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Comment by bemuzic on June 24, 2011 at 10:54am

that's an interesting and moving story Hal!...just had a look on your page.Some cool looking builds. I'd like to hear what they sound like!

Comment by Habanera Hal on June 24, 2011 at 9:11am

My father was an avid woodworker and taught me most of what I know today - both in woodworking and in life.  He was truly a craftsman and even had articles published in Fine Woodworking magazine. We built many projects together through the years, from simple things like shelving to very intricate inlay-laden boxes, clocks, etc.  It was his mentoring that led me to do most if not all the carpentry work in my own homes and to do volunteer work for my neighbors and charitible organizations like Habitat for Humanity.  As with many things though, I drifted away from those interests as age, new hobbies, and other responsibilities overtook my life.

When he passed away a few years ago, I lost all interest in woodworking.  Even though I had inherited the collection of tools that he had accumulated over more than 80 years, I could not bring myself to use them.  Then one day a couple of months ago, my wife asked me to find her a box she could use to hold business cards.  I found an old cigar box full of screws and bolts in the garage and stuck a quick divider in it for her.  I then realized that it had been one of Dad's old stoogie boxes.  I was thinking about it for a few days and started searching "cigar boxes" online, and found this site.  I had no idea that people used them to make musical instruments!

I started looking at all the creative ways people were making guitars out of them, and thought, "I really need a project - this looks like fun."  I picked up a suitable box, a 1x2 piece of maple, some tuners at a local guitar store and started designing.

Then I picked up my tools to start building.  Or rather, I picked up Dad's tools, and a wave of emotions I can't describe just overwhelmed me.  I sat in my garage and cried for over an hour.

He is with me now, every time I pick up a chisel, a hammer, turn on the drill press or the belt sander.  He's looking over my shoulder, guiding my hands, giving my the advice he gave me so many times before, but when I was young and too foolish to listen. 

This site has givem me the opportunity to remember what the important things in life are.

Comment by bemuzic on June 23, 2011 at 3:12am

I think my husband first spotted some cigar box guitars on EBay back in Nov 2009 (we can't now remember if we had heard of them before that!)
They really appealed to me as I've always loved Blues music, the more raw and basic the better. Also I thought they might be small and light enough for me to play. (I used to play a "normal" guitar a bit, but since surgery on my back in 1989 it was too painful to enjoy playing it)
With those eBay CBG's there was a 3 stringer and a 4 stringer...couldn't decide which to go for and though a mixture of over enthusiasm and stupidity I ended up winning them both!!
I had to wait a few weeks for them to arrive as there was a postal strike on...during that time I scoured the internet for information on CBG's. I watched many, many videos on Youtube and came across Cigar Box Nation.
When the guitars finally arrived I was disappointed to find that the frets were not in the right place!!! Luckily I found someone on The Nation (Hogs Grunt) who said he would sort them out for me...so more waiting. Hogs ended up putting new necks on them and they were great when I got them back!!
The four stringer is a better sounding instrument but the 3 stringer seemed to make more sense to me and I was hooked!!!
While I was waiting to get them I was chatting on The Nation to people and they wanted to see/hear the guitars when I got them. I felt pretty stupid doing my first video (not sure if I now feel less stupid, or have got used to feeling stupid??!!)
Since then I have made many videos, written some songs for the first time in my life (the simplicity of the CBG's seems to have tapped into something!) played and even sung at some open mics, and very recently I've started busking!!
I have always, right since I was at primary school HATED having to stand up and do or say something in front of people and since leaving school I had always avoided it whenever possible. I was also very self conscious about singing since a friend at school laughed at me when I was about eight. After that I never sung in front of anyone, apart from just family at home. So I am absolutely AMAZED that I have now played and sung in front of people in a crowded city...all because of the CBG's!!!
They've given me a way back into music after about a 20 yr gap which has changed my life completely!!
Like Penny I feel this is just the beginning. I have a few builds in my head, some song ideas in my head (I was planning to do another EP but I now have nine songs, so looks like it'll turn into a full album!!) I want to do more collaborating with penny and my cousin Louise....and on it goes.......

Comment by Penny Nelson on June 22, 2011 at 1:29am

I stumbled accross Cigar Box Guitars at Eumundi Markets in Queensland Australia. Eb n Flo were playing their wares. I bought two CD's & was hooked from that moment on. I spent ages online researching & found The Nation. Very soon I wanted to build one myself. It soon became apparent that I didnt have the space for my new interest. So two years later where am I?

I have sold the house I was in - bought a new house with a shed so I can build. Learnt sooooo much about things I didnt even know I wanted to know.

Like 'what is that annoying hissing noise on my files when I record direct to my computer'.

Become a sound hoon & now own home recording 'stuff''

Met some awesomely creative people.

Set up ICMC with Bemuzic. (InterContinental Music Collaborations)

Learnt how to make and edit videos & how to 'greenscreen'

uploaded songs & videos to youtube.

Bought a WaveDrum & Midi keyboard & Zoon H4n

Got an offer to record an album that will be sold on itunes next year.

and spend my evenings either planning my next build or hunting ebay for bargains.  All this and I think that this adventure has only just begun!!! 

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