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After the enormous success of our "Hard Times Make Great Music" instrument contest, we decided we're gonna party like it's 1869 and have a Banjo Build-Off!    The first set of cigar box instrument plans ever published were for a cigar box banjo.  These plans were for a 5-string, minstrel-style banjo made with a wooden cigar box body.  They were based on an actual instrument from a former slave.  The banjo was quite playable, too!We want to see you make some great banjo …

There's nothing like a cluttered junk shop to set the handmade instrument builder's imagination to fizzing.  For me recently, that inspiration came in the aisle of an antique/junk/hardware store in Farmington, New Hampshire. The battered old steamer trunk sat there forlornly, its traveling days seemingly over. The hardware was rusty, the bottom slats were rotted away... but I knew deep down that it had a whole new journey to undertake... It was not an easy journey. This build fought …

Every once in a while, a certain guitar will stop you in your tracks.  The human mind recognizes genius, whether in the parts choices, shape, or overall design.  Michael Copado's Humo Barnwood Guitar pegs the genius meter on all these things.In a recent post to the C. B. Gitty customer submission page, Copado detailed the entire build of this guitar, from parts used to the inspiration gained from Shane Speal's The Partscaster Cookbook.  Here's the process he used to create …

Electrifying your cigar box guitar or other homemade instrument build can be a very rewarding experience. Being able to plug into an amp not only gives you more volume, but it opens the door to a huge range of effects that would not otherwise be available. And it is a proven fact that having a pickup in a guitar makes it easier to sell - being able to plug in and rock out evokes images of Eddie Van Halen and Slash and is sure to get any would-be rocker's blood pumping.Our Disc-o-Tone pre-wired p …

I like to build instruments that will cover the full sonic spectrum.  If I'm looking for something that will cover the upper end, a simple PICCOLO cigar box guitar is the perfect solution.A piccolo cigar box guitar only has a 12.5" scaleIt is tuned to Open F (FCf)It's just as easy to build as a regular cigar box guitar.Demo video: HOW TO MAKE THIS PICCOLO CIGAR BOX GUITAR:Follow our instructions for making a classic 3-string cigar box guitar.  Instead of using a 3 foot length of pop …