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We all have an origin story: the reason each of us began crafting handmade musical instruments.Some stumbled upon a cigar box guitar at a craft fair or music festival. Others saw Shane Speal’s videos on YouTube, encouraging and educating people from all over the world. No matter the inspiration, each of our stories guides our next build, and binds us together in this community of tinkerers, artists, hobbyists, musicians, woodworkers, and crafting-enthusiasts. To give voice to these stor …

Want to challenge yourself with a new way to build your next guitar? Use an old wooden crate to make your biggest, most distinctive DIY-guitar yet! There's no question that cigar boxes are the most popular repurposed item for building homemade/handmade musical instruments. Of course, there are other popular options: wine and liquor boxes, silverware cases, metal boxes, and cookie tins and such, but what about when you want a little bigger challenge? For me, that challenge is provided by …

Go behind the scenes and see Farley create one of our most popular cigar box guitar necks, The Heritage American Chestnut. …

We just installed this massive machine, known by some as The Widowmaker.  Actually called "The W. S. Hawker Dowel Machine  a.k.a. The Moneymaker," this 100 year old machine is a 7.5HP, 3 phase dowel cutter from 1914. We've got big plans for this massive beast, including cigar box guitar necks and even a new line of drumsticks.VIDEO #1 is the raw footage of Gitty & the gang looking it over and pointing out the various features.  (Scroll down to see VIDEO #2 where we a …

Shane Speal show an ultra-simple "hack" to turn our White Pearl Strat Style Loaded Pickguard ($31.99) into a pre-wired cigar box guitar harness.  Even the empty pickguard is used as a template. Also featured in the video is our Lipstick Tube pickup ($15.99). …