The Cigar Box Nation Newsletter for Oct. 17, 2014.  More great featured instruments, some woodshop secrets and other stuff from the Cigar Box Guitar Revolution.  Dig in!

The Skateboard Bass

by BrazilianScopel

Sao Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil

What's not to love about this bass?  The body is made from an old skateboard (cut in half and doubled up for rigidity) with the tattered original artwork proudly displayed.  It appears Scopel used salvaged bass parts to complete the build. 

Take note of a few things: 

• Scopel was able to fit the neck into the body without a router by simply cutting a space for the heel pocket on the top layer of skateboard.
• All other areas usually routed (pickguard, controls) are cut from the top layer as well.  For a builder without a router or routing skills, building a skateboard guitar can be a quite accessible project.
• Scopel uses a rail pickup (no pole pieces) to complete the build.  This means he doesn't need to worry about the spacing of the strings positioned over the pole pieces.  (A good example of a pickup without pole pieces is the Lipstick Tube pickup.  You can put them on cigar box guitars or homemade instruments and the output is even from string to string.)
• Check out the cool use of aluminum perf sheet for pickguard and footer.

If you want to explore the art of building instruments like this, check out these groups on Cigar Box Nation:

Solidbody City

The Vintage Lap Steel Plans Group

Unusual Guitar Designs

And if you can't find what you're looking for, why not start your own group or forum discussion and use it to add pictures, design ideas and building theories. 

What weirdness can you create today?  We wanna see it!

Hand Built & Custom Microphones

Did you know you can make a microphone out of a piezo disc and beer can?  You can also convert an old telephone receiver into an incredible harmonica mic.  Visit the Hand Built and Custom Microphones Group and get all the secrets for making the perfect lo-fi microphone to compliment your cigar box guitar.

There's so much more than just cigar box guitars over at The Nation.  Join a group.  Start your own.  Share the knowledge and create some amazing instruments! 

We especially need people to start group discussions on topics such as:

• Traditional Jug Band Instruments
• PVC Tube Stompers and Other PVC Instruments
• Unique Instruments for Street Performers
• Re-Creating Instruments From Historical Plans

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C. B. Gitty Records and Cigar Box Nation announce the Shane Speal's Snake Oil Band Fall/Winter concert series:

• LANCASTER PA - Tue. Oct 21 Tellus360 at 7pm
• FREDERICK MD - (Pending gig) Thur. Oct 31 Cafe NOLA 8pm
• HARRISBURG PA - Fri. Oct 31 Snake Oil Band Halloween Party  Gullifty's Underground - 9:30pm
• LEWISBERRY PA - Sat. Nov 1 - Ski Roundtop  2-4pm
• WASHINGTON DC - Thurs. Nov. 6  Gypsy Sally's  (tickets link)
• ALTOONA PA - Fri. Nov 7 -  McGarvy's Bar 9:30pm
• INDIANA PA - Sat. Nov 15 - (show pending - venue to be announced soon)
• PHILADELPHIA PA - Fri. Nov 21 - Kung Fu Necktie - 10pm
• COLUMBIA PA - Sat. Nov 11 - Union Station Grill - 10pm
• MARIETTA PA - Sat. Nov 29 - McCleary's - 10pm

Visit the ShaneSpeal.com for more info on these shows.  More dates being added. If you live in one of these areas, we need Street Team help to get the word out (posters, flyers).  Contact Shane at shanespeal@yahoo.com.

Create your own custom pack of guitar strings or maybe you just want to find the best gauge of strings for the guitar you're playing.  We've created a master guide for you!

Our new chart (found in the cigar box guitar knowledgebase ovar at CigarBoxGuitar.com) shows you the string size to use for every pitch from double-low B (one Octave below the low B on a guitar), all the way up to High A.  Using this chart you can figure out the strings to use for pretty much any tuning you want.

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Cigar Box Nation is sponsored by C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply, the Cigar Box Guitar Parts Superstore.

If you thought cigar box guitar building was fun, wait until you start designing your own cigar box amplifiers!  Our kits give you everything you need, from the speaker, jack and pre-wired circuit board to the beautiful all-wood Oliva G cigar box and decorative corners.

Just $35.99 at C. B. Gitty