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362:, billed as "The King of the Cigar Box Guitar," performs exclusively with cigar box guitars in solo shows and with his group, Shane Speal's Snake Oil Band. He performs with self-built cigar box guitars and also with instruments by Daddy Mojo, Smokehouse Guitars, Tomi-O Hartwell, Johnny Lowebow, Kurt Schoen and Mike Orr.
131:, the museum acquired two cigar box fiddles built in 1886 and 1889 that seem very playable and well built. The 1886 fiddle was made for an 8-year-old boy and is certainly playable, but the 1889 fiddle has a well-carved neck and slotted violin headstock. The latter instrument was made for serious playing.
66:
Cigars were packed in boxes, crates, and barrels as early as 1800, but the small boxes that are common today did not exist prior to around 1840. Until then, cigars were shipped in crates containing 100 or more per case. After 1840, cigar manufacturers started using smaller, more portable boxes with
444:
So I went ahead and made me a guitar. I got me a cigar box, I cut me a round hole in the middle of it, take me a little piece of plank, nailed it onto that cigar box, and I got me some screen wire and I made me a bridge back there and raised it up high enough that it would sound inside that little
222:
While there are many cigar box guitar builders, selling their guitars online, at music festivals and outdoor markets, Huntsville, Alabama is also home to the only brick-and-mortar cigar box guitar store in the world, exclusively selling cigar box guitars and other cigar box instruments. Located at
227:
Arts & Entertainment, the store was founded in 2010 by John Nickel and his father Pat Nickel, after John attended the Cigar Box Guitar
Extravaganza and was inspired to build and play cigar box guitars. Luthier Jeff Mello and his wife Tara took over ownership of the store in February 2021. In
180:
A modern revival of these instruments has been gathering momentum with an increase in the number of cigar box guitar builders and performers. A loose-knit group of underground musicians tour the East Coast of the United States each summer under the banner "Masters of the Cigar Box Guitar Tour"..
238:
The Cigar Box Guitar Museum, a free display dedicated to cigar box guitars, is located in Speal’s Tavern, a small blues club in New
Alexandria, Pennsylvania. It is curated by cigar box guitarist Shane Speal and contains over 60 antique and modern cigar box guitars.
219:, which was shot primarily at the Cigar Box Guitar Extravaganza, an annual event held in Huntsville, Alabama, which has since been re-named the World's Longest-Running Cigar Box Guitar Festival. The 19th annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival was held in 2022.
325:, performs with a Lowebow. Johnston helped design the instrument with its builder, John Lowe, who first learned of the cigarbox instruments from Jay Kirgis, a builder in Mississippi. Mr. Kirgis had brought one into John Lowe’s store looking for a pickup.
124:
It would seem that the earliest cigar box instruments would be crude and primitive, but this is not always the case. According to
William Jehle, curator of The Cigar Box Guitar Museum and the author of
212:
and resonator cones. In the mid-to-late 1990’s, Jay Kirgis, a musician and sculptor in Oxford, Mississippi, created playable, sculptural cigarbox and biscuit tin instruments using pool cues as necks.
121:
as supplementary material at the back of the book. These plans omitted the story but still showed a step-by-step description of a playable five-string fretless banjo made from a cigar box.
204:, as a cigar box is inexpensive in comparison with other factors, such as strings and construction time. Many modern cigar box guitar makers can be seen as practitioners of a type of
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Trace evidence of cigar box instruments exists from 1840 to the 1860s. The earliest known illustration of a cigar box instrument is an etching copyrighted in 1876 of two
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142:. As most of these performers were black Americans living in poverty, many could not afford a "real" instrument. Using these, along with the
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54:. The earliest had one or two strings; modern models typically have three or more. Generally, the strings are connected to the end of a
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four strings: for example A – e – a – c#' or G – d – g – b
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Classical tuning of a six-string guitar (E – A – d – g – b – e’)
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are adding cigar box guitars to their items for sale. Some cigar box guitar builders of today include Mike Doyle
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These musicians include Doctor
Oakroot, Johnny Lowebow, Tomi-O and many others. A growing number of primitive
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115:. The plans, retitled "How to Build an Uncle Enos Banjo", were included in the 1890 edition of Beard's
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398:, recorded tracks in Japan for his upcoming solo album. He plays a four-string cigar box guitar.
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78:. The etching was created by illustrator and artist Edwin Forbes, who, under the banner of
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three strings: for example A – e – a or G – d – g
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played a
Baratto cigar box guitar on "Cut Me Some Slack", as heard in the documentary
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509:, performing his guitar solo "Hemingway" on a homemade three-string cigar box guitar.
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plays a cigar box guitar throughout his first solo record, "Spark", and also on tour.
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plays several personalized and obscure instruments, including a cigar box guitar.
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Many different tunings can be used for cigar box guitars. Common tunings are:
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1108:"Paul McCartney, Nirvana members jam at '121212' concert – Los Angeles Times"
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box, and got me a tune out of it. I kept my tune and I played from then on.
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The modern revival of cigar box guitars is documented in the 2008 film
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1129:"Hemingway – Mark Stowe – Listen, Appearances, Song Review – AllMusic"
1021:
948:"Dust Box Guitars - Handcrafted Cigar Box Guitars in Peterborough, ON"
728:"Songs Inside the Box, the cigar box guitar documentary by Max Shores"
268:
four strings: for example d – g – b – e’
1208:
Shane Speal's Cigar Box Guitar Museum in New
Alexandria, Pennsylvania
625:""Life Studies of the Great Army" | Photo Essays | Civil War Monitor"
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Four string banjo tuning: D – G – b – d
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759:"World's longest-running Cigar Box Guitar Festival set for June 2-4"
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plays a cigar box ukulele on his 2017 video for "Come On
Christmas".
388:, has recorded with a one-string cigar box bass made by Shane Speal.
924:
150:, and harmonica, black musicians performed blues at social events.
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Cigar box guitars and fiddles were also important in the rise of
96:), the fiddle clearly shows the brand "Figaro" on the cigar box.
478:. He also used the guitar for the live debut of the song at the
439:
played a cigar box guitar at times and said this on the subject:
208:
and implement various personal touches, such as the addition of
378:, a Hindustani slide master, plays a Lowebow cigar box guitar.
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plays with a cigar box with only two strings (octave chord).
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soldiers at a campsite, one of whom is playing a cigar box
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three strings: for example A – d – g
228:
November 2021, Mello and the store were featured on the
58:
or a 1×2 inch wood slat and to the cigar box resonator.
404:, performing as a one-man band and also as a member of
299:, uses an electric cigar box guitar called the Lowebow.
346:
Jon
Hembrey, lead guitarist of 2014 Juno nominees the
1235:
Ciguitars: Information on How to Build and Play a CBG
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200:
The modern revival is partly due to interest in the
601:One Man's Trash: A History of the Cigar Box Guitar
128:One Man's Trash: A History of the Cigar Box Guitar
99:In addition to the etching, plans for a cigar box
321:, the subject of the 2005 Max Shores documentary
273:Magic jazz tuning: A – e – g
235:special, "Made in 'Bama," hosted by Lisa Crane.
442:
276:Hawaiian tuning: A – e – f#
1044:"Musicians feel the pull of cigar box guitars"
8:
783:"Cigar Box Guitar Festival - Huntsville, AL"
703:"Heavy Fog Guitars Rising From an Empty Box"
594:
592:
88:. The etching was included in Forbes's work
994:"Shane Speal, King of the Cigar Box Guitar"
859:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
875:"Speal's Tavern – Cigar Box Guitar Museum"
505:Mark Stowe was included on the 2014 album
386:Presidents of the United States of America
156:of the 1930s saw a resurgence of homemade
1230:National Cigar Box Guitar Museum (Flickr)
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323:Richard Johnston: Hill Country Troubadour
350:, plays a three-string cigar box guitar.
146:(similar to the cigar box guitar), jug,
29:
1086:"Sound City Movie and Sir Paul Photo's"
573:
295:Luther Dickinson, the guitarist of the
852:
498:) and for a subsequent performance on
466:plays a three-string cigar box guitar.
900:"How Do You Tune A Cigar Box Guitar?"
806:
804:
802:
515:plays a four-string cigar box guitar.
315:plays a four-string cigar box guitar.
7:
81:Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper
464:The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
337:plays cigar box banjo on his album
25:
1193:MATTEACCI'S CIGAR BOX GUITAR SHOP
837:"WVTM 13 Chronicle: Made In Bama"
309:performs with a cigar box guitar.
292:played a cigar box–shaped guitar.
34:A collection of cigar box guitars
193:, Del Puckett and Peter Lake of
835:Digital, WVTM 13 (2021-11-27).
649:"Christmas Eve with Uncle Enos"
1265:Improvised musical instruments
90:Life Studies of the Great Army
1:
1042:Randy Lewis (13 March 2011).
678:The American Boy's Handy Book
676:Beard, Daniel Carter (1882).
585:. New York: Arnot Art Museum.
507:Guitar Wizards Vol. 1 & 2
113:Christmas Eve with Uncle Enos
701:Pretty, Brad (1 June 2016).
1281:
1106:Randy Lewis (2012-12-13).
757:Smith, Adam (2023-05-18).
418:plays a Baratto Cigfiddle.
297:North Mississippi Allstars
1240:BSA CBG Festival (France)
975:. watoday.com. 2009-04-09
732:www.songsinsidethebox.com
372:plays a cigar box guitar.
118:American Boy's Handy Book
1213:Handmade Music Clubhouse
1072:The Complete Peanuts by
1218:Cigar Box Guitar Museum
629:www.civilwarmonitor.com
599:Jehle, William (2010).
583:Handbook of Cigar Boxes
1110:. Articles.latimes.com
680:. New York: Scribner.
453:
177:
67:20–50 cigars per box.
35:
1147:"CD Baby Music Store"
394:, lead singer of the
384:, lead singer of the
172:Cigar box guitars at
171:
111:, in 1884 as part of
109:Boy Scouts of America
33:
738:on 11 September 2012
581:Hyman, Tony (1972).
217:Songs Inside the Box
154:The Great Depression
107:, co-founder of the
500:Saturday Night Live
462:Reverend Peyton of
158:musical instruments
105:Daniel Carter Beard
46:that uses an empty
1223:2010-05-04 at the
1088:. Cigar Box Nation
763:City of Huntsville
656:Cigarboxguitar.com
284:Notable performers
178:
103:were published by
92:. In the etching (
72:American Civil War
36:
27:Musical instrument
1203:Heavy Fog Guitars
1054:on 6 January 2014
1048:Los Angeles Times
904:www.jagshouse.com
610:978-1-4538-0239-7
450:Lightnin' Hopkins
437:Lightnin' Hopkins
406:Hank Williams III
195:Heavy Fog Guitars
84:, worked for the
16:(Redirected from
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1198:Cigar Box Nation
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1174:. Archived from
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996:. Shanespeal.com
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40:cigar box guitar
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1178:on 2015-11-27.
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1018:"tomiocbg.com"
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1176:the original
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1154:. Retrieved
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1112:. Retrieved
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1056:. Retrieved
1052:the original
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1026:. Retrieved
1022:the original
998:. Retrieved
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977:. Retrieved
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956:. Retrieved
952:the original
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882:. Retrieved
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819:. Retrieved
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787:CBG Festival
786:
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766:. Retrieved
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740:. Retrieved
736:the original
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659:. Retrieved
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632:. Retrieved
628:
619:
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582:
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547:Washtub bass
519:Matthew West
506:
499:
473:
443:
425:
392:Vic Ruggiero
382:Chris Ballew
338:
322:
313:Frank Turner
251:Open tuning
246:
237:
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191:Mike Snowden
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144:washtub bass
133:
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79:
69:
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42:is a simple
39:
37:
929:Kurt Schoen
532:Diddley Bow
431:comic strip
360:Shane Speal
348:Strumbellas
202:DIY culture
187:Shane Speal
174:Maker Faire
44:chordophone
1249:Categories
1114:2014-02-18
1092:2014-02-18
1028:2007-04-30
1000:2014-02-18
979:2014-02-18
958:2014-02-18
846:2023-10-18
821:2023-10-18
792:2023-10-18
768:2023-10-18
742:27 January
634:2022-06-07
568:References
492:Dave Grohl
475:Sound City
376:Harry Manx
290:Bo Diddley
86:Union Army
56:broomstick
18:Box guitar
909:16 August
816:CBG Store
424:, of the
416:PJ Harvey
340:Real Gone
335:Tom Waits
233:Chronicle
225:Lowe Mill
148:washboard
136:jug bands
52:resonator
48:cigar box
1221:Archived
1156:19 April
1133:AllMusic
925:"People"
884:19 April
855:cite web
712:19 April
661:19 April
542:Jug band
526:See also
448:—
408:'s band
402:Joe Buck
396:Slackers
329:Bonny B.
206:lutherie
183:luthiers
1260:Guitars
812:"ABOUT"
552:Luthier
537:Lowebow
488:Nirvana
427:Peanuts
410:Assjack
366:Ed King
210:pickups
62:History
1255:Cigars
1058:29 May
684:
607:
562:Ramkie
557:Kabosy
484:grunge
307:ZZ Top
243:Tuning
76:fiddle
652:(PDF)
486:band
482:with
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