#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

Cigar Box Nation Redesign

Hello everyone,

I wanted to let you know that we are working on a redesign of Cigar Box Nation's look and feel (known as its "theme" or "skin". Basically, this means the banner, the colors, how the different content boxes look, etc. This current theme has been in place for several years now, and was never all that great to begin with (I know, because I'm the one that came up with it), so it is definitely time for an update.

The core functionality that makes up Cigar Box Nation is not changing, only the way it looks on your computer screen. You'll still be able to upload photos and vids, browse groups, post forum topics and comments, update your own pages, take part in the chat, etc.

We are working with a professional Ning theme developer on this project (you can see some of her Ning design porfolio here if you want), with a goal of making the overall site look much cleaner, and more modern, while still retaining a "vintagey" feel that is in keeping with cigar box guitars.

The Cigar Box Nation logo (star/upraised fist/CBG) will be kept. We will also be making sure to keep some of the key stuff on the front page that you all love so much (Photo slideshow, Videos, Top Content, Forums, Groups). We are going to be working hard to make it easier to nagivate the site in general though, especially for newer users. So the main menu is going to be revamped and some other navigational aids added.

My hope is that the end result of all of this will be a much better looking and easier-to-use website. I am sure there will be some bumps in the road, and I know that not everyone will like every change. This process of having a professional, modern theme developed is not cheap, but I think it is an investment very much worth making.

Feel free to post comments and discuss all of this. I'll do my best to reply as possible.

Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker

18 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on May 29, 2015 at 5:32pm

I like your coinage: Unfortu-neat-ly. (Adv) Expressing the optimistic inability to change for change's sake.

This pun brought to you by Lee J.'s Cobb ;-)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom on May 29, 2015 at 9:34am

Go For It !!! You have been steering the course dang well so far. I am sure you'll do us all proud !!!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by C. C. Harris on June 1, 2015 at 11:33am

Thanks for all of your hard work, Ben. Looking forward to the new "look".

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bob Marioni on June 3, 2015 at 5:36am

I have been using Ning for years for a lot of the websites I've designed. My personal site and my Navy Squadron alumni sites are Ning based. I wanted the social networking format and although the prices have increased a lot since I began using it, I still love it. Glad you use it here. Looking forward to seeing the new design!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker on June 3, 2015 at 8:08am

An update on this: I have paid the 50% deposit on the project, so work will be beginning soon. The designer will be implementing the changes on a "test site", so you won't see anything change here until the entire thing is ready. It should be ready to go by the end of this month.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by RTZGUITARS on June 3, 2015 at 8:30am

It's all awesome only wish the 100mb download limit was higher for us non You-Tubers. Thanks Ben and everyone else that runs this bugger.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on June 3, 2015 at 9:14am

If the limit was bumped up, how many MB would be enough?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 3, 2015 at 9:41am

The World Is Not Enough, Mr. Bond...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by RTZGUITARS on June 3, 2015 at 8:13pm

Dan,

Like some people I'm still in mpeg2 world - a HD720p 3 minute vid is 300 to360 mb - SD is 180mb

songs are 3 to 5 minutes a 5 minute instructional in hd would be 500-600mb.

mpeg4 are smaller lower quality 5 minute would be around 180 to 200.est

I have tried the youtube and Vimeo compression here but they have issues. There is always windows media but it take forever and is lower quality the mpeg1

I'm sure your concern is storage but 250mb would be great. Youtube has 2gb.