| The cigar box guitar is an instrument that has | | | | coarse grade sandpaper. The raw materials for |
| fascinated many guitar players, mainly in relation | | | | making your guitar are: a cigar box, a one inch by |
| to whether they are real musical instruments. | | | | two inch piece of lightweight soft wood (poplar is |
| Many people who have learned how to make a | | | | a good choice), a dozen one inch nails, wood glue, |
| cigar box guitar have done so simply to give their | | | | some wood stain and an applicator. To tune your |
| children something to amuse themselves with but | | | | cigar box guitar just buy three tuning pegs from |
| the truth is they can make serious music. The | | | | your local musical instruments store. Their are |
| origin of the cigar box guitar is in the late | | | | plans available from expert cigar box guitar |
| nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when | | | | makers, in fact there is even a Yahoo Group you |
| there were many people seeking to express | | | | can join. |
| themselves through music but could not afford to | | | | Once you have made your three string cigar box |
| but real musical instruments. The use of | | | | guitar you have several options for tuning. These |
| homemade musical instruments like the cigar box | | | | tunings are from bass to treble: A E A, G D G, A |
| guitar had a resurgence in the years of The | | | | E G. |
| Great Depression. | | | | Many guitar legends are supposed to have played |
| The need for improvised musical instruments led | | | | cigar box guitars but not many are talking openly |
| to the proliferation of jug bands which gave | | | | about it. Here is an unverified list of reputed cigar |
| people the opportunity to play melodies and | | | | box guitar players who have made names for |
| generate rhythm for dancing using homemade | | | | themselves using conventional instruments: |
| instruments. So musical gatherings featuring | | | | Rockabilly legend Carl Perkins, jazz guitarist |
| washtubs, spoons and kazoos became | | | | George Benson, epitome of refinement Ted |
| commonplace in communities all over America. | | | | Nugent plus other noted musicians like BB King |
| Gourds with guitar necks attached originally | | | | and Jimi Hendrix. |
| provided the basis of homemade guitars but as | | | | There are also guitarists who make and play their |
| cigars began to be shipped in small boxes and the | | | | cigar box guitars as their sole musical outlet. One |
| boxes were left lying around the house, sooner or | | | | cigar box guitar mover and shaker is Shane Speal, |
| later somebody had to try them out as | | | | the curator of the National Cigar Box Guitar |
| resonators for guitars. The neck for your | | | | Museum in York, PA. Shane is archiving cigar box |
| average cigar box guitar was often a broom | | | | guitar history. He has found the earliest known |
| handle with one or two strings attached. | | | | plans for a cigar box banjo (circa 1870), unearthed |
| If you want to make your own cigar box guitar | | | | etchings of Civil War Soldiers playing cigar the box |
| you will need some basic tools: a box cutter or | | | | fiddle and owns a genuine dated and signed cigar |
| pocket knife, a hacksaw, a drill, some fine and | | | | box violin from 1899. |