How to Make a Pre-Blues Cigar Box Violin
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Before the blues showed up in the 1920's, there were minstrel shows and Vaudeville theater. Central to many of these shows was a...
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...
3,283 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....
7,851 views4 comments
Shane Speal
Sep 22, 20202 min read
Virginia's Cigar Box Fiddle, May 3, 1946
Several weeks ago, I received a message from fellow cigar box guitarist, Clint Herriman stating that he had discovered another historic...
624 views2 comments
Shane Speal
Sep 18, 20202 min read
How to Tie Fret Knots (Fretting Instruments with String)
How to Tie Fret Knots Parts needed: monofilament nylon fishing line (10 to 15lb test). Tools needed: Scissors Small file Fret Calculator....
2,038 views3 comments
Shane Speal
Sep 18, 20201 min read
Dangerous Electric Cigar Box Guitar Plans from 1919
Don't try this at home! These plans were discovered by cigar box guitar builder and researcher, John "Reddog" McNair. I'm not sure...
821 views2 comments
Shane Speal
Sep 18, 20202 min read
1886 Cigar Box Guitar Story: Little Boy Musician in Galveston, TX
Imagine digging through countless newspaper articles for any mention of a cigar box guitar and then discovering a full story of a young...
511 views1 comment
Shane Speal
Sep 15, 20203 min read
How to Make Musical Instruments from Cigar Boxes, 1923
Pictured: A small round box ukulele, circa 1920's. The following plans are less detailed than others in our archives, but they give some...
701 views1 comment
Shane Speal
Sep 14, 20206 min read
Cigar Box Guitar Heroes: Music legends and their cigar box guitars
The Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band, New Orleans LA, 1899 “So I went ahead and made me a guitar. I got me a cigar box, I cut me a round hole in...
1,979 views0 comments
Shane Speal
Sep 11, 20203 min read
How to Build a 4-String Cigar Box Guitar
Here's a simple cigar box guitar design I came up with using a shovel handle from Lowes. It's presented here in 'builder's diary' form,...
4,531 views0 comments
Shane Speal
Sep 10, 20205 min read
How to Build a Cigar Box Banjo (Published 1884)
(Pictured: 5-string cigar box banjo, circa 2005. Unknown builder. The design is similar to the banjo plans featured here.) Shane's note:...
4,185 views1 comment
Shane Speal
Sep 9, 20207 min read
History of the Cigar Box Guitar
by Shane Speal "On Saturdays, barbers sat their customers in the shade on the porch of the Store, and troubadours on their ceaseless...
6,608 views4 comments
Shane Speal
Sep 4, 20201 min read
Henry Wood's Cigar Box Violin Story, 1940's
I’d snatch a violin bow and I’d play that one-string fiddle while Mr. Statz would try to make his announcements...
183 views1 comment
Shane Speal
Sep 4, 20203 min read
Is this the original Hurdy Gurdy Man?
There was a Turk, of a most pompous appearance, who entertained crowds in the street by playing on an instrument of five strings passed over
188 views1 comment
Shane Speal
Sep 4, 20203 min read
How to Build a 5-String Cigar Box Mandolin (1922)
These historic plans from 1922 show how to build a five-string mandolin from a cigar box.
533 views1 comment
Shane Speal
Sep 4, 20202 min read
How to Craft a Bottleneck Guitar Slide
This article was taken from the original CigarBoxGuitars.com archives. You’ll need Wine bottle with long neck Glass cutter Masking tape...
1,662 views5 comments
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