The Boat Oar Two-String Guitar by Shane Speal
A two-string slide guitar made from a canoe paddle. Built by Shane Speal. How to build link included
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Shane Speal
Apr 8, 20222 min read
Free Plans: Make a Tin Pan Banjo - 1923 (plus the Sound Searchers 2 Banjo)
Vintage plans from 1923 showing a simple banjo made from a tin pie pan.
4,982 views2 comments
Shane Speal
Mar 25, 20226 min read
Build a Cigar Box Greek Lyre - 1927
Build an eight-string lyre with cigar box resonator. The plans call for zither pin style pegs and a wooden frame.
1,109 views2 comments
Shane Speal
Mar 17, 20226 min read
How to Make a Cigar Box Lute - 1927
How to build a fretless, four string cigar box instrument. Full parts list & step-by-step diagrams. From 1927
1,198 views2 comments
Shane Speal
Mar 15, 202212 min read
Build Your Own Hamdolin
Build an 8 string mandolin from the tin of a canned ham. Common hardware store parts used. Full instructions.
2,028 views6 comments
Shane Speal
Jan 28, 20221 min read
Make An Electric Echo Mic from a Toy & Piezo!
Here's an easy project that will give you a goofy electric echo microphone that you can use for cool effects in a recording or on stage.
1,295 views14 comments
Shane Speal
Jan 9, 20221 min read
Download This Tracing of the Little Joe Instrument to Design Your Own
Several people asked about measurements of the Little Joe banjo, so I traced it and made a PDF. Download it here
1,052 views4 comments
Shane Speal
Jan 1, 20224 min read
How to Build The Mailbox Guitar
A look inside the Mailbox Guitar reveals an extremely simple bracing system made from poplar scraps. The wood was leftover from some cigar
757 views7 comments
Shane Speal
Dec 29, 20211 min read
VIDEO: How to Make Old Time Copper Wire Frets
Create frets for cigar box guitars using copper wire from a craft store. Tools: hammer & needle nose pliers.
1,182 views3 comments
Shane Speal
Dec 27, 20212 min read
A Simple Scarf Joint Glue-Up Jig for Cigar Box Guitars
This simple hinged board gets perfect glue joints on cigar box guitar headstocks. Easy design for any builder.
2,490 views7 comments
Shane Speal
Dec 27, 20213 min read
Build This Styrofoam Beer Cooler Ukulele
Ukulele body is made from an actual styrofoam beer cooler... and it sounds great! This has got to be the most freakish-looking uke ever!
454 views3 comments
Shane Speal
Dec 26, 20212 min read
How to Build a Found Object Electric Guitar
This strange instrument was built in an hour using an antique bellows handle and several modern cigar box guitar parts.
1,765 views9 comments
Shane Speal
Dec 22, 20211 min read
Printable 23" Fretting Template from the Book, "Making Poor Man's Guitars"
Download and print this page for an easy to use 23" fretting scale template, as shown on page 173 of Making Poor Man's Guitars.
4,627 views0 comments
Shane Speal
Dec 22, 20211 min read
VIDEO: I Put an $85 Lace Pickup in the Worst Cigar Box Guitar!
I put a Lace Alumitone Matchbook pickup in a $25 cigar box guitar! This has to be the most unfair gear review ever! This was my version o
927 views7 comments
Shane Speal
Dec 21, 20211 min read
How to Build a Lo-Fi Telephone Mic - Easy project!
The mic is perfect for blues harmonica or lo-fi vocals...and all you need is an old handset and guitar jack. Follow along with the video.
1,546 views3 comments
Shane Speal
Feb 16, 20211 min read
How to Make Your Acoustic Cigar Box Guitar Louder with a Resonator
Have you ever noticed the wooden back piece of a conventional banjo. These are called resonators and their job is to keep the sound...
1,926 views2 comments
Shane Speal
Oct 16, 20202 min read
How to Build a One-String Vibro Fiddle - 1937
These plans for an experimental diddley bow use an electric door bell clapper as a Dick Dale-style hyper tremolo picker. Fascinating...
2,256 views3 comments
Shane Speal
Oct 5, 20205 min read
How to Make a Pre-Blues Cigar Box Violin
Before the blues showed up in the 1920's, there were minstrel shows and Vaudeville theater. Central to many of these shows was a...
2,037 views1 comment
Shane Speal
Sep 29, 20202 min read
How to Make a Simple Diddley Bow Pickup
This is probably the easiest electric diddley bow pickup/bridge combo I've ever seen. It is based on a one-string "diddley bow" guitar...
3,320 views3 comments
Shane Speal
Sep 24, 20202 min read
How to Build a Super Tub Bass (an improved upright gutbucket bass)
An old time cigar box guitar sometimes needs some accompaniment, so we offer some classic free plans for a hot-rodded washtub bass guitar....
8,134 views4 comments
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