The Vision Behind the "Gravedigger" Shovel Guitar

Climbing over and sorting through mountains of goods, long since discarded and forgotten, she pauses to consider the life of each item that catches her eye. She imagines the past each has had, but more importantly, the future that could be.

How could this be made into a guitar?

Jetsam from the ship of another life is what Farley Andresen seeks to repurpose, to write a new history, to give a new voice. In this case, the voice of music.

“So many items I just pass by but then every once in a while something strikes me, looks different and fun.”

No stranger to salvage yards, Farley has sought the unique and eccentric while building her own tiny house. This knack for discovering the beauty in something long forgotten translates well into her search for new musical instruments.

“I’m interested in new ideas for items that could make different kinds of sounds and be used as instruments. I walk around, climb over stuff, and try to find material that will spur a fresh idea.”

While doing a bit of that climbing and seeking she stumbled upon her latest creation-to-be. “I saw a whole bunch of old shovels and liked that one because it was smaller... and the handle reminded me of a guitar headstock.”

“I like old stuff... something that was being used for one purpose and now can be used for something entirely different but it still has that flavor, something more authentic, more interesting than something new because it has a history to it.”

The shovel possessed all of those qualities. Farley, never one to shy away from a challenge, brought the rusted spade with her to the C. B. Gitty shop where she set out to give it a musical voice.

But why introduce the challenge of an unruly surface with various angles and rusted metal to contend with when she could rely on the more reliable resources and square edges of sticks and boxes?

“The newness, the novelty of it, for me, having not done it before, that’s genuinely what’s exciting. So to do something and to learn how to do it for the first time, that’s very satisfying.”

The C. B. Gitty shop, as it happens, is also the perfect place for Farley to wield her artistic talents.

“The exposure to other people interested in musical instruments, and the materials we have available here, and the tools make it the place to do this kind of thing.”

Being well acquainted with fresh ideas, new perspectives, and breathing life into discarded goods, the C. B. Gitty shop embraces her even further reaching imagination. Cigar box guitars are the life-blood of the Gitty business. However, her desire to step out of the box, helps to drive the inspiration for creativity.

The shovel guitar is not a cookie cutter instrument. It doesn’t have repeatable hard and fast specifications that will produce a known result.

“And that’s the interesting part about the idea of using something that wasn’t intended to be an instrument, to then convert it into an instrument, that kind of play, that contrast of ideas… that’s where the action’s at. You have something that is not exactly what you’re expecting, so you have a little moment of surprise.”

The surprises dig up new challenges: trying to design a playable instrument, how to manufacture parts for it, trying to match that hardware to the unpredictable surface… and “trying to keep it in tune,” says Farley with laughter.

“I really enjoy doing different kinds of things. My mind gets bored and restless and so I like to do something new, novel, and experiment. The idea of doing something I haven’t done before… I think it’s looking for something unexpected."