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Back from my vacation

Posted by J. K. on July 16, 2009 at 6:00am
Bit late with writing this but I came back this last Sunday from Finland where I've been vacationing. I built my first cigar box guitar there in my grandfathers old workshop.I really like how it turned out. Sure there were lots of mistakes with the build but thats how you learn.Also been trying to recruit a friend to build with. He's interested in electronics as I am and plays a bit of guitar and really liked the CBG I built. So I think he's thoroughly hooked.Found lots of good sources for electronics, wood and all kinds of stuff except cigar boxes. Guess I'll have to continue looking.Thats it for now. Peace!
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WOW thanks for the welcome

Posted by Terry Carmack on July 15, 2009 at 10:05am
Thanks for the welcome Ted, Ive been playing guitar since I was eight years old and recently saw a video with a CBG and fell in love with it. So now Im starting to build one my self. Im taking my time cause I want it to sound realy sweet. I gotta say its adicting I cant wait to build my next one and Im not even done with this one yet. Next one will have a home made resinator but not sure of how to make one or what would be the best kind to make. Ive been reading up on resinators and of course checking this site out on the subject. Thanks again for the welcome.Best regards, Terry
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First Project (in the works)

Posted by Jeff on July 13, 2009 at 4:00pm
This is my first cigar box project. Gonna make some cuts today.



I found this box at an antique store in Palmdale, CA. Thought it to be a good size for my first project. It's going to be a three-string fretless.

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"Songs Inside The Box" News for July 09

Posted by Max Shores on July 11, 2009 at 1:30pm
I would like to share some exciting news regarding upcoming screenings and awards…

Those of you in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area have an opportunity to see “Songs Inside The Box” along with another one of my documentaries, “Richard Johnston: Hill Country Troubadour” at the Deep Blues Film Festival on Sunday, July 12th. I won’t be able to make it to this event, but Bluesboy Jag, who is one of the featured performers in “Songs Inside The Box” will be performing before the screenings and answering questions after the screenings. More info can be found here:

http://www.myspace.com/deepbluesfilmfestival

The Deep Blues Film Festival precedes the excellent Deep Blues Music Festival in Minneapolis. The music festival runs July 15th through 19th and features cigar box guitar artists Bluesboy Jag, Johnny Lowebow, Reverend K. M. Williams, Rollie Tussing, Purgatory Hill (pat mAcdonald and melaniejane) as well as many other fine artists. Here’s more info about the music fest:

http://www.myspace.com/deepbluesfestival

“Songs Inside The Box” will also be screening at the W. C. Handy Music Festival in the Shoals area of Alabama. This is an annual festival honoring the Father of the Blues (who was from Florence) and featuring scads of great music and films about music. The screening will be at the Florence/Lauderdale Public Library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23rd. I am planning to be there and Microwave Dave, one of the featured artists in the documentary, will serve as the moderator. Also attending will be Bill Foster who narrated the documentary. Bill is widely known across the southeast for his banjo music and great storytelling. More info here:

http://www.wchandymusicfestival.org

The past two weeks have brought a couple of awards for “Songs Inside The Box”…

The documentary received the Honorable Mention award in the Music Documentary category at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival. This was a huge festival which included over 250 films showing at nine venues. We’re extremely honored to have received this recognition.

I am also pleased to announce that “Songs Inside The Box” has been awarded the Accolade TV Feature Documentary Award of Merit. The Accolade Awards are a large international competition for TV and Film and we’re very proud to be among the good company of Accolade Award winners.

I’d like to remind you that DVDs of “Songs Inside The Box” are available for sale. Phone orders using a credit card and mail orders using a credit, check or money order can be made through the University of Alabama Center for Public Television and Radio. Information about how to order is here:

http://www.songsinsidethebox.com/buy.html

DVDs may also be purchased over the net through Shane Speal’s Insurrection Records website at:

http://www.insurrectionrecords.com

I’ll keep you posted.

Max Shores
http://www.MaxShores.com
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the romance of the road..

Posted by HOLLOWBELLY on July 4, 2009 at 12:06pm
5 hour drive to the gig-the satnav proves an invaluable investment-certainly beats trying to drive thro the west end of London with a map on your lap like last time..load time 6pm..cool venue-that British 'smell of pub' as you walk in-not too big,not too small-monster pa with bass bins you could walk into.Sound check.Jonny (Honkeyfinger) arrives fresh from the London train and soundchecks-looks really weird seein ol' Honkey playin thro my gear-sounds awesome mind.The owner asks if we're going out-we wonder why he asks until he thrusts some flyers into our hands!-so honkeyfinger n' hollowbelly find themselves wandering incongruously through a seaside town handing out flyers like we're in Ibiza an' trying to stay a while longer..We end up drinkin guinness in a bar -Jonny knows the owner.We drift back to the venue-at 10pm there are 5 people there and I'm one of 'em.I resign myself to playin the gig everyones played at one time or another-but at 11.15 it starts to fill-I play to say 50 or so-its about a third full-they cheer an I have to go back on at the end of me set and do another-I play ' I think Im coming home' as an encore-very very warm reception.The place finally fills as the beer festival crowd move in from downtown and Honkeyfinger hits the stage-the crowd dance like crazed forest imps as honkey conjoures up his sonic skronk magic from his plethora of pedals and blues detritus-superb.The owner apologises about it not being full when I went on, but hey, thems the strokes for the support.I go upstairs to crash about 3am.-the noise from the streets below has to be heard to be believed-I lie butt naked an sweatin on a matress that feels like it has rocks instead of springs in it-some guy I dont know is snoring on a matress on the other side of the room-sleep impossible-female shrieks,male threats, the sound of breaking pint glasses, car horns all rise up thro the 3rd floor window from the street below.Sodom and gomorah soundtrack..I lie there reflecting on humanity and the romance of being on the road (!) Dawn breaks I sleep-at 6am I get up feelin absurdly refreshed,resolving to make a move-pack up me gear, get paid and as Honkeyfinger sleeps the owner gets me to sign the wall alonside the other bands signatures from past gigs-most of whom I recognise-the punkblues scene is a small one for sure..satnav my way home way out west and crash into bed, wake up 3pm stinkin stale and have a shower..ahhh the romance of the road boys, the romance..
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N01 CBG done

Posted by Brian on July 3, 2009 at 2:23am

Well she more or less finished :) I did end up flipping the lid over, and I have used signwriters clear vinyl over the lid as a scratch plate and to hold the edges of the paper together.
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Beginning Tuning for Cigar Box (3 string)

Posted by Ara on July 1, 2009 at 8:30pm
Back from a month of field geology work. I took my CBG and Steel Resinator with me. More people got a kick out of the CBG then anything else.I use two tunings to play around with.First (from the top string down) D A DSecond (from the top string down) E E BDAD tuning you have the following chords (if you are using a slide)Starting at the tuning pegs:Open D (no slide on the neck)2nd E3rd F4th Gb5th G7th A9th B10th C12th DDead Flowers by the Rolling Stones is in this tuning along with a host of other songsThe strum pattern (well the one I use) for Dead Flowers is down, down, up,downThe main body of the song is DAGD, four counts on each. The chorus mixes it up a little just give the song a listen.The DAD tuning will sound real pretty on CBGEEB tuning (again with a slide)Open E2nd F#3rd G5th A7th B8th C10th D12th EI am just starting to play around with this tuning if you have an electric CBG try running this tuning through a Little Smokie amp. I have one of the old ones still in a cig pack. It'll sound real crunchy.A simplified version of Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground by Blind Willie Johnson in DAD (no it's not quite right but close enough and it still sounds pretty)D----------------------------------------------0-7--4--0---0/s-4A---------------------------------------------0------------0D---- 0/s 4~5~4 pull off 0/s 4~5~7~7~0------------0*Note this tab was done by my guitar teacher (Stan Hirsch) so I can't take credit for it. I asked for a version of this song I could work on.You need to listen to the song to get the timing right.Questions or corrections please post here.ara
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First time here

Posted by Christian McPheeters on June 22, 2009 at 11:44am
Hi my name's Chris. Larry Mcpheeters is my gramps. He'll be teaching me to build CBGs and other instruments. I am younger then my posted age because the nation would'nt let me have a page when listing my real age but here I am. I'm happy to be a part of this group of builders. Thanks
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"Songs Inside The Box" news for June 09

Posted by Max Shores on June 11, 2009 at 9:49pm
I'd like to give you a report of what's been going on recently and what's coming up soon..."Songs Inside The Box" was shown at the 5th annual cigar Box Guitar Extravaganza in Huntsville, Alabama on Saturday, May 30th. My family and I attended the event and it was our intention to arrive for the screening but we were delayed in traffic. We did arrive in time to enjoy the wonderful music from Matt Crunk, One String Willie, 7 Hills Stomp (Joker and Elemental), Johnny Lowebow, Microwave Dave, and 2blu and the Luckie Stiffs. I shot some video but haven't had a chance to share any of it yet."Songs Inside The Box" will be featured in two Pennsylvania film festivals in June. We're honored to be among the invitational films at the Southside Film Festival in Bethlehem, PA where they're planning two screenings of the documentary, a gallery of homemade instruments, and a concert featuring Shane Speal, One String Willie and Gerry Thompson.The SouthSide Film Festival takes place June 16-20. For more info, visit their website at:http://www.ssff.orgThe cigar box guitar documentary has also been selected for screening at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival taking place June 25-28. Their screening schedule hasn't been set yet but they will have it posted soon at their website:http://www.philadelphiaindependentfilmfestival.comIn July, "Songs Inside The Box" will again be shown at the Deep Blues Film Festival in Minneapolis on the 12th. Also showing that night will be "Richard Johnston: Hill Country Troubadour," my documentary about the amazing Memphis street musician who introduced me to the world of cigar box guitars. The film component of this festival precedes the Deep Blues Music Festival which features lots of great music. For more info visit their website at:http://www.deepbluesfestival.comExcitement about cigar box guitars continues to build. Premiere Guitars magazine plans an article about CBGs for their August issue. I've spoken with writer Bob Cianci and he's definitely caught the bug. He's been playing guitar for years but he'll never think of it in the same way after building his own CBG with Shane Speal! This should be an interesting article for sure.Maxhttp://www.maxshores.com
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Education: The Way I View It

Posted by Iva Bullock on June 10, 2009 at 8:54pm
As a student, I've always lived with what American President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education he may steal the whole railroad. “Even today, I am still yearning for knowledge. A diploma was never enough for me. Today, I am at the peak of finishing my dissertation so I could finally have my master's in preparation for my doctorate degree.We all know that education takes a big part especially in realizing our dreams. It has been and will always be one of the reasons why there's success. A man who has educated himself is absolutely a man who is capable of achieving his heart's desires.For me, I'll continue yearning for greater learning. After all, I've always believed that man is always hungry for knowledge and that life is a never ending learning process both in and outside school. Well, I guess I just really love being in here. I feel like school is my home, my comfort zone.
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The Dusty Term Papers

Posted by Beverly Rowland on June 10, 2009 at 7:43pm
If only I could steal those dusty term papers in the library, I would.Students have abandoned their works in the library after getting a high mark. It is like the library is just a repository of their past works. But who would be interested in those term papers when even the old books in the library shelves are neglected?Sometimes I envy those students who can give their written works to the library. If only I could do the same, I would feel good about myself. It means I have great talent, and I could pass on a legacy to the other students. Sadly even those students who have term papers on the shelves do not serve as legacies.What if I am capable of writing to the extent that my works will be displayed on the library? What if I am regarded as a good writer in school? It sounds good to me.
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One Heck of a day.

Posted by Larry McPheeters on June 9, 2009 at 10:43am
I had one heck of a day yesterday. I drove out to HWY 50 about 9:30am and took pictures of the Wagon Train going down the road then about 3 hours later Deb and I drove to the Strawberry Loadge for a day of music playing on my Cigar Box Guitars.The Travel Channel had a film crew filming the arrivel of the Wagon Train at the lodge. When they saw me playing my Cigar Box Guitar they just had to start filming me. Wow I never new how many wires and things they used while doing a shoot. We spent the next hour doing the shoot and had a great time. Pruducer Fred Wynmore and Director Dane Henry From Deep Roots Media ( www.deeprootsmedia.com ) were extreamly insterested in the Documentry Songs Inside the Box. I played music untill the evening meal was over then we drove home. I'll post some pictures later. Larry McPheeters South Lake Tahoe ca.
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News paper artical from last summer

Posted by Larry McPheeters on June 3, 2009 at 11:42pm
Home > Community > PeopleSend us your news<< backFriday, July 4, 2008Learn to build cigar-box guitarsNancy Oliver HaydenShare on Facebook Email Print Comment RecommendENLARGELarry McPheeters plays a guitar that he made by hand from a recycled cigar box. He will demonstrate the craft and talk about its history this weekend at the Valhalla Twin Cabins.Jim Grant / Tahoe Daily TribuneLarry McPheeters will share a part of American history as an artist in residence Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Valhalla Twin Cabins at the Tallac Historic site.From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days, the South Lake Tahoe resident will demonstrate how to build cigar-box guitars and banjos. He also will play the American heritage instruments and talk about their history. The demonstration is part of the Valhalla Arts, Music and Theater Festival."I want to keep this part of our culture alive and am introducing a piece of our heritage to people who know nothing about its history," McPheeters said.McPheeters' father was an avid guitar player, and Larry grew up around music. His first musical instrument was a one-string, stand-up base he made at the age of 8 from a washtub, broom handle and piece of rope.When he was in his late teens, he noticed an Appalachian dulcimer on the wall of a friend's music shop. He took the measurements, bought cedar wood and made an Appalachian dulcimer, also known as a mountain dulcimer.Although he never has played professionally, he is proficient on the banjo, psaltery and dulcimer, and he plays everything by ear.McPheeters saw his first cigar-box guitar when he visited the Smithsonian Institute in 1973 but didn't make one until two years ago.A friend directed him to a Web site about guitars and banjos made from recycled cigar boxes, and he has been making the instruments as well as teaching and demonstrating the craft since.He is available to give seminars and can be contacted via e-mail at larrymcpheeters@yahoo.com.
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Its alive. Its ALIVE!!!

Posted by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on June 2, 2009 at 4:30pm
HAH. Electronics does NOT get the best of me -- even when I do STOOPID things.I attempted to build the Ruby preamp from runoffgroove and heh, ground the volume pot and the #3 leg of the LM386 and you have SOUND dumba55...Anyhow. WOW does it work.BUT... you better be prepared to solder well....-Wes
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Cigar Box Bass - Ahsbory style

Posted by David Beede on June 1, 2009 at 9:28am
I ran across this great post on the Ashbory Bass forum. Did a member of "the nation" build this one?http://www.largesound.net/bass/index.php/topic,629.msg2084/topicseen.html#msg2084Check it out. There is also a nice MP3 file of the results.http://www.box.net/shared/rhrsk2dwcgHe's using the polyurethane strings sold by Owen at RoadToadmusic.com, who also makes of some great Ukes, bass and otherwise.

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d-bow building

Posted by bairfoot cajun on May 31, 2009 at 5:01am
i would like to say thanks to the d-bow builders here in this cigarbox nation if it were not fer those of you that build d-bows i would not know the fun it is to build them. cause i look at all the talent and say cajun you must build some of those too they gots to be great fun to build. so therefore i am finding out how much fun it really is to build d-bows thanks to you guys.i had built one several months ago cause i had a small box that i wasnt sure what i would do with it so i did build a d-bow with it.i didnt play it much at first but started to jam with it just a little just recently.now i am finding out how much fun it is to play them also.so i just wanted to give thanks to the d-bow folks here cause i am influenced by the talented folks who build d-bows,now i are one.keep on jammin folks that is what i do.
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Did a bit of work on the neck today.

Posted by Brian on May 28, 2009 at 2:00am
Cut the headstock relief, temp fitted the machine heads,cut the nut slot (Im using 1/4" round brass).Drilled and cut Stainless rivets for the string fixing end.

head.jpg

heada.jpg

Ive got a few days wait for the frets, I figure it will be easier to fret with the neck still "unshaped".Once the frets are in I'll shape the back of the neck.
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Work is underway

Posted by Brian on May 26, 2009 at 3:07am
Started work on guitar today,cut out the releif for the neck in the box and the lid cutout into the neck.

neck1.jpg

The black stuff is tape to help stop the paper and wood splitting out the back when filing..

neck2.jpg

Camera was cutting out , low batteries, so took a couple of pics quickely.......Tried peeling the cancer sticker off, with some sucess, but its a bit touch and go.But when I looked at the pic with the box open above, I thought ....."mmmm, cut the lid off and flip it over so the inside is on the outside..."If you get my drift..I'll worry about that later though.
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