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2012 Cigar Box Guitar Builder's Challenge

We are pleased to announce the

2012 Cigar Box Guitar Builders Challenge!

The contest begins immediately. The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2012.

A winner will be announced the first part of January, 2012.

Last year, we didn't have a theme, but this year the theme will be:

Famous Monsters

This can be anything from Dracula, Frankenstein, or The Wolfman, to Predator, Alien, Leatherface, Godzilla, the list goes on. Pictures, images, scales, talons, teeth, all would be good components for a monstrous build! The monster does not necessarily have to be in a movie, but most likely will. If you have a subject monster that was in a book instead, feel free to use that.

We will have some great prizes too, more to follow...

Contest Rules:

One submission per person.

Each submission shall be an instrument of the builder's own construction and overall design.

The instrument shall prominently and visibly feature a cigar box in the design.

Each builder will submit up to five pictures of their creation.

Entries must be submitted no later than midnight December 31, 2012.

Builders will post the pictures of their instruments in the "Contest Submission Thread."

Builders should include descriptions of their work, including any technical details such as features, materials used, or any other information they feel would assist the judges in reviewing the submission.

The judges will review the pictures and select a winner. The decision of the judges is final.

We will notify everyone of who the judges will be once we get that list finalized. We try to have 3-5 judges on the panel.

Do NOT post your entries or pictures in this thread!

There will be a separate thread for submissions so we can keep all the entries in one place.

Good luck and have fun!!

Here is a link to last year's contest in case you have not seen it yet.

2011 Builders Contest

PRIZE LIST

First Prize - $250 value

A pack of prize items from C. B. Gitty's Store worth at least $250

Second Prize - $125 value

A pack of prize items from C. B. Gitty's Store worth at least $125 in value

Third Prize - $75 value

A pack of prize items from C. B. Gitty's Store worth at least $75 in value

Fourth Prize - $50 value

A pack of prize items from C. B. Gitty's Store worth at least $50 in value

The Judges

JP Soars

JP Soars is an accomplished, award winning blues guitarist. JP along with his band, the Red Hots, has won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee, as well as the Albert King award for most promising guitarist. His most recent album, More Bees With Honey was named the 2nd coolest CD of the year by Little Steven and his Underground Garage on XM Radio, and was in the top 5 click to pick on BB King's Bluesville on XM also. On stage, JP plays a 2 string slide CBG he made himself.

Tony Steidler-Dennison

Tony Steidler-Dennison returns again this year to help us judge. Tony is the creator and host of the free, long running Roadhouse Podcast. Tony has completed over 400 one hour shows of the Finest Blues You've Never Heard, and is a veritable encyclopedia of the blues.

Thomas Boatwright

Thomas Boatwright should be familar to most of you as the amazingly talented artist who has created the cover art for our CBN Christmas albums. Thomas is also a cigar box guitar enthusiast. Thomas specializes in monster related art projects, with many zombies and ghouls in his inventory. It is his artwork that adorns my Zeke Deadwood, Zombie Lawman guitar.

Thanks to these gentlemen for helping us out!!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by 3 String Blues on November 6, 2012 at 3:45am

JJ Heckle and Mr Hyde will participate!

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Permalink Reply by G.S.Monroe on November 6, 2012 at 7:04am

Ok, I have a question, abeit a "noob" question but, can someone explain to me what constitutes "The instrument shall prominently and visibly feature a cigar box in the design."?

What qualifies as a "cigar box", just how "prominent and visible" must it be?

Are there known Cigar Brand labels required, etc...

I kinda need to know where the line is drawn on this. It would be a shame to build for this contest and be disqualified due to a technicality.

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Permalink Reply by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker on November 6, 2012 at 8:03am

A cigar box is a branded box that has been used commercially to hold cigars made by a cigar manufacturer. Paper-covered, all-wood, painted, etc are all OK. It rules out custom-made wooden boxes. Prominent and visible means we need to be able to clearly see a cigar box as part of the instrument. This means no grinding one up into dust and including it in a baggie inside a Mexican strat solidbody, etc.

If you want to paint/decopage/otherwise cover your cigar box, I recommend leaving some form of the original branding at least partly visible, or at the very least take a "before" photo showing the box before you work it over.

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Permalink Reply by G.S.Monroe on November 6, 2012 at 12:06pm

Thank you for the input, that is the answer that I needed.

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Permalink Reply by fatduck guitars on November 7, 2012 at 8:26am

What is the criteria for a monster? Movie monster or just villin?

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on November 7, 2012 at 8:46am

The intent is for a monster to be non-human. This is not to say that Leatherface could not qualify, since he work a mask made of human skin. But I think he would be kind of at the limit of what would be considered a monster.

Are zombies non-human? Well, they were once human, but are basically re-animated, which in my book makes them non-human.

No one will disagree that Hitler was a monster, but I don't think he would be appropriate for the contest.

When it comes right down to it, we really don't have such a thing as being "disqualified" per se. The judges will have the sole responsibility to decide if an entry conforms to the intent or spirit of the contest rules. If they feel that an entry doesn't comply with the criteria, then they have the option to give it a lower score.

There have been hundreds of monster movies since the days of the silent movies. I would hope that most builders would be able to find something they can work with from that list.