more!

I think you love this album as much as I do. Did I mention it was a FREE download?

To get your FREE copy go to http://thebudrows.bandcamp.com/ and click on the Free Download link

Enjoy and send your family and friends back here for their FREE download!
Here is a youtube link for the Budrow's doing a Led Zep song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O62vRv9pomk

Mighty Little Cigar Box Amps! Big Sound!!

Why pay big dollars for an amplifier for your cigar box guitar when you can build your own out of a cigar box and a few inexpensive items from the electronics store?
Check this out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRFt3zNn4vc

How about this?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV3L1JbIoc8&feature=related

So since you are building your cigar box guitar why not take one more step and build your own amp?

And Hollowbelly just because he's just too good not too see and hear! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kw6qyzffuk&feature=related

Three Cigar Box Guitar Fesitvals!

How to Make a Cigar Box Guitar wanted to make sure you knew about the three big Cigar Box Guitar festival's and shows coming up!

Next week will be an jam packed cigar box guitar week with no less than THREE different fests/concerts happening. I've told you about the PA Cigar Box Guitar Fest (performance schedule is now set... see below). There are also two other major concerts happening, one in the Philly/New Jersey area and the other in Orlando, FL.

Friday, August 27 at 8pm: Purgatory Hill and Gerry Thompson's 'Color of Skies' live at the Barrington Coffeehouse. This is a very exclusive concert with only 50 tickets available. We have them on sale at the Cigar Box Nation store - click here. See Purgatory Hill, featuring pAt mAcdonald, former lead singer of Timbuk 3 ("The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades") and electric cellist/percussionist, Melaniejane. Tickets are just $12. This venue is just minutes from Philadelphia in Barrington, NJ.

Saturday, August 28 - ALL DAY! The End of Summer Florida Jam at the Travelodge in Orlando, FL. Cigar Box Radio dj, Rev. Nix is holding a Lowebow intense jam session that will feature many of Florida's greatest CBG players including BEN PRESTAGE.

Purgatory Hill show added to PA Cigar Box Guitar Fest PRE-SHOW! Thursday, Aug. 26 @ 10pm at the First Cap, York, PA They're arriving in York, Pennsylvania a little early next week, so our dear dynamic duo has added a special Thursday show at The First Capital Dispensing Co. at 10pm. Come see Purgatory Hill at the little corner pub that has become Shane Speal's main jam place! This will bring THREE DAYS of cigar box guitar music to the First Cap next week: Wednesday - Shane Speal's open mic. Thursday - Purgatory Hill. Friday - 7 Hills Stomp (feat. The Joker) and Shane Speal.

Pennsylvania Cigar Box Guitar Festival


Performance schedule

CBGitty.com MAIN STAGE:10am - One String Willie
11am - The Shane Speals (Jr and Sr together!)
Noon - April Mae and the June Bugs
1pm - Christian Beshore
2pm - Gerry Thompson's Color of Skies
3pm-5pm - Purgatory Hill

Mr. Suit Records INDOOR STAGE:


This stage is an open mic at times for those who traveled far.
Bring your CBG and give us your best three songs!
Also scheduled
11am - Old Sleeper
Noon - The Joker
1pm - Melaniejane of Purgatory Hill

For more information on making your own cigar box guitar follow the link!

We want your comments!!!

Electric Guitar Technology 101 Part 2

By: Kenny Auyoung

When thinking about any new technology always think how can I apply it to how to make a cigar box guitar.

Another intriguing development is in the area of computer-guitar interface. This has been long time coming, and if you consider the explosion in the popularity of digital recording with Pro Tools and similar software, it's surprising it took as long as it did. Far and away, the leader in this field is Line 6's Variax model.

Now, I will be the first person to admit that I know just enough about computer technology to be dangerous, but I'll try to tell you what I know from what I've read and from friends and acquaintances who have played the Variax. I should also state that I am in no way affiliated with Line 6 or any of their subsidiaries or partners.

The Variax is, according to the Line 6 brochure a "digital modeling" guitar that allows the musician to switch between a huge array of potential sounds on one instrument. The sounds of a 12-string acoustic, Fender Stratocaster style single coils, Les Paul humbuckers, banjo, chimes and dozens of others are all available at the flick of a switch. The best part about it is that all of these tonal variations are available completely hum free and all adaptable to cigar box guitars with a little creative thinking.

For the working musician, this means not having to lug around five to seven separate guitars to provide him with the all of the sounds he requires. The true test, however, is hearing one of these fine instruments in action, so if you'd like to check one out, a list of authorized dealers is available from the Line 6 website. At an MSRP of around $1000 for the mid-line Variax 600 - it's also available in the 300 and 700 - it's not cheap, but for the professional or amateur with money to burn, it may be a worthwhile investment.

There is so much more to be developed in the near future with the improvements in computer technology and miniaturization. Whole racks of effects can now be had in a box the size of a cigarette packet. This is certainly a boon for the musician in terms of both price and the effort necessary to move the equipment. I foresee a day when an entire guitarist rig, with the exception of the instrument itself will be contained within the body of the guitar itself.

While that may not be a comfort to the guitarist who finds himself at home amongst his racks of effects processors, time waits for no man, and he will eventually find himself at a crossroads in musical instrument development, much as those men did back in 1930's and 40's when the acoustic guitar was forced to make way for the first electric guitars. In the mean time build those inexpensive amazing Cigar Box Guitars!

Author Bio

Kenny Auyoung is the webmaster at www.GetMeABand.com – Online musician search network with thousands of musician & band profiles. Find musicians, start a band, and play music.

We value your comments! Post them below!!

Electric Guitar Technology 101 Part 1

By: Kenny Auyoung
It is a curious paradox of the music industry: guitarists, particularly rock guitarists, are often thought of as trendsetters when it comes to fashion and culture; but when it comes to their instruments, they are notoriously conservative (I don’t group PrimRock folks who play cigar box guitars in with conservatives). Innovations such as active electronics, guitar synthesizers and Steinberger's intrepid steps into the field of headless instruments in the 80's have failed to make much of a dent in the market.

Gibson and Fender continue to dominate the electric guitar market much as they did in the 1950's and 60's. Even with the entry of new competitors into the market over the years such as Ibanez, Paul Reed Smith and Charvel/Jackson, the electric guitar has remained essentially unchanged with one to three magnetic pickups and a mess of wires connecting them to the controls. But things may be about to change!
In the last couple of years a few innovations have come along that have totally turned conventional wisdom - or at least conventional guitar electronics on its head. The first is the nylon string solid body electric guitar. I first saw one of these in the hands of metal ace Yngwie Malmsteen and was blown away by the sound.

For any artist who is trying to incorporate elements of classical guitar in his or her repertoire, this instrument provides the mellow classical tone of a nylon stringed guitar with the comfortable feel and action of a traditional solid body axe. This has been made possible through the tremendous advances made in recent years in the field of Piezo pickup technology. When learning how to make a cigar box guitar you will see Piezo mentioned a lot.

Without going into too much technical detail, the Piezo differs from a traditional magnetic pickup in that the Piezo element vibrates with the string, sending an electrical signal of that vibration to a preamp within the guitar for processing, rather than capturing an electromagnetic representation of that vibration which can then be sent directly to an amplifier, or to an onboard preamp if further shaping of the signal is desired.

The Piezo eliminates the need for steel strings, which would otherwise interact with the magnetic pickup, and also produces more satisfactory results for players with a lighter fingerstyle technique. Lest you think this is just another passing fancy, Parker has produced a nylon string version of their famous "Fly" model and another up-and-comer, Sadowski Guitars, is producing a Telecaster style model employing the same technology.

Author Bio

Kenny Auyoung is the webmaster at www.GetMeABand.com – Online musician search network with thousands of musician & band profiles. Find musicians, start a band, and play music.

We value your comments! Please post them below!!

First Annual Pennsylvanial Cigar Box Guitar Festival

Event Description:

Get yourself a cigar box, jam a stick into it and nail a wire for a string... This is the legendary instrument of blues and folk legends, and now it’s in resurgence.


The First Annual Pennsylvania Cigar Box Guitar Festival will take place on Saturday, August 28th from 10am-5pm at the grounds of the York Emporium bookstore in downtown York, PA.


The event features five performing acts, including Purgatory Hill, a gothic blues duo featuring pAt mAcdonald, former lead singer of Timbuk 3.


Vendors will be selling handmade instruments, accessories and other musical items and a second stage will feature a revolving open-mic for other cigar box guitar performers. The concert takes place on the same weekend as the YorkFest art walk and is located just two blocks away from the art festival.


The PA Cigar Box Guitar Festival presents rock, folk and blues music in a MacGyver setting with artists who have built their own instruments from cigar boxes, sticks, hack-wired electronics and a deep do-it-yourself philosophy. “We’ve built our own guitars from things people have discarded,” says festival organizer, Shane Speal, “and we’ve found a deeper music in the process.” The music, sometimes called PrimRock (or primitive rock) is a mixture of folk, rock, blues and even jug band music. “There are no rules in building a cigar box guitar,” says Speal, “and there’s no rules to this music. We’re creating something fresh and exciting.”


The headliner of the event is Sturgeon Bay, WI duo, Purgatory Hill, an act that features pAt mAcdonald, former lead singer of Timbuk 3, the 80’s act that scored the hit, “The Future’s So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades).” Purgatory Hill performs dark, swampy blues rock with a double-neck cigar box guitar. This is Purgatory Hill’s second visit to York after first performing at the First Capital Dispensing Co. on St. Patrick’s Day this year.


Other artists include:

• New Jersey singer/songwriter, Gerry Thompson (featured on several White Rose Community Access TV specials).

• Telford, PA musician, One String Willie, the master of the one-string diddley bow.

• New Jersey roots/blues band, April Mae and the June Bugs

• Chicago blues and folk singer, Stacy Puckett.

• Cincinnati punk blues duo, 7 Hills Stomp (featuring The Joker)


In addition to the Saturday concert, a pre-fest concert with Shane Speal and 7 Hills Stomp will be held at the First Capital Dispensing Co. in downtown York on Friday, August 27 at 10pm.


The PA Cigar Box Guitar Festival is the brainchild of York native (and self-proclaimed “King of the Cigar Box Guitar”), Shane Speal. Speal runs the top website for cigar box guitars, www.CigarBoxNation.com and is the central figure in the upcoming PBS documentary, Songs Inside the Box. The cigar box guitar is currently making resurgence with articles in Premier Guitar Magazine, Make Magazine, myriads of websites and the upcoming PBS documentary. Speal’s CigarBoxNation.com website currently has over 3,000 members worldwide.


If you want to know How to Make a Cigar Box Guitar this is the event!

We value your comments! Please post them below!!

Write Songs Like The Pros Using Powerful & Proven Techniques Part 2

By: Ron Balagot


Another great guest author brought to you by How to Make a Cigar Box Guitar

For many years, professional/top writers have been using a powerful and proven technique that separates them from beginners.

And now, I'd like to share this secret technique with you.

As promised here is step 3, If you follow the 3 steps consistently you'll notice a big improvement in your songwriting:


3. Let it go. Think or do something else...anything else.

In other words, "trust" your subconscious mind to deliver...by getting out of its way.

This is a crucial step. In fact, this is the key to this technique's effectiveness. Without honestly applying this step, you will not get the positive results you're after.

** This is really great information for all aspiring cigar box guitar makers!

What you do is you simply "allow" your subconscious mind to carry out your instructions... without questioning it... without interfering in any way.

In other words, you take your mind off the song by taking a short break...or even a nap. Or you sleep on it...and work on it the next day (the truth is, some writers take days or weeks off before actually writing). Basically, you want to give your subconscious mind enough time to work on what you've instructed it to do. (Many creative people call this the "incubation" phase of the creative process.)

When you do this, you'll notice that when you sit down to actually start writing, thoughts or ideas come to you more naturally...and in a more organized way. You'll notice a better flow to your writing overall. (This is because your subconscious mind has done a lot of the work for you...in the background...while you were busy doing other things...or while you were sleeping.)

(If you're a composer, melodic or musical ideas will naturally come to you...and sometimes it will happen when you least expect it. That's why it's a good idea to always have a tape recorder or digital voice recorder handy...so you can sing the melody and record it.)

And what's the end result of applying the above 3 steps (after all the editing)?

A powerfully moving song and a more inspired cigar box guitar maker!

Author Bio

Ron Balagot is a songwriter/musician/writer. Through articles like this, he hopes to help aspiring songwriters attain their songwriting goals.

We value your comments! Please post them below!!

Write Songs Like the Pros Using Powerful & Proven Techniques Part 1

by Ron Balagot

Another great guest author brought to you by How to Make a Cigar Box Guitar


For many years, professional/top writers have been using a powerful and proven technique that separates them from beginners.
And now, I'd like to share this secret technique with you.
If you consistently apply the following 3 steps, you'll notice a big improvement in your songwriting:

1. Gather as much information about your song idea as possible.
Once you've come up with an idea for your song, write down all related information.

Example:

* Song Type (love song, inspirational song, up-tempo, etc.)

* Song's Title

* Objective (what you wish to accomplish with the song)

* Message you are trying to bring across to your listeners

* Emotion you are trying to evoke in your listeners, and so on

* Great information for all aspiring cigar box guitar makers!

2. Command your "subconscious mind" to help you with your objective.

With the information you have in front of you, give your subconscious mind a direct command.

Example:

If you're a lyricist, before you start reading what's in front of you, say something like:

"Subconscious mind, create powerful lyrics with the information I'm about to read. Work on it 24 hours a day even as I sleep."
(If you're given a melody to write lyrics to, say the following just before listening to the melody: "Subconscious mind, create powerful lyrics for the melody I'm about to listen to. Work on it 24 hours a day even as I sleep.")

If you're a lyricist/composer, just before you start reading what's before you, say something like:

"Subconscious mind, create a powerful song with the information I'm about to read. Work on it 24 hours a day even as I sleep."
(With that last command, you're basically instructing your subconscious mind to come up with both the lyrics and melody the "perfect marriage" of both.)

If you want to know how to make a cigar box guitar and write your own songs read on.

If you happen to be a composer, you could also benefit from this technique. Just place the finished lyrics in front of you and say something like:
"Subconscious mind, create a powerful melody for the lyrics I'm about to read. Work on it 24 hours a day even as I sleep."

(If you simply want to create a beautiful melody from scratch, apply Steps 1 - 3. In Step 1, some of the information mentioned...ex. song's title or message you are trying to bring across is not completely necessary. As a rule the more information you have the better. What's important is that your subconscious mind has enough information to work with. It knows exactly what you are trying to accomplish.)

(Note: You're free to create your own version of the above commands. Also, you can give the commands either aloud or silently in your head.)

It's even a good idea to apply this step before going to sleep, whenever possible.

Learning how to make your own cigar box guitar is an amazing thing. Now you can make your own powerful songs to go along with your own cigar box guitar!

We value your comments! Please post them below!!

The Ins and Outs of the Cigar Box Guitar

by Walker Hayes

Musicians are people who generally like to get noticed. No field is more competitive than theirs and so anything that will help a musician stand out, the better. At the same time, however, you've got a reputation to uphold and you don't want to go so outlandish that it looks like you're trying too hard. If you want a distinctive instrument that can really play, try out the cigar box guitar.

These come from an interesting lineup of instruments you can make right in your own home like the various "jug band" instruments that you've no doubt seen before. All of these instruments stand out in a crowd just because of their unorthodox nature and appearance. If you plan to play cigar box guitars, there are a few things you want to consider first. To begin with, how are you going to get one: buy it or build it?

Believe it or not, there's a substantial community of people out there who are in love with the cigar box guitar and devote themselves not just to building them but to teaching others how to make a cigar box guitar.

If you do decide to buy a pre-made cigar box guitar, you still have more questions to ask yourself. The first one is how much money you want to spend. If you want a simple instrument that just has a cool bluesy look to it, you won't break the bank. But even a high quality cigar box guitar, although it's going to cost a little more because of the niche market and the labor involved, it's not going to hurt too much either. Just be sure you know what you're getting into.

Look into having a custom model built for you if you're going to buy one pre-made. Typically, cigar box guitar makers don't have a huge stock of these instruments lying around, so it shouldn’t cost too much more to have one built to your exacting specifications. You can choose your favorite type of wood and favorite brand of cigar to make an instrument that truly speaks to your personality. Many cigar box guitar makers have a stock pile of cigar boxes on hand.

Of course, for many people, the thrill is in the process of bringing the instrument to life themselves. You can make a quick and easy instrument in an afternoon that would be good to learn on or perhaps give to a young person as a gift. Or you could spend days creating a thing of beauty that any musician would be proud to play. How involved you want to get is up to you. Whichever route you take, you can surely find the help you need with how to make a cigar box guitar.

The basic techniques you want to learn are mounting the neck of the guitar to the box, reinforcing the box so that it remains sturdy, and placing and cutting the sound hole. Be aware that everything you do can affect the quality of sound you get, so don't rush.

By now, you probably have some idea of whether or not the cigar box guitar is for you. If you decide it is, don't stop at just one build. Keep on pushing the envelope with new and exciting variations. Rock on!