Something Special!

There's something very special about watching someone's eyes light up, when they are presented with a surprise they were not expecting. 

It happened several months ago, when I gave son Joe the 'Cujo Mojo'.  Again, last month, when son Jay received his 'Peckerhead' guitar.  And, today was no different.

My friend Jeff's eyes were as big a silver dollars when I unwrapped the 'Maker's Mark' CBG and handed it to him.  Instantly, he looked it over, and said, "It's so much more than I had expected!" 

It was a toss up between the 'Bad Acid' amp, and the guitar for the first few moments, but then Jeff got down to business.  He turned the guitar in his hands, taking in every little detail, and softly touched the surfaces.  When he saw the flames, he said, "Man, this thing's on fire!" 

He plugged in the guitar and proceeded to entertain us with various songs, a couple he had written, and others he just likes to play.  Guys were coming and going at the Burning Leaf, but Jeff wasn't distracted, he just kept pickin' and grinnin', and the guys stood around listening and enjoying.

I'm not sure, but I think I was as happy as Jeff.  There is nothing as gratifying as to see the sparkle in the eyes and the look of happiness on a person's face, when they are pleasantly surprised.

Enjoy Jeff!   Because, I enjoyed building it, just about as much as watching you play it!

I had to check it out before passing it along to Jeff.

Son Joe took it for a test run.

Jeff is in another world right now!

Are those faces of happiness, or what?

Jeff and me, and the git makes three!

'Bad Acid' Monster Amp

This is Jeff's 'Bad Acid' mini-amp.  Don't ask me why he requested that I build the amp from an Acid cigar box, just let it suffice that he has been a rocker all his life and that he loves to chill playing his guitar . . . loud!

It is a very straight-forward build created from a GuitarFuel harness, supplied by my friend Ty, with components installed inside a small (7" x 7" x 3-1/2") cigar box.  

This little blower has power on/off; tone expander (peak, flat, bright); volume; and boost (clean, overdrive, metal drive) controls.  It can be lighted up using a small 9V battery or a 15V AC adapter, to push sound through a 4-inch speaker.  And, if you're brave, you can listen to the blast with headphones plugged into a jack on the side.

It's simple, sanitary, and sounds great!

If you're interested, I'll build a 'Little Monster' for you.

Just write me a note, and I'll take it from there!

'Maker's Mark'

The 'Maker's Mark' is a six-string, semi-hollowbody, electro-acoustic cigar box guitar, created from a rare 8" x 13" cigar box made to commemorate Maker's Mark whiskey. 

My friend Jeff, owner of Burning Leaf Fine Cigars, Columbus, Ohio, asked me to create this guitar for him.   It is my interpretation of what he imagined and shared with me.  His only request was that it breathe fire, 'cause, as he said, "I really like flames."  

In order to make the skunk-stripe Strat neck work with the 3-1/2" box depth, it required a bit of creative fabrication inside.  I didn't want attachment screws to spoil the backside  of the box, so I created a mounting surface inside that would be a rigid base which the neck could be firmly attached to, while still being removable.  This method allowed for maximum open acoustic space for sound to bounce around.  There is just enough added wood to counterbalance the weight of the neck, and when the guitar is played with a neck strap, it feels good and the balance is just right.

Fender light strings travel from the adjustable bridge over a single-coil bridge pickup to the tuners.  The action is set close for easy play, and acoustically it is what one would expect from a semi-. . . moderate resonance, loud enough, but not annoying.  But, when plugged in the sound is vintage Fender, with volume control on the box.

I didn't mess with the integrity of design on the box top, because that is what makes this guitar unique, and besides it is a really cool design. 

Soundhole covers are drawer pulls I found while cruising around The Home Depot, and they're just right for the box.

On the back, I did what I think will satisfy Jeff's desire for fire.  The flames are hand painted 'fire red' 1-Shot enamel laid down with a long bristle gray squirrel brush, and outlined with a 'rust' mixed to a hue that is complimentary, but which does not detract from the flames.  To highlight flame tips, I chose 'ivory'.

And, to allow Jeff his fun while working, he asked me to build a mini-amp to push sound around the smoke-filled confines of his really cool cigar shop.  His friends and customers can enjoy a fine cigar, be entertained by a good musician (Jeff), and relax watching the Ohio State Buckeyes demolish their competition.

You'll see that post soon, so stayed tuned to the blog.

You can be the next Bo Diddley with your very own handbuilt cigar box guitar.

Just drop me a line, tell me what you'd like, and away we go!



That's When the Fight Started!

I Hit the Jackpot Today!

Nearly all of the three- and four-string guitars I've created have been fashioned from oak and poplar sticks picked up at Lowes and The Home Depot.  But, today I stumbled onto something special.

I decided to call a local cabinet maker to see if he might have a little waste wood laying around that I might be able to score from him.  Lo and behold, I hit the jackpot!  Not only does he have scrap material, but it is in the form of exotic woods, and the traditional domestic stuff . . . and, the great news is, he is going to cut and plane it to my specs and quantity requested . . . cheaper than I buy the pre-cut lumber from the other guys.

Whoa, I'm so stoked!  Can't wait to work with the new stuff, and to see the results.  Yes, I will be posting pics.

What's Next

Well, I just finished the 'Peckerhead Mojo' and commenced to work on a six-string guitar for my friend Jeff.

It's a black Maker's Mark cigar box (the whiskey producer made a few promotional cigar boxes) with gold decorative lettering, which will become an electro/acoustic semi-hollowbody complete with all the fixins to whet Jeff's musical appetite.  To dress it up, I think I'm going to add a few pinstripe enhanced flames to the back of the box to give it a fire-breathing effect.

While I wait for the glue to dry, I'll start on an Acid box 'monster amp' that he wants to light up the MM, and the Burning Leaf three-string I made a couple weeks ago.

It's such a pleasure creating a guitar for someone like Jeff, because he gets pretty excited about the whole thing.  I'll post pics when it's complete.

Peckerhead Mojo

Each year, for the past decade, my son has hosted a Fathers' Day bicycle ride to commemorate the group gathering he and seven of his friends coordinated several years ago . . . the Peckerhead Invitational Ride.

He asked me to create a guitar with a theme that would appropriately reflect the ride. 

Here it is, the electro-acoustic Peckerhead Mojo three-string TotalRojo cigar box guitar.



Tuners, string tree, strings, piezo pickup, and output jack are the only items which are not bicycle related.

The gear decorating the headstock is from a racing bike 10-sprocket cluster, and a bearing spacer is adorning the back of the headstock.  The nut at the head of the fretboard is made from a spoke (covered with a piece of cable housing) with spoke nipples as end caps.  Frets are hand-dressed bike spokes, with retainer ends left on the 8 key fret positions as side markers, and spoke nipples are used for fingerboard fret markers.  A 39-tooth drive sprocket serves as the sound hole rosette, with a brake rotor shielding the opening from the underside.  The bridge is the same concept as the nut.  Spoke nipples are once again used, this time as string ferrules.  Brake parts are fabricated to make really cool strap buttons, and a brake pad placed at the base of the neck, where it joins the box can be used for a shorter strap, plus it just looks cool there.  And, a 53-tooth drive sprocket, encircled with a length of chain, is used to add a little style to the back of the box, and to enclose the hand-painted group symbol . . . the Peckerhead.

For a little spice inside the box, I added photos from the 10th annual ride last year.  The center photo recognizes the eight friends who pulled this really fun event together.

Multi-color pinstriping, which is my next most fun hobby, adds a little flair to finish off the the front and back of the box.

When building the guitar, I wondered if the addition of metal to the overall layout would effect the sound, but it isn't a problem.  The little Peckerhead plays well with low string action (my kid will not be using a slide), and the moderately bright sound resonates well with good sustain.

Ha-ha-ha-HAA-ha!  'That's all, folks!'

and, play my guitar, too!

YouTube - "Sleepwalk" on a Cigar Box guitar

Check this out!  It's played on a cigar box guitar. 

YouTube - "Sleepwalk" on a Cigar Box guitar

23 Guitars and 5 Monster Amps

In this mass of old (most before the Surgeon General decided a label was necessary to warn that smoking could kill us) cigar boxes, there lie 23 unfinished guitars and 5 potential monster amps.

If you want a great guitar, unique and one-of-a-kind, this is a good time to have me custom build it for you.  And, perhaps a rockin' little monster amp to blow the sound around.

Get a custom made three- or four-string guitar for $125, and a monster amp for $70. Shipping anywhere in the world is extra, and only what it really costs, not inflated.

Sorry, the Makers Mark box is already promised to my friend Jeff, for an awesome 6-string.  It's the least I could do, since Jeff is the guy who put me onto this cluster of fine wood. 

But there are Courvoisier and Liberty boxes that will make fantastic six-strings, so don't dally around, 'cause I might just make them for myself. 

Write me at jallred489@gmail.com or call me at 406-370-4090 . . . "I'm dealin' "

L. A. Times Article: Musicians drawn to the pull of the homemade guitar

Click on the link below to enjoy a great article written for the LA Times, which defines clearly what makes cigar box guitars such an enjoyable and exciting hobby, avocation, business, etc.

Cigar box guitars: Musicians drawn to the pull of the homemade guitar - latimes.com

The problem with getting old is that you can remember when you were young!

A Few New Creations

I've been building steadily for the last couple weeks, but haven't taken the time to post the new creations.  Here are five that I hope is an interest to you.

The "Piramide" is a 3-string guitar created from an Arturo Fuente 'Lost City' box, which is one of a limited OpusX edition of only 600 released in November 2010 as a part of the special Lost City promotion.  All the AF boxes are beautiful and produce awesome sounding instruments.

The sound holes are fashioned from perforated drawer knobs picked up at the Great Indoors hardware department, and the bridge is created by using parts from a drawer handle from the same hardware store.  I removed the floppy piece between the lions heads and replaced it with a brass rod.  Like most of my 3- and 4-string creations, a Piezo transducer distributes sound to my amp.  Tuners are Gotoh types, which stretch the G-D-g tuned 5-4-3 strings from a 10-46 acoustic set.

The "Rocky" uses a beautiful red Rocky Patel cigar box for the basis of the build. Stainless recessed perforated cabinet knobs cover the sound holes, while stainless drawer pulls are used as string and bridge covers, which provides a 'hand rest' when playing. The stainless features compliment the silver artwork on the box.  A transducer transfers sound to the amp. The 'Rocky' sounds quite different than many of the other boxes, but I like the treble sound the box produces.

The "23 Skidoo" comes from a Perdomo cigar box.  I love the simple design of the box and it lends itself to make a great sounding guitar.  This guitar has a wicked rich sound, and the red-orange color is very attractive.  I used a brass nut and bridge to transmit the sound through the usual transducer, but as an acoustic, this box rocks.

The "Honey" is a 4-string created from a Havana Honeys cigar box.  Again, I used unusual perforated drawer knobs for recessed sound hole covers.  The internal, as well as much of the external creation, is basic TotalRojo design with small variations to set the 'Honey' apart from other builds.  The box is smaller than many others, but the sound is plenty big, especially amplified.

The "Burning Leaf" 3-string guitar is my first Padron cigar box build, but it will not be my last.  This is an awesome box, which produces the best resonance and sustain of any that I've built.  The box is constructed from thin Spanish cedar with dovetail joinery, which I think is the reason for the great sound.

I built this box as a surprise for my friend Jeff, who owns Burning Leaf Fine Cigars, a really cool cigar shop in Columbus, Ohio, where I get the bulk of the boxes I use.

Everything in the construction of the guitar is basic to all my designs with the exception of the woodburned name and leaf cutout soundhole on the front of the box; the larger leaf design burned into the back of the box; and placement of the TotalRojo logo on the face of the box. 

Another exception is that I tuned this guitar to D-G-B, which was recommended by a CigarBoxNation builder-friend (Uncle John), and I gotta tell you, it is by far the best sounding and playable instrument I've constructed.

Well, I gotta get back into the shop, there are more fun things to create, and more music to enjoy.

Cigar Box Guitar Lesson

YouTube - Lesson _ Cigar Box Guitar - 3 string - DGB


Check out this lesson presented by Uncle John.  The guy is a cool ol' dude and he makes playing a cigar box guitar pretty simple, and fun.

A Montana cowboy walks into the Old Ox tavern and takes a seat next to a very attractive U of M coed -- he gives her a quick glance, then casually looks at his watch for a moment.

The cutey notices this and asks, "Is your date running late?"

"No", he replies, "I just got this state-of-the-art watch, and I was just testing it."

The intrigued cutey says, "A state-of-the-art watch?" "What's so special about it?"

The cowboy explains, "It uses alpha waves to talk to me telepathically."

The coed says, "What's it telling you, now?"

"Well, it says you're not wearing any panties."

The girl giggles and replies, "Well, it must be broken, because I am wearing panties!"

The cowboy smiles, taps his watch a couple times and says, "Damn thing's an hour fast!"

Visitors

I've noticed recently that my blog is being viewed by folks from northern Canada, Finland, Spain, Serbia, England, Scotland, and a variety of other foreign countries.

Thanks you for stopping by! 

While you're visiting, please make a comment on a post that interests you, or one that doesn't.  I really do want to hear from you.

If you don't wish to comment on the blog, send me an e-mail message at jallred489@gmail.com and I will respond.

Cigar box guitar building and playing is a great hobby, and you make it better.

I like the cyber penpal concept and enjoy making new acquaintences.

An Artist

    He who works with
        His hands
            Is a laborer.

    He who works with
        His hands and his head
            Is a craftsman.

    He who works with
        His hands, his head, and his heart
            Is an Artist.

                         St. Francis of Assisi

Whoa-oa-oa!  I feel good, I knew that I would, now

I feel good, I knew that I would, now

So good, so good, so good

Hey!!



I have a birthday this week and I intend to celebrate it rockin' out, enjoyin' life, and demonstrating that age is only a state of mind . . .

The Tiki Is Done!

A couple months ago, I posted photos of a cigar box I painted in a Tiki motif for my friend Tim in Chicago. 

Well, Tim has completed the guitar, which uses the box as the basis for his outstanding creation.  Notice that Tim fashioned the headstock to resemble the flame treatment I painted at the top of the box, a great way to carryout the overall theme.  Tim is really a talented and creative guy, and an all around good guy, as well!

If you're interested in seeing some very nice and unique cigar box guitars, do yourself a favor and go to Tim's Facebook page or CigarBoxNation.com (search Catalyst Customs on either site) and enjoy the ride.

If you cannot live without having a genuine hand-painted cigar box for your next guitar, or anything else for that matter, from toilet seats to trash cans, drop me a line here on the blog or e-mail me and we'll see where the paint flows.

Visitors, Please Note!

Now that I have your attention!

Thank you for visiting my blog!

People from around the US and many foreign countries are visiting my blog, and I would like very much to hear from you.

So, please leave a comment on a particular post you read and like, or even if you don't like it (I would like to know what you think of my blog); drop me an email message at the address posted here (jandrallred489@gmail.com);  or leave your email address and I will respond to you.

I really do want to make acquaintance with the folks who have an interest in the exciting hobby of creating and playing cigar box guitars.

It's Like Eatin' Potato Chips

I'm about to finish construction of the 32nd CBG.  I cannot believe what an enjoyable hobby this has become.

A Little over a year ago, I plunged into this, after reading a magazine article and researching it on the web. 

The excitement demonstrated by members of cigarboxnation,
handmademusicclubhouse, and cigarboxguitarsaustralia hooked me.

It doesn't hurt that I know how to use hand tools, and that I am artistic, but just looking at what others do to create such beautiful and playable instruments is so stimulating.  There are some very talented and creative people out there working in their basement workshops to produce some of the most interesting 'art' you'll have the pleasure of seeing.  Take a look, you'll be glad you did.

It wasn't difficult to get into the swing of it all, after studying what I saw on the CBG web sites.  I took a good hard look at the construction of my Martin acoustic guitar, compared it to the way my solid body Strat was built, and then compared all that to the way my new Ibanez hollowbody electric (a Christmas present from my wife) is constructed.  A few critical measurements from each, and I was off to create the Hemingway, which turned out quite well, and plays well, too.

When I first layed a thumb on the bass string of the Hemingway and combined that with the tone of a treble pluck, there was no looking back, other than to admire what I had created, and to look forward to something new.

And, today I'll put strings on the Piramide (#32) and play some funky blues.  Damn, this is a great hobby!

It's like eating potato chips . . . you can't eat just one!

Tung Oil

I tried using Tung Oil as the finish on the last couple guitars I've built, and I gotta tell you, I think it is great. 

I really like the way it flows on the wood surfaces, and the semi-gloss luster of it is nice.  I like poly for the durability of it, but the oil is a better choice for me. 

Tung Oil can be applied with a soft cloth, but I prefer to use small brush to carefully stroke it smoothly onto the surface.  Within thirty minutes, it is ready for a light sanding with 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper, buffing with a lint-free cloth, and after drying overnight, it leaves a beautiful finish.  If the finish starts to lose its luster after a time, a light coat of oil brings it back to life.

It's worth a try.  Let me know what you think.

Hang Your Guitar

I've seen several options for hanging cigar box guitars, but none of them seemed to work for me.  I didn't like the idea of attaching a string to the headstock to hand the thing from a nail.  The idea of drilling a hole through the headstock to hang it on a nail wasn't too inviting.  Commercial guitar hangers are good for 'regular' guitars, but not too handy for a CBG, and besides they're expensive as hell, anywhere from $9 to $25, that's pricey, especially when you have multiple instruments to hang.

So, I got to thinking (for me, that's dangerous as hell), I can make a hanger that will function well and be affordable, too.  Take a look at my creations:

This model works well on a guitar with a conventional-shaped headstock.

This model works well on headstocks without the conventional outward shape at the base of the headstock.

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Now, here's the really cool part of this.  I'll sell these little devils . . .

$5.00 each, plus shipping

or

Buy 5 or more, and the shipping is free!

Place your order:  jallred489@gmail.com

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But, if you're like me, you'll build your own, and that's OK with me, I like it when folks are creative.  Either way, it's a bargain!