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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.

                        I satnav towards Bristol with high hopes-the band I'm playing with are top drawer in my book,plus I've held a private fascination for the Bristol underground art/music scene ever since enjoying Banksy/Massive Attacks' work.I've also checked out Stickees work and he and his art will be present tonight

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stickee/

              Indeed,after I arrive and kerb the Bellybus,a cursory walk around the immediate neighbourhood reveals what I take to be a Banksy stencilled up on the side of a pub opposite the venue-however I'm reliably informed its by SPQR- sweet stuff-  for more check this link                   http://spqr.uk.net/

Stokes Croft (the area of Bristol I'm playing in) is suitably adorned with building sized graffiti (the good sort-not just tags and two colour throw ups, but proper pieces).

                    Likewise the venue is suitably cool-a former motorcycle showroom from the fifties, the two stories contain the gig/art/ bar space on the ground floor, and art workspaces on the first.Very Warholian/industrial loft chic.In short-my kinda pad.The people putting on the event have a real feelgood vibe amongst them-they all pull together,spending the late afternoon pasting up giant sized artworks, whilst others set up a soundsystem so frickin poweful its subsonic bassbins threaten to bring the building down.I grin in appreciation as KRS-1's track "woop woop-thats the sound of da police!" fills the darkened space.Damn-last time I heard that tune I'da been dancing on the streets of Notting Hill Carnival with a bottle of Thunderbird in my hand.Happy days.

                        I soundcheck and the hollow stage throws up troublesome unwanted low frequencies, but eventually it gets sorted.Crash barriers are brought in to protect the stage which seems OTT to me-but this event has been promoted to the nth degree-little do I know that later there'll be almost as many punters locked out on the street as actually manage to get in.

            The impossibly handsome and charismatic singer from Mother Beef tells me many people will be coming to see me,which I find hard to believe, yet whilst eating a pre gig veggie bap in the street opposite the venue in the early evening I'm surrounded by a gang of people who say "Hey Hollowbelly we've come to see you" and start to introduce themselves "this is my wife Jane" I stand there thinking 'I haven't a clue who you are'.Still its nice to meet them-I guess thats the power of youtube or whatever.

              Well I go on at 11pm and the crowd are well up for some Bellyfication-I enjoy that gratifying feedback from a live,responsive,supportive,up for a party crowd.Goes down great and I shake a few hands over those barriers before disappearing behind the speaker stacks to the left of the stage, and slumping sweatily onto a beat up couch.After a while I take up position in the middle of the crowd cos I want a punters eye view of Mother Beefs set.I thought they'd be good, but like all aspects of this event, they surpass even my lofty expectations.The singers so laid back he doesnt even bother to stand up-he sits on a chair cos well, thats how Tom rolls-indeed he's so bloody laid back I reckon one day the Beef entourage will just wheel his bed on stage with him lying in it-wake him up by rolling him a fat one and put a guitar in his hands..hahaha! but I digress, its all fantastic-and their album isn't even out yet.Standing there it is easy to imagine them on Glastonburys main stage-one day when they're that big I'll impress my teen daughters by saying "see the lead singer-he made me a cup of tea once" and they'll say "yeah dad,right."

           I'm supposed to crash at Tom Beefers' gaff but its 3:30am and I have a bus loaded with gear and nowhere reasonably safe to park up.As Im only 80 miles from home,I opt for the sensible option, offer my apologies to his flatmate and set the satnav for Hollowhouse.As I drive the sweet smell of someones ganja floats up from me hoodie. A wicked event-catch the Mother Beef whilst you still can.

peace

HB

So, following my break/holiday it was back to work for a fortnight of difficult (and long) shifts.

However, I did manage to fit in a couple of open mic sessions. One was the monthly 'jam night' at the Plough where, having arrived late after a long shift, I played my cigar box fiddle performing (for those that know or care) "Lincolnshire Lads", "Fanny power" and and a tune of my own, "Gipple docks" Went O.K. although the people there were hardly expecting fiddle music.

On Thursday last, several members of the orchestra in which I play were attending a folk open mic session at the George hotel in Leadenham. As the place says it sells 600 different  whiskies, the sessions are known as the 600 whiskies sessions. Very logical these locals.

As I had instruments with me I was asked if I wanted to play and, never one to      

It all seemed to go down well with the obligatory discussions about the instruments and an invite to return another time and play some more.