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As promised here are the tabs to go along with my latest lesson video download them here:

Tabs%20for%20Bluegrass%20Cigar%20Box%20Guitar%20Part2%20%E2%80%93%20Joe%20Cribb.pdf

My youtube lesson playlist - HERE

If you enjoy my lessons please show your support by downloading my latest release 'I Don't Care (for you no more)'

a foot stomping, hard hitting little number!!  

I discover CBG's Saturday just gone while looking for easy to play uke songs.

I can't play guitar, I can't play the uke and now I am thinking I can't play a 3 stringer!.

Anyway I decided to use a few days of my holiday to build one and what a learning curve that was.

I have never attempted anything like this before and I am real proud of myself for completing it.

It plays fines ( guitarist son played with it) all be it a little bit too tinny for my ears.

For a first build I am amazed that I got it 99% playable.

I should add that it's not strictly a CBG, it's more of a cutlery box guitar.

 It was the best I could get at such short notice!

Anyway here are few pictures......enjoy, I did.

I can't live without music, and playing music has always been a huge part of my life.

5 years ago, a fight with 2 drunken guys changed a lot of things concerning my musical life. Despite the fact I punched them hard, one of them hit my left wrist with a big knife, cuting nerves and veins. I lost sensitivity in a part of my hand and two fingers often do what they want, the wound having decided I was no more their master. Well, we could say I have two fingers left, but when you've been a kind of local guitar hero, it can be hard to accept. In 2010, I tried to play again but no way. Fastening third and little finger, I could play some solos with the two others, when but no more bar chords. And playing some garage punk/pop/rock, I played a lot of bar chords. As I love delta blues, raw/punk blues, I tuned my guitars in open D ou G, but it didn't sound as I wanted. Demoralized, I sold my guitars (Les Paul, Danelectro), my amps (Marshall, Fender) and bought drums. I liked playing drums, but it wasn't "my" instrument, and you all know than playing an instrument which is not the instrument making you vibe deeply is not the same... I bought a cheap guitar and tried to play with 3 or 4 strings. It wasn't bad but the sound wasn't what I wanted and no one around me understood what I was trying to do. Once again I was demoralized... Then I discovered Seasick Steve and I was happy to see I wasn't the only guy to play with cheap guitar and few chords.

Then, searching more on the web, I discovered CBG.

And my life changed.

The flame, the spark are here again.

So, you'll excuse me when I sometimes yell "I LOVE CBG".

They saved my musical life. Or is it my life ?

Nick

Happy 5th! Here's a set of free plans. It's called a Rocky Mountain Dulcimer, a cardboard topped 3-stringed instrument. Sounds great! 

Here's a young lass playing one.

I had a ball at this years Bluesfest. The lineup was incredible!

Here is some of the action.

http://www.bluesfest.com.au/schedule/announcements.aspx?DayID=57

Here you go folks...I got my NEW sticker design back from the printers today and I'm givin' 'em away for FREE.

Just send me a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope, and I'll send you a sticker that will let the world know how you feel about your Cigar Box Guitar.

Soundbox Guitars

92 Nightingale Dr.

Aliso Viejo, CA. 92656

enjoy,

Jason.

   I just finished this little guy for the good people at Collishaw farms in Cloverdale, BC. Patrick Harrison, who owns the farm, saw a little spot on cigar box guitars on the TV and tracked me down. He spent some time looking for a local artisan to build one for him. lucky for me, I am the only one in the Vancouver region. So far!.

   Here is a pick of how it turned out.

    If you would like to see more about it and learn a little about the build process, check out this link to my website.

http://wsbluesbox.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/ws-016-collishaw-farm/

I generally place them into a few categories, all wood, paper and wood, Masonite (particle board), and cardboard.

1. All wood is the best. I prefer Brickhouse the Mighty Mighty Menduro which is the largest box out there. I have one of the rare black. The Padrones are the same volume but longer and shallower. This is nice for the double resonator cone version you can see on my page. The quality of the wood is good the boxes are not constructed as well as a Brickhouse and I often have to fill in gaps or add additional bracing. They recycle them so my chances of getting a fresh one are less likely now. The wood is not dyed and I have some really pretty ones in my 25 box collection (and growing). Perhaps the usage and wearing make them more attractive I hope, like faded jeans.
2. Wood with Paper. The sound is as good #1 but the paper can deaden the sound if it is too thick or complete in coverage. The logos tend to be prettier but also larger causing me to try new ways to make sound holes that won't impede the graphics I like so much.
3. Masonite, let's face it sounds dead and really need to have pickups and go electric.
4. Cardboard is the same as above but they are great for me to practice new techniques on.

There is a newer category, the handmade box. Superior material assures great craftsmanship and you can control the sound however you will never get the true great sound of a dreadnought. Mandolins and ukes are not large either but have great sound. Not being a master of sound dynamics I just do my best. There was a great navy architect named Phil Bolger and a very famous airplane engineer named Steve Whitman who built square shaped boats and planes, not rounded. Science proved them to be correct in that they moved through the air with greater efficiency and speed. Phil's boats were banned from racing as they proved too fast even with handicap. People didn't like the flat sides and thought a true boat or plane was rounded and so they never really sold accept to the purist’s. One of those purest was Steve Job's who built the "Bolger Box" yacht just before his death that was to prove to be the "New Wave" in luxury yacht design. It has also been proven that rectangular shaped instruments produce better sound than the rounded ones. Moving air or moving through air or water is the same science. Again, everyone has been trained to want the traditional female shaped bodies (no guessing here as to why) despite the inferior sound quality. CBG's by accident are the vanguard of new instrument design and may change the world for the better.

Making my own 3-stringed instrument has been such a joyous revelation!

It began for me when I met an ex-fourth grade teacher from Montana, named Ray Jacobs. We were in California, where he was helping people turn cardboard and scrap wood into something that looked like a 3-string banjo — it sounded just amazing! And it looked so simple! I thought “shoot, I could play that!” (I’ve been guitar and music challenged for years).

Here's Ray and Shirley playing: 

Ray taught fourth grade for 20 years; many of his kids learned to make and play these simple, 3-stringed instruments. He also gave them an old V-8 engine and challenged them to take it apart and put it together; he took them to a local pond to squelch and splash and take buckets of pond water back to class, where they put it in split 55-gallon drums so they could play and learn when their “other work” was done; he shepherded 20 generations of kids into 5th grade, many of them with dulcimers they had made themselves, on which they could all play melody and chords — extraordinary gifts!

I thought, “someone should put this into a book so every 4th grade teacher can do what Ray did!” (I’ve been a “teaching artist” in the Oregon schools, and know how hard is for kids to get good, hands-on activities. Teachers are so bound by schedules, test requirements, and policy that they can’t afford to engage kids in anything not specified in the curriculum. So it takes an outsider to do the creative projects.)

I tried to find someone else to write up Ray's story (he also makes a whole range of beautiful instruments from cardboard, gourds, wood, you name it), but noone was as excited as I was, so when I took the family back east last October, we stopped for a few days with Ray and his wife Shirley (here's a nice little video about them from Western Folklife). He and I put a dulcimer together, and I took notes and pictures. It turned into a book – you can download it (free) here. (It’s also available as a (full color!) $10 paperback at the same site, or on Amazon and createspace.) If you like it, please share!

Les Cigar Box Guitar que nous connaissons et liées à la musique blues ou folk sont indéniablement des réalisations américaines. Celles d'esclaves qui ont adaptés sur le sol américain des instruments qu'ils construisaient et pratiquaient en Afrique. Du Diddley Bow unicorde à la CBG de 2, 3, ou 4 cordes à l'imitation de produits plus luxueux qu'ils ne pouvaient se payer comme la contrebasse, le violon, la guitare à 6 cordes, on peut dire que tous les instruments sont passés par leurs mains expertes pour arriver dans les nôtres aujourd’hui.

Mais ce type d'instruments et leurs constructions n'est pas un phénomène isolé mais bien un processus global, tous les pays, toutes les civilisations ayant un jour ou l'autre fabriquées ce type d'instrument.

Plus prés de nous, ce sont les poilus de 14-18 qui ont durant le peu de temps libre que leur laissait la guerre, revenait à l’artisanat qu'ils pratiquaient dans le civil pour produire, des bijoux, des meubles, des sculptures, des briquets, etc, et des instruments de musique dont ils jouaient aussi.

C'est l'art et l'artisanat insolite des tranchées, ou pour échapper aux horreurs qui les entouraient ces hommes créaient des objets de toutes beauté avec les moyen du bord et en récupérant tout ce qui pouvait leur tomber sous la main. A noter que les soldats allemands en face en faisaient autant ainsi que tous les autres soldats des autres pays impliqués dans ce conflit.

Voici pour inspiration quelques instruments de poilus fait dans des casque, des gourdes voir des masques à gaz!...

English version

The Cigar Box Guitars we know and related to blues or folk music are undeniably American achievements. Those of  slaves who have adapted on American soil the musical instruments they used to built and practiced in Africa. From one string Diddley Bow,  2, 3, or 4 strings  CBG  to copy of the most luxurious products they could not afford as bass, violin, 6 strings, guitar,  we can say that all instruments have passed through their expert hands to be nours today.

But such instruments and their construction is not an isolated phenomenon but a global process, all countries, all cultures have at one time or another , made ​​this type of instrument. 

Closer to us, are  the "Poilus" of 1914-18 (*nickname of french sodiers during WWI we can traduce by "hairy") who during the little free time that they the war left them, returned to the craft they practiced in the civilian life to produce, jewelry, furniture, sculpture , lighters, etc. and musical instruments they played as well.

It is the unusual art and crafts of the trenches, to escape to the horrors that surrounded them,  these men have created beautiful objects with all the things and means they could . Please note that the German soldiers did the same thing and with them all other soldiers of countries involved in this conflict.

Here's for inspiration some  instruments made ​​from  helmets, gourds and even gas masks! ...

Et voici une photo des soldats (Allemands) avec leurs réalisations (et deux "cigar box")

English version

And here is a picture of soldiers (Germans) with their instruments (and two "cigar box")

Et  ici un Diddley Bow d'un soldat Canadien.

English version

And  here a Diddley Bow of a Canadian soldier.

On pourra aller jeter un œil sur les sites ci-dessous ou il y pas mal d'instruments référencés et de superbes photos:

• l'artisanat de tranchées
• les objets de tranchées plus général mais on y trouve des instruments de musique
• le superbe  site de Claude Ribouillaud, sur les instruments de musique de facture amateur, et qui en retrace l'histoire. On lira en particulier la section: La lutherie sauvage : art des solutions et message latent trés intéressante sur les instruments des soldats de 14-18.
• Soldier's orchestra montre des photos de ces orchestres avec des instruments improvisés.(ci-dessous)

English version

You can have a look at the sites below where there are a lot of beautiful instruments referenced with pictures:

• l'artisanat de tranchées (the craft of the trenches In French)
• les objets de tranchées (The objects of the trenches in French) more general but there are musical instruments
• The superb  site of  Claude Ribouillaud (In French), on musical instruments imade by amateur, and which tells their story. We recommend to read in particular the section: La lutherie sauvage : art des solutions et message laten (The wild lutherie : art solutions and latent message - In French) very interesting and about soldiers instruments in 1914-18.
• Soldier's orchestra shows pictures of these bands with improvised instruments. (here below)
  

I am always blown away and inspired by the players that come through my stall at The Bluesfest.

From seasoned players to absolute beginners.

Always a thrill to get someone who has never played a cbg (or guitar) before up and running.

Here is some footage. All shot on my phone. Next time i'll do it all sideways.

Fun Fun Fun!

It's a long video so maybe grab a beer or a cup of Tea

or a cbg and jam along!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PAaRh84AZgg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Doyle Guitars will be on display at Iron Stone Winery which is in the gold country of Northern California, just a few hours east of the Bay Area.

The guitars will be on exhibit at the Iron Stone Museum, as noted in their blog, starting today & through out the concert season and summer.

Iron Stone is a really interesting place with some very interesting things to see, like a wine cavern and one of the World's largest gold leaf nuggets.

Come on by, say hello to my dad Mike Doyle and check out some custom cigar box guitars (and a Elvis ukulele!)

I am starting my own CBG company; Insolitus Guitars. I chose the name because cigar box guitars are unusual, uncommon and that is what I enjoy most. I love unusual things and music from these instruments is beautiful to me. Even on youtube from the least skilled player the music rings in my ears something sweet. I found out about cigar box guitars in college my sophomore year. I didn't have money for a guitar so I 'googled' DIY (Do It Yourself) guitars online and there they were. They were minimalist (which I love) and simple to make. The various tuning styles that people have developed for them allows them to be uniquely diverse and can play any style. They are socially and economically relevant today as they were back in their humble begining.

Today's recession has called upon inovative and resourceful thinking. Recycling cigar boxes to create musical instruments and amplifiers is one great way. Using discarded or simple sustainable wood for the necks and other parts is great as well. They cost a fraction of the cost of a normal guitar to make but can produce sounds that are just as good; if not better. So for me to not look into making my own to sell and play then i would be making a mistake.

I am still a beginner in playing guitar, I have been tinkering and playing around with guitars and basses since I was fifteen years old. I never really had the time nor the patience to sit down and learn how to play them. Until i found out about cigar box guitars. These wonderful instruments inspire me. So my blog at wordpress is called: http://insolitusguitars.wordpress.com/ and here at Cigar Box Nation. You can follow my adventure in learning how to play and build these soulful and simple instruments.

Blues Guitars France is an attypical shop in France 17 rue Duperré Paris 75009 in the well known quarter of Pigalle. we only sell instruments handmade with differents luthier through the world , Indonesia, Usa ...We get our own brand Stlouis..We Make differents  electric guitars, Custom, Relic, Art.. the ART model are paint by a famous French painter named Julius Baltazar

Musicians love to come visit our shop to try out guitars to jam out on!

so give the shop anf the website a visit!!!

joel Poupeau

http://www.blues-guitares.fr

After getting some nice maple from my buddy Rob the week before Christmas, visions of cigar boxes began to dance in my head. Reality intruded, however, when I realized that I had no place to actually build my CBG. All of the surface space in the Wig Shop (my basement lair) was cluttered with the typical rockstar detrius: guitars, pedals, recording gear, and cocaine. After hastily cobbling together a workbench out of an old palette, wine crates, and a few cinder blocks, I commenced to sawin' and sandin'.

When I regained consciousness, I was coated in sawdust. I discovered that I needed a shave, and that my family had started calling local hospitals and taverns, attempting to locate my body. But upon looking down at my sad little workbench, I saw that a CBG-shaped mass was beginning to take shape among the wood shavings and empty PBR silos. Joy.

After taking sustenance and reuniting with my wife and children, I began to ponder the next steps. I would soon have to drill my pristine headstock, and figure out what type of bridge to use. What pickup should I deploy? And will I really have the nerve to fret this musical stogie?

Stay tuned, my friends.

My first attempt to build a Cigar Box Fiddle. I would like to craft everything myself, even the fingerboard. Hopefully the sound justifies the effort..

Hi.

I now have a little website up at:

www.roadkillmusic.co.uk

Please feel free to pop in and have a look. Comments welcome. If you like it enough to spread the word I would be grateful for that too.

Thanks and all the best.

John

    This is a cool one i built for a friend who is a well respected melodian musician here in Vancouver. His name is John Krieger. He wanted me to tweak it a bit and put a double octave string for the high strings and have a strum stick fretting on it. It turned out nice and sounded really beautiful. I used a nice Punch box i found in San Diego on a business trip and piece of Mahogany for the neck. The sound holes are decorated with some cool antique napkin holders i found at a flea market. I don't have any video of how it sounded unfortunatly but i was pleased with its volume and tone.

www.wsbluesbox.wordpress.com

    Here is another angle of it. The cool stand was made by my father who makes guitar stands, hardwood guitar picks, dulcimers, Psaltery's and other cool folk instruments.