Blogs

I dont even remember now where I heard about the Clifftop festival, seems it was a flyer or ad sometime last winter. But I do remember it was described as the "biggest gathering of its kind" and I thought I might go check it out. Time passed and I had mostly forgotten about it, then I went to see a local Bluegrass band and chatted with them between sets and became excited about learning some old traditional tunes.

I didnt know what to expect, but I kind of assumed it would be primarily Bluegrass oriented. So that was the beginning of my education on the Clifftop experience. The Clifftop scene prefers the term "Old Time Country Music". To the casual observer theres not a lot of difference I suppose, but there are some differences in style and substance.

For example, the preference is for pre-war open back style banjos, often with skin heads instead of the "brighter" toned Weather King style plastic heads. Some even had fretless fingerboards and Nylgut strings giving them a somewhat mellower "folk" tone. And the playing is primarily frailing or clawhammer style. The fiddle playing style tends to also be a little slower and simpler than "modern" bluegrass. A little softer around the edges, laid back and casual than the breakneck "modern" Bluegrass. Think ballads, waltzes, square dancing music. Even the occasional jig is a little more relaxed. Like I said, subtle difference. But lucky for me this is a sub-genre I enjoy and am interested in learning more about! Also lucky for me I have a wife who does her best to be tolerant and understanding of my occasional "jags". I promise the next adventure will be something your more interested in my dear!

Event wise, it quickly became clear this is performer oriented more than spectator oriented. The highlight for many is probably the campground scene where every other campsite seems to be a perpetual jam session all day and into the night. The only pauses seem to be to rotate players, sleep or eat.

We were there Thursday and Friday, Thursday the primary event at the outdoor stage was a banjo competition in the morning and a fiddle competition in the afternoon. Lets be honest, solo fiddles start to all sound the same after 10 or 20 performances. There were about 50 of each. But there was also things elsewhere at the festival like flatfoot seminars, mini concerts, square dance lessons, square dance calling seminars, and on and on. And mini jams going on at all times.

We wandered around and tried to catch a little of everything. Browsed the vendor row and took long stretching walks about the campground areas. I picked up some books and DVD's from Mr Jake Kracks fiddle repair and supply table then walked on down the row, where I met a fine Kentucky gentleman named Donnie Rogers. He picks up Fiddles and bows in need of repair, reconditions and takes them to these kind of festivals. He must have had 300 Fiddles and 500 bows displayed We struck up a lengthy conversation and I ended up picking up a modest outfit of a nice German fiddle, freshly re-haired snake wood bow, extra strings, rosin and a case. He didnt have the ability to process a credit card, and INSISTED I just take it and just send him the money. Would'nt take no for an answer. Seems Kentucky folk are often like that.

Friday morning we took a side excursion and checked out the Tamarack Arts center in Beckley. Besides local arts and crafts there was a lot of content on the musical heritage of West Virginia. We ended up picking up two Gourd Kalimbas made by the the Goshen arts school, and a Limberjack as well as some other "treasures."

I decided to wear one of my Cigar Box Nation shirts to Clifftop Friday, just to see what kind of reaction I might get. The result was many curious looks, and a few questions. Even a few knowing nods. One general music suppliy vender, who's name I cant recall stopped me to talk when he saw it, he was familiar and said he sells Shane Speal his strings and some other stuff. Mentioned Shane had suggested he should consider going to the upcoming York Cigar Box Guitar Festival. Near by another Banjo vendor looked up and just said "it should say Oil Can Nation." I looked around and sure enough he had built several oil can banjos and had them displayed in his inventory. They appeared to be some I have seen either at CigarBoxNation.com or a link from there.

I walked a little further over to Mr Dan Levensons area and looked around as he was chatting with a few people back a ways from his tables. He looked up and saw the shirt, smiled and told me "Oh that guy that makes the cigar box banjos signed one and gave it to me a while back! Love it!" Well I am not sure who he meant, and tried to explain it could be one of a number of people, but he just said, "oh you know the guy that builds them with the Macanudo boxes!" Well, still not sure but let it go. Then he invites me to come "sit and tell us what your into"........ World renowned clawhammer style banjo teacher, champion "old time" Banjer and Fiddler, contributor to various banjo and fiddle publications....... Just too little time for all this stuff!

The main outdoor stage attraction for the day was what they called a "Neo-Traditional" band competition. This basically means new or modern songs done with traditional instruments. Performances were all over the map. Some very good stuff though! From traditional to eclectic, with some noteable singer/songwriters and composers in between somewhere.

Saturday was the traditional old time band competition, and probably the best day to be there for spectating. But its a long, nearly all day drive home, and I hate getting home, getting some sleep and going right back to work! So we left Saturday morning.

Overview:

If you've bothered to read this far, perhaps you are interested in attending the Clifftop festival.

Some thoughts and tips;

I'll say that the event wasnt at all what I expected. It is actually more of a small tight knit group dedicated to preserving this old time style music. Mostly pretty cool and interesting people. Some real characters though. Range from straight laced midwestern conservative to wacky Austin chic'.

Observations:

Apparently you CAN have dreadlocks and fashionable highlights.

A well worn pair of cowboy boots goes with ANYTHING!

I guess what I am saying, is if you are a hardcore left wing conservative who cringes at the sight of crunchy, earthy liberal types you might best stay in Muskogee........

The directions supplied from the festival website are vague. If you use a GPS you can expect it to send you down about ten miles of bad road. Literally. Get directions from someone who has been there. Contact me if I can help.

Food and Lodging- If you prefer a Hotel, (as we did) there isnt much nearby. We stayed in Beckley and it was a good 40 minute drive each way. There is a Comfort Inn that is closer, still maybe 20-25 minutes. The food vendors on site were pretty good, but not fancy. There was an Indian Taco truck that had pretty good grub, and a vendor called "Kates Outback" that had some excellent choices. If you are open minded. There was more traditional lunch and dinner selections offered in the lodge. Bathrooms were quite acceptable. Typical campground bathrooms and showers, supplemented by outhouses, all well maintained.

Be forewarned, it is a communal camping lifestyle environment. Gypsys, hippies, young and old folks of every kind size and description. It goes without saying there is always a small percentage (Luckily) who (Cant put this gently) simply need a long shower with extra soap, and just burn your clothes. Please. For the sake of all within 30 feet (or more). Oh, and it may not be the ones you expect it from.

But it was actually kind of cool to see so many young people playing and dancing around to this old time music like they were at a Grateful Dead concert or something!

Theres a lot of other attractions in the area too. New River bridge and gorge, coal mining and railroad boom period attractions, various white water attractions, etc.

Some other notes of interest;

Cool and unusual instrument sitings.

Upon arrival to the area we visited the New River Bridge and Gorge visitors center. There was a display on life in the area during the coal mine boom period, and in a glass case was this instrument, labeled simply "home made mandolin." Interesting to note the front and back of the body were cut from one piece (Look at the neck joint area) with ribs at the sides and tail.

Gold Tone had about every instrument from their recently expanded catalog at the festival. Several cool variations including octave banjos, banjitars, etc. I was very intruiged to see a banjo neck on a resonator pot. Really cool range of sounds. That one has my gears turning!

Several tables had some old/unusual stuff, High and low end. Recording masters, Silvertones, etc etc. Some very nice old fiddles and mandolins and Banjos. Some very high priced stuff but most werent gouging prices in my opinion though. Had to tear myself away from a 1940 Martin Tenor guitar. Several times actually. I also had my eye on an old baritone ukelele. Generally though, flat top guitars and mountain dulcimers were surprisingly under represented. I was a little surprised not to see more primitive or home made style stuff too.

Everywhere we went this 15 year old fiddle player from Missouri was playing with someone. Campground or stage, he seemed to never stop! His relaxed style and high level of talent was obvious. This young man is really good. Seemed once he knows the key, he just goes! (And goes and goes.......)

One of the oddest performance combinations was this group with a harp, and what I can only call a bass Marimbala, though I have never seen one in this style.

I play mostly on the back porch of my house.  My neighbors can hear me, but at least I'm spared the sight of their laughter as I teach myself to play.  For the record, the birds don't seem to mind.

Recently, I started playing out in front of friendly audiences.  I took my CBG to the lake cottage this last weekend and played sitting out on the dock at sunset.  The audience is family and close friends, so they sort of have to be nice, and they were.

This post serves as some self-induced peer pressure to ensure I don't back out on a committment.  I've decided to take my guitar to the streets tonight for the first time.  I want to buy a couple packs of strings from the Guitar Shop in town and since the track is open in Saratoga Springs, the streets are full of tourists.  Why not give it a go?  I just wish I had an extra guitar to sell while I'm playing.

I decided to write some lyrics and I hope they don't foreshadow an actual event, but here goes. . .

BTW, no offense intended to any non-tourist types or otherwise decent people from that state just south of NY. . .

Well, alongside my many accomplishments, among the many hats I wear in my busy life, I can now add one with great tears of pride: Founder of the Kansas City Cigar Box Guitar Festival. It took three years of pitching and talking and finally joining the Kansas City Blues Society itself, but our first festival occurred on July 31^st.

I felt like Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams....”If you build it they will come.” And I’d never done anything like this before!

Putting the festival itself together was a three-month effort that was largely without difficulty—until four days before the actual date of the festival. And then everything seemed to unravel. My friend Wichita Sam Wood, who was to emcee the event, emailed me to tell me that he couldn’t do it, due to a family emergency that made him unavailable. Not only was I saddened that I would not get to see Sam (as it had been a year or so since his last visit), but it meant I would need to find another emcee—and quick. Because certainly I couldn’t do it. I would be way too busy behind the scenes and needed the mobility. Nevertheless, as I called around and crawled around the Internet, looking for a fill-in, the mantra was, “You should do it, Kevin.” Before long, I assumed the role, for better or worse. That problem was solved. But a technical problem with my laptop computer, namely that it was so old they no longer sold certain accessories for it, prohibited me from running videos I had planned through it, and I could not burn any files to DVD. So, instead of several videos to be interspersed throughout the four-hour festival event, I only had two that were already formatted to DVD that I could run via a DVD player to the big screen already secured.

There were other problems as well, none worth mentioning, that added to my anxiety at being an emcee at an event of my planning that was so novel that I had no idea how many people, if any, besides my family and the scheduled performers, would attend. In truth, I didn’t know what to expect.

 Nevertheless, the next morning, my eldest son and eldest daughter set our for BB’s Lawnside Blues and Bar-B-Q, where festival was to take place, arriving just after noon to set everything up and allow for time, if I had to run to fix a problem. This was a small enough venue with a descent-sized stage front. (I had taken to heart the UK’s Chickenbone John’s advice to avoid choosing a venue larger than the number of people you expect.)  Restaurant patrons looked on with curiosity, we brought in my guitars and amplifiers. I had my daughter hand out fliers to them, inviting them to the festival, if they didn’t know about it. Other members of the Kansas City Blues Society arrived at 1pm to set up their merchandise. And they had a surprise: the Blues Sistas, and offshoot of the Society came bearing buttons to be sold, which they had created, featuring our cartoon mascot cigar box guitar-playing cat, “Tabby Blue”, created and donated by Brady Scott specifically for the festival. This brought tears to my eyes, because I hadn’t expected it. The final poster struck, by Karen Baum from artwork donated by Brady Scott, featured Tabby, but as a very small element, and I silently wished we could have done more with the Cat. I was very touched at this surprise. If nothing else had gone well, that alone would have been enough.

An hour before the start of the festival, I had the privilege of meeting JP Swenson from Minnesota, whose name became familiar to me on the Cigar Box Nation website. He had brought some of his builds and wondered if he could exhibit them. I had already lined up my own guitars along the wall behind the stage, and invited him to set his up with mine. Later, Tim Covey (Stashbox Guitars), a heretofore unknown cigar box guitar maker and performer from nearby Blue Springs, Missouri introduced himself, asking if he could likewise sell his guitars, and before long he, too, displayed his work with ours. Thus, the back of the stage was lined by a wonderful array of cigar box guitars and diddley bows, each one different from the one before. Perfect! And it was entirely unplanned.

Also from the Nation, Uncle John from Iowa introduced himself. He had contacted me some weeks earlier and said he was a “definite maybe” as far as his attendance. I was happy to finally shake his hand as well. He also presented me with one of his beautiful cigar box guitars, donated for the raffle drawing, which was to benefit the Blues in the Schools program. Same story with Mike Anderson (Blues Box Guitars), from Oklahoma, whom introduced himself briefly just before the festivities were to start. The very sweet Linda Morrison, also from Kansas City, whom I’d met on the Cigar Box Nation, introduced herself to me as well—such a nice lady! It was so great to meet my fellow participants in the so-called Three-String Revolution.

Autograph seekers, of all things, handed me flyers to sign and the understandably curious were moving in for a closer look at the odd and wonderfully primitive instruments lining the wall. Snapshots were taken, questions posed, a few brave souls even picked up some instruments to try out. I found myself wondering if things were happening a little too fast before the festival had even begun. And people were quickly filling the place. But were they here for the festival or simply patrons?

Thank God for Mike Elrod, who was kind enough not only to let us use his sound equipment, but he set it up—a HUGE deal to me.

2:00 PM. BB’s was filled to capacity. Unable to prepare myself before performing like I normally do, I took the stage with my Cohiba box guitar and began to play. I decided to begin big with the rousing “Bottlenecker Part Two” a blue-rock number I’ve opened most of my recent shows. I watched the faces and saw the eyes widen of those who didn’t expect such a big sound to come from such a weird little instrument. By the end of the song, I had everyone’s attention. The applause was appreciative, after which I said, “I would like to welcome you to an history event: Kansas City’s very first Cigar Box Guitar Festival!”

I don’t remember anything I said after that. But...I do remember the fantastic performances by the scheduled artists – Shae Lee, whom I had to honor of accompanying, weighing in at twelve years old with a voice and charisma that belied her youth. Pharaoh Tarot, who tore up the Thummim Handmade Cigar Box Slide guitar I built him and sang with the unbridled gusto that has consistently energized audiences all over the city. And Jason Vivone...the consummate showman, with his cigar box guitar, memorable tunes and personable style, reminded us just why he was the winner of the Kansas City Blues Challenge and our city’s representative to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis last year. And the there were the open microphone opportunities that honored us with some truly worthy performers including Uncle John, Tim Covey and Lee McBee and the Confessors. I personally enjoyed these moments especially, as did an appreciative audience.

Between these short videos were played on the big screen television, including the first two segments of Max Shores documentary Songs From Inside the Box and my short motion picture Drifters. I wasn’t quite certain how much these presentations were appreciated in this setting, but I hope they were.

And then there were the numerous raffle drawings throughout the four-hour event. A signed Garfield cartoon panel from its creator Jim Davis, three cigar box guitars furnished by Thummim Guitars, two more provided by Mike Anderson and Uncle John, several event posters autographed by the musical artists and music CDs were presented to winner (a couple of them multi-winners!)  whose tickets were drawn, the purchases of which all went to benefit Blues in the Schools.

The first Kansas City Cigar Box Guitar Festival ended at 6pm with my benediction suggesting another festival in 2012 and hearty agreement from the audience. I was surpsied at just how many stayed for the entire four hours—and some even longer than that, having come early. We were packed to capacity most of the time. And you would think that would be the end of the story. However, it was the outpouring of genuine gratitude from attendees that touched me most. Many of those who greeted me and congratulated me on a successful festival did so emotionally moved, which likewise moved me. And it became clear that this festival, a rave success by most standards—especially for the first in this city, was the beginning of something, not the end. Had I not experienced these expressions, I would not have believed them. It felt good (as it still does) to have been responsible, God-willing, for something historical and consequential such as this.

After cleaning up, preparing the stage for the following act for the night, I headed out with my children to the car, greeting Toby Tolbert, himself a CBG builder, whom I had exchanged emails with as a member of the Independent Film Coalition. Just as I was about to enter my car, Mr. Michael Anderson, from Oklahoma, whom I had met briefly, approached me. “I can’t let you leave without talkin’ to you!” he said with a hearty handshake. And for the next half-hour, he and I became acquainted. I met his lovely wife and beautiful (and verrrry shy) daughter, and he met my two eldest. He repeated expressed his appreciation for the festival. It left him feeling “really good” and he expressed his desire to see something similar in his own state. His wife was equally personable. Blues Sista and fellow Kansas City Blues Society board member Micki Baron surprised Mike and me by offering to pay the cover charge so that he and his family could enjoy the evening show! Mike was really touched, as was I. I complimented Mike on his “builds”—several of his homemade cigar box guitars were displayed on the veranda. “If I had the money, I’d buy one myself!” I said. “Tell ya what,” he said seriously, “Go pick one out.” “What? Are you serious?” I practically yelled. After several more inquiries, I realized that, yes, he was serious. “We’ll do a trade,” he said. “You go over and pick any one of my guitars...and in return you promise to [have another festival] next year.”

Deal. Next year. Bigger and Better.

Permit me a fitting epilogue. A story reached me about a little boy, who had never played a guitar before, taking up one of the CBGs out on the veranda and wailing on it like he was born to do so. A picture was snapped of the boy, but the only thing known about his identity is a first name: “Charlie”. As luck would have it, his face is partially obscured. But I can’t help but wonder if his exposure to the cigar box guitar, because of this festival, might affect him as my first experience with the instrument did me and many others...and that the virtues of the primitive chordophone might spurn the little tyke onto legendary status in the music world one day.

Ya'll

I had a great idea to make a stand for CBGs when you take to festivals. These fold flat, and tho only hold 3 CBGs, are very effective and will be quite handy. I will post a picture of the plans and the Google SketchUp (you can download the viewer or the app -- its free).

Full on shot

Back Side

Hinge at top

Slot for tail and neck pegs

The construction is simple. (5) 1x2 furring strips 30" and (1) 1x4 furring strip 30", one 3/8" dowel cut into 2" lengths, and one 1.5" hinge.

CBGStand.zip  Sorry, had to zip it. NING would not accept the file.

-WY

Hi peeps,

                Thought you might be interested in having a butchers at my 'tour bus'-I didnt want to clog up the nation with pics of a motor so I've placed them here.You can follow developments as the work on her continues throughout Spring 2011.

            Its a 2003 VW T4-they are used as surf buses around these parts and campervans too.It has only 45k on its 2.5 turbodiesel engine and believe me I was lucky to get it-they are like gold dust, especially in this condition.Being a family man, the Bellybus will be dual purpose-a rock roll seat/bed will be installed in the rear so the kids can travel when the old rusty Rover car eventually falls to pieces.

Pic 1-heres the Bellybus as was when bought-a regular panel van..

and heres a pic with the side windows installed-I had them limo tinted so peeps cant see any gear I might be carrying in the back-

On this third pic you can see the other side window also.With the tailgate open you can see I've not done anything to the inside yet-the wood panels and blue carpet were the previous owners work.I've just cheered it up a bit for now by sticking a few set lists from recent gigs up and chucking a few cushions in to sit on..I carry a sleeping bag under the drivers seat just in case..so far the Bellybus has taken me to gigs in Birmingham,Kent,London and across the sea to Belgium-at the wheel it feels like a family car-nice n smooth and not noisy at all..it drives with all the efficiency one would expect from a German vehicle..dubtastic ;o)  

So what next? well I need to remove the wood panels and insulate, remove the carpet (come on- carpet just aint rock n roll!) I'd like to have it wood everywhere,with gig posters and the like-kinda like a Bluesmans' wood cabin on wheels! I toyed with the idea of having a pic of Eric Clapton on the floor..heh heh..wipe your converse here.Anyway, this next pic is from some dudes T4 I found on the interweb-he's removed the ceiling panels and put wood in- like I want it-the ceiling is very cool but the rest of its a bit 'neat' for my taste-plus is that carpet I see on the walls..Noooo! still, you get the idea..well, seeing as I'm pants at woodwork I reckon Juju will be getting a call!

 Well thats it for now peeps-I'll update as the Bellybus develops over the coming months.Cheers, HB

UPDATE-MARCH-

             Well I've been busy stripping out the Bellybus and adding insulation to make it more comfortable when I ever need to kip in the bus-unfortunately my dream of having Juju fit out the inside is not to be as he is inundated with guitar orders and has a kitchen to build, so its down to yours truly.I am taking my inspiration for the interior from the cover of my album and am using hessian to carpet the walls-its cheap too-I'll be going for a mild rat type look (and believe me, with my woodworking skills its just as well!)  hessian/distressed gig posters on walls etc..

              Anyway,heres a few pics-this really is the boring bit..insulating/cutting panels and so on..rear wheel arch is covered in flashing tape to quieten road noise..

more insulation in the roof space-silver backed bubblewrap-

I've made doorcards and panels from 3.6mm ply-heres the doorcard for the rear tailgate sitting in me garage-as you can see I got my mate Bansky to decorate it  lol   

bit more exciting/fun than the generic grey one anyroad.

Ok dudes-more updates soon..

UPDATE APRIL-

         Ok peeps the rear seat is in,and I've got all the hessian where I want it-begun to stick up posters and stuff-heres a few pics-

This heres a close up of the 'mojo hole'-a take on honesty windows from strawbale eco houses if you will-I put in a used (knackered) bluesharp, a glass slide and a used plectrum.I really like the roof cos it cost me nowt-I just reversed the original panels! It added no extra weight-I was gonna put in thin tongue and groove but it weighed  a considerable amount and you'd pay for that at the pumps, so I decided against it-plus these hardboard panels give that ratty shed look I wanted.seat down into the bed position-king size-nice!gotta dash peeps-more pics later..

UPDATE MAY-

floor getting installed today-it might look fancy but its just 12mm outdoor grade ply and I varnished it 3 times-might not last  years n years but of course I have the option to lay a harder wearing floor on top at a later date if I feel the need.I've put 2mm of neoprene rubber strip all around the edges to cut down on the possibility of squeaks where wood meets wood or metal-what with the bus moving and all that.Left a little space in case of expansion due to heat also.It fits nice, but dont zoom on this photo or you'll see how bloody awful my woodworking 'skills' are!!

ok you zoomed didnt you?! DIDNT YOU?!!!

right next,so heres the riser that goes under the rear seat and houses the rear 6x9 speakers-I found a tea chest on the local dump-as you know, they have stencils sprayed on from being shipped all over the world and I thought I'd take it apart and make panels out of them.All the stencils are genuine apart from the Hollowbelly one which I added then sanded slightly to match it with the others..

so here it is in situ just to give you an idea-I've installed the floor and the riser is just sitting there unglued for now-seems prudent to ensure the speakers work before I stick the panel in.. I sprayed the speakers covers matt brown as they were brand new, then knocked em back a bit with sandpaper-the 2 rusty metal bands in the centre of the panel are those metal strips that hold the tea chest together.I used them to hide the join between the different panels, as well as add a bit more grunge..

the opposite wall panel now looks pretty boring so Im on the lookout for a few more tea chests-alternatively I may leave it so I have more space for future gig posters as and when they arrive..

ok thats it for now peeps-I'll get back when I next do something else-the step probably..

      July/August-ok so heres the step and riser going in-I used the offcuts from the free tea chests for the riser and also the rusty metal strips from the tea chest edges to match the pattern under the rear seat.The actual step is the same 12mm marine grade ply..oh and I used the 'Hollowbelly Punkblues' stencil I used on the cd flightcase-just sprayed it with black car spray,then white over the top..and Bobs yer uncle as we say in the north.

the lights are coming on nice...

http://songsthelordtaughtme.blogspot.com/

this is songs i wrote when i was a teen now im 20 please give a listen.

How to Play 3 String Cigar Box Guitar

Where Did You Sleep Last Night

aka My Girl / Black Girl / In the Pines

Refer to this video:

http://youtu.be/w333Whitk6E

This arrangement is another example of applying the "Movable Chord Method" I teach on CD 6

(www.ebay.com Search: keni lee)

Using standard guitar strings ADG and altering the GDG tuning (taught on CD 4),

 I retune to the Devil's Tuning ADF# (Open D).

Chord name (String / Fret)

E flat (A/1) (D/1) (F#/0)

A flat (A/3) (D/1) (F#/2)

G flat (Bar across 4th fret)

B flat (A/5) (D/3) (F#/4)

After playing the B flat chord, I move (F#/4) to (D/4)

creating (A/0) (D/4) (F#/0)

then I play (A/8) and return to the E flat chord



Note: Although the key and chord names will change, as long as you use from low to high,

 major scale tones 5 - 1 - 3 on your CBG, the Movable Chord Method will work.



Tuning Examples: BEG#, DGB, EAC#, GCE...

You will need to use different strings to obtain these tunings.

The middle string names the open key of the instrument.

Just finished a new piezo pickup. Its sandwiched between pieces of wood veneer and shielded with aluminum foil. Can't wait to put it in the six-string CBG I'm building !

Started my second build. I am using parts of a cheep-o electric guitar I had in the back of the closet. More to come soon!

Basically using the tutorial found here to build my first CBG. So far so good. Have made a few mistakes but nothing that can't be fixed. Did ruin one box by not double checking my measurements. Forgot to make fret markers and cut a nut slot before adding a sealer. Guess will add all that, sand her up some and add another coat of sealer. Overall though I am pretty happy with how it's coming along.

More to come!

Hi Everyone!

I'm still accepting cigar box guitar-related items (cigar box guitars, cigar box guitar music or instructional CDs or DVDs--anything!) from my cigar box guitar brothers and sister who would care to donate such things for items for drawing during the Kansas City Cigar Box Guitar Festival. All proceeds go to Benefit the Kansas City Blues Society's Blues in the Schools program--a worthy cause!

Thanks for caring!

- Kevin

Hi All,
Its's 5.30am here so this is a bit Ruff. But wanted to share - not sure if you can here it in this but the cookie tin creates some amazing overtones.

Ruff n Fluff sound check - click here

Have a great day/night where ever you are
Penny

So I have a pretty confusing house in the morning.  I share space with my wife and our two young daughters, age 6 and 3.  While I take all of 20 minutes to prepare myself for the day, they all take some extra maintenance time.  I guess I can't buzz their hair off with the clippers like I do mine.  :(

Anyway, I'm also the chef of the house so I prepare breakfast and pack whatever lunches need to be made for the day.  We're out the door by 8:00 to drop off at daycare, summer day camp, and head over to the office where my wife and I run a small and quickly growing business.

So I have a couple morning rituals that help me put my brain in the right place among the chaos that is 3 females, regardless of age, preparing themselves and doing what girls do in the morning.  First, I make myself a nice cup of bold coffee in a French press.  It makes me feel good knowing that the coffee is brewing for precisely 4 minutes and then I will have something to attenuate the noise in the rest of the house.  Ahhh, that's better.

Next, every morning I pick up my 3 string guitar, the aptly named El Segundo, head out to the back porch and play a little.  What?  There's a house attached to this porch?  There are actually 3 girls in there?  Wouldn't have known if you didn't tell me.

Well, today was a little extra hectic since I slept to 6:30 and my wife has a nice summertime cold that kept her in bed until past 7:00.  I didn't get my back porch playing time and I felt worse than if I had skipped the coffee.  In desperation, while the girls were fighting about what sneakers they were not going to wear, I sidled up to the CBG, plucked out 12 bars and a turnaround, set it down and walked out the door.  Ahhhh . . .it attenuates the chaos regarless of dosage.

Happy morning, all.

:)  So I'm not the newest CBN millionaire.  :)

I visited my parents this weekend and my Dad asked if I wanted an old trumpet I had played in 4th Grade.  It had been in the family for awhile and I decided to take it.  While that was being dug out, I asked about an old violin I remembered from when I was a kid.  I never heard anyone play it, but sort of remembered it being in OK condition from the view of a 7 year old boy snooping around the closets for Christmas presents.

With no negotiation, both were handed over.  The violin is in much worse condition than I remember 30 years ago and has a label "Copy of Stradivarius Made In Germany".  From my limited search this leads to a 1920ish to WWII manufacture and little other valuable information.

The story behind the violin is my grandfather played organ and piano in a dance band with a gentleman named Lester Root.  My grandfather took care of him before he passed away.  The Root family gave the violin to my grandfather as a thank you and I don't believe it has ever been played since then.  

Nicholas Frirsz is a luthier that lives close to me and I'm taking it to him to see if it is worth cleaning up.  We'll either save it from further decay or use it to start a campfire.  To be honest, I don't know which it will be.

While building guitars for the troops, I've finally completed one for myself.

'The Chief' is a 4-string electro/acoustic tenor guitar with a GuitarFuel  on-board amp with tone and volume controls, ear bud jack, and speakers built into the body.

The design was inspired by an old radio I found at a yard sale.  Maple front and back are joined with mahogany one-piece sides and back panels, walnut neck and maple fretboard make up the woodwork.  Corian nut and saddle, cedar bridge/string retainer with an old Indian Head Nickle recessed into it provides the reason for the name.

If you're interested in more photos and details of the build, please go to my website (http://totalrojoguitars.blogspot.com) for a complete rundown.

Gots some new ink this weekend.

No matter what happens to it, I'll always have it with me.

-WY

As you might know, I recently released CD 6 for 3 string CBG.

In it I teach a method of movable chords that functions very similar to the way you play a guitar or banjo.

Using standard strings ADg, you tune ADf# (Open D Tuning).

It occured to me the other day, if you use a high e string for a drone and tune it down to d, it would make a great little 4 string banjo (dADf#). Major scale tones (1513).

Tuned like this, you can play in the key of D or tune the drone up to e and play in the key of E.

If you added the toy train rail road spikes in the fingerboard before frets 3 and 5 (a common method used by bluegrass banjo players to hook the drone string and fret the note) you can play in the keys of G and A too.

Now I don't want what I say to be taken wrong, but did you ever have an epiphany?

Although you might find it quite amazing, when you share it with others, they are sometimes less than interested.

Well, when I discovered the ADf# tuning that can be achieved from the GDg tuning, it was very exciting for me.

Maybe it is not quite the Rosetta stone, but I feel it offers a great way to approach playing CBG. You can use a fake book, make simple song covers and just strum chords. It is my hope that other players embrace this approach and discover it's full potential for themselves.

I appreciate your interest and look forward to any feedback about this discussion that you may choose to share.

Enjoy your build and practice, Keni Lee

http://www.paladarfumiorsalon.com/Podcast/Entries/2011/1/3_psycho_in_a_green_commodore.html

Those were the days

Building cb ukes numbers 2 and 3.  Number 2 is a all original box with a mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard and saddle.   Number 3 has a catalpa top (like #1), a three piece mahogany/maple/mahogany  bookmatched catalpa headplate and rosewood fingerboard and saddle.  The local wierd music shop want to sell 'em!!!!!!