Forums

Made in Scotland

Posted by Tam Givens on June 8, 2009 at 12:56am
Hi Folks My name is Tam I live in Scotland. I got interested in CBG's after seeing them on youtube, since then I have built 2 Strummers, 2 3 string CBG's, also a Mandolin and Fiddle. I am now making a 4 sring CBG, hope to have it done for tomorrow. I know a lot of musicians, none of them have ever heard of Cigar Box instruments, apart from the ones that I have made. I play Trad, Scottish, Irish and American folky music, I plan to learn some blues from Kenny Lee Burgess youtube lessons. Question for forum members. HOW DID YOU DISCOVER CIGAR BOX INSTRUMENTS Tam

May 2009 Cigar box instruments 3.jpg

Stick Dulcimer 1.jpg

Cigar Box Fiddle 1.jpg

You need to be a member of Cigar Box Nation to add comments!

Join Cigar Box Nation

Email me when people reply –
Follow

Replies

  • Tam Givens June 13, 2009 at 9:17pm
    Hi Diane

    My cigar box for the fiddle is 10 and 3/4 inches long, 5 inches wide, 2 inches deep, highest point of the bridge is 1-1/4
    The name on the box is De PARTAGS HABANA CUBA. Full length is 22-1/2 inches
    I have made it to the size of a 3/4 size fiddle, I used the neck and finger board from a cheap Chinese one,
    that I learned to play on, I have 3 full sized and 1 3/4 sized fiddles, My hands are not big and my little finger is curved,
    The 3/4 is easier to play.
    I don't clip the side of the CBF but my friend tried it and he clips it, I could cut long thin soundholes on the sides.
    inside I have made a soundpost and a bass bar, also a Piezo , at each end of the box I have mahogany blocks to make
    the body longer.
    I don't have recodings of it, the last time I played it was through an overdrive pedal, and it sounded great.

    Check this out
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvpeGGCJc1A

    Tam


    >
  • Diane in Chicago June 12, 2009 at 12:05pm
    I have a spouse born in Nashville (but oddly no Southern accent), and Grune Guitars is a must when we're back in town. He loves his Martin, too, and will sometimes play one of my homemade ones, but he has pretty high standards. A Martin is a tough act to follow!

    I have a CB fiddle on the bench just now, hope to have it up and playable in the weeks ahead. Do you have a clip somewhere of how your fiddle sounds? How wide is the box in the playing zone and do you have any problems with the bow clipping the edges of the box when you are on the high and low strings?

    Tam Givens said:
    Hi Diane

    I love Americana old time music, we had the Stairwell Sisters over here a couple of weeks ago,
    We went to see them in Glasgow. I have lots of Bluegrass and American folk albums in my collection.
    I have lots of Nanci Griffith, John Prine, John Denver, Kris Kristofferson, the Carter Family, and plenty more like them.
    I have visited Nashville and been to the Opry at the Rhyman, My wife bought me a Martin in Grune Guitars on Broadway. But now I spend most of my time playing my home made junk.

    I have another 6 good cigar boxes waiting to be used up, I got them in Lanzarote, bought them from Duty free shops.
    I will show my wife your reply, so she will know that I'm not the only Addict.

    Tam
    <</body>
  • Tam Givens June 12, 2009 at 2:36am
    Hi Diane

    I love Americana old time music, we had the Stairwell Sisters over here a couple of weeks ago,
    We went to see them in Glasgow. I have lots of Bluegrass and American folk albums in my collection.
    I have lots of Nanci Griffith, John Prine, John Denver, Kris Kristofferson, the Carter Family, and plenty more like them.
    I have visited Nashville and been to the Opry at the Rhyman, My wife bought me a Martin in Grune Guitars on Broadway. But now I spend most of my time playing my home made junk.

    I have another 6 good cigar boxes waiting to be used up, I got them in Lanzarote, bought them from Duty free shops.
    I will show my wife your reply, so she will know that I'm not the only Addict.

    Tam

    Diane said:
    Last August I saw a guy in Asheville NC selling 3-string stick dulcimers (with a dual high string, and idea I filed away for later) and I went and got ahold of a McNally strumstick off ebay. That was fun, but it had some issues (narrow fingerboard, hard to keep flat to your body while playing). I was poking around in youtube for tutorials on song ideas and .... whoa, what is THAT!?

    I meant to build only one or two, so I'd have a better strumsticky instrument, and har, har, har, likely to finish #20 by the end of the summer. I meant to stop. Really.

    I'd like to play more Scottish and Irish, and work on my Kenny Lee. Mostly I play American Old Time, there's floating jams around here most Sundays. I'll be hosting one in a week or so, maybe I'll let them play my cbgs.
  • Diane in Chicago June 11, 2009 at 9:57am
    Last August I saw a guy in Asheville NC selling 3-string stick dulcimers (with a dual high string, and idea I filed away for later) and I went and got ahold of a McNally strumstick off ebay. That was fun, but it had some issues (narrow fingerboard, hard to keep flat to your body while playing). I was poking around in youtube for tutorials on song ideas and .... whoa, what is THAT!?

    I meant to build only one or two, so I'd have a better strumsticky instrument, and har, har, har, likely to finish #20 by the end of the summer. I meant to stop. Really.

    I'd like to play more Scottish and Irish, and work on my Kenny Lee. Mostly I play American Old Time, there's floating jams around here most Sundays. I'll be hosting one in a week or so, maybe I'll let them play my cbgs.
  • JUJU June 8, 2009 at 3:17pm
    Thats the same video that i stumbled accross one day looking at guitar videos on youtube , i saw Shan playing the reddog's Screamin Eagle and i was hooked from that day forward
    :-) juju.

    (Ben) said:Yep, Red Dog got to me too...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GJVpTjnPk4
  • paul @ huckleberry guitar June 8, 2009 at 10:01am
    You've got some nice looking builds there Tam. That fiddle is sweet! I got involved via my brother in law. He had been rebuilding the interior of an old Airstream Trailer for a rather eccentric customer. When he was done he was gifted with a 4 string Daddy Mojo chihauhau. I thought it was great so this started me on internet searches and discovering Red Dog, Daddy Mojo, Smojo, Back Porch Mojo, Smokehouse, Papa's Boxes, Secondhand CBG etc. I found the info and how to's on Cigar Box Guitars website and gave it a shot. I build one at a time, tend to take my time and to try something new with each build. I don't spend a day without thinking about or playing them now.
  • Paul Doug June 8, 2009 at 9:35am
    Welcome to the forum. You have some great looking instruments. I am a menber of a woodworking forum. At the time it was mostly turning things on a wood lathe. One guy posted a guitar he made Making the box for it on the lathe, like a bowl. It is a really neat looking guitar and he talked about CBG's. I got looking and decided I wanted to try one. Boy! does it get ahold on you! I'm on my 4th one and have boxes all over the house waiting.
  • Roosterman June 8, 2009 at 6:13am
    Yep, Red Dog got to me too...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GJVpTjnPk4
  • Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates June 8, 2009 at 6:03am
    ebay and Youtube. I was looking for an electric guitar on ebay and stumbled on some CBGs being sold as kit and finished items. One listing had some youtube vids on it and from there, its history. Red Dog Guitars (John McNair) had one really nice sound and I was completely sold.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz5wMGovkuQ&feature=channel_page
  • Roosterman June 8, 2009 at 4:30am
    Hi Tam, and welcome!
    Im just up the road from you near Inverness :o)

    How I got into CBGs though? No idea! Its so all consuming that I feel like Iv been into them my whole life, though in reality its probably only been 6 months!!
    I guess I stumbled accross one on Ebay while looking for repair projects or something... now I just look for boxes and parts :o)
This reply was deleted.