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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on May 29, 2010 at 6:12am

Gotta love the Nation!!!

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on May 29, 2010 at 6:14am

From the article:

"4. A connection to other people. When I started making cigar box guitars, I stumbled onto a group of DIYers at a website called Cigar Box Nation. These amateur luthiers log in from around the world to share plans, photos, and videos of their home-made stringed instruments. They are happy to share ideas and advice about building guitars, banjos, and ukuleles with newcomers. I've found this same spirit of generosity at other online hangouts devoted to building electric vehicles, autonomous aerial vehicles, and raising chickens. Even though time is our most precious resource, I've discovered that DIYers are happy to give their own time to people who seek their knowledge. (At Make, we are exploring this admirable quality of DIYers as a way to rethink traditional educational systems.) "

Sums it all up.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by BenBob on May 29, 2010 at 7:49am

I get a strong DIY and repurposing ethic from my parents, and I've had a lifelong love of making music. The other day I had a funny memory from when I was a teenager - I found a little homemade speaker enclosure in the garage that my father had made. Guess what it was made out of? I'd love to find that thing and make a reso out of it lol. Building a cigar box instrument just feels so right, and if it wasn't for this community I probably never would have started building. Now, I have several new ideas I want to try and the confidence and support to actually try them. Thanks everyone - especially the authors of the plans for sharing, Crow and others for their inspiring videos, and Shane Speal for being ground zero and an ongoing force here.

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Permalink Reply by Outhouse Instruments on May 29, 2010 at 9:33am

He must've been reading the Hall of Shame group.

And I must be just chock full o courage ... according to my wife and kids, I don't do nothing right.

Matt

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Permalink Reply by Crow on June 1, 2010 at 8:19am

@benbob
thanks for the shout!
i know we all work hard on what we love, and i'm glad that my videos and information have served some use!
there's a guy on youtube that just finished buildling his first 2x4 slide steel instrument, based on my "2x4 slide diddley plank" and has been corresponding with me quite a bit up until he finished it.
i love seeing that even the simplest design ideas help others to start on their way!!
like i keep saying in my videos "keep building and playing, and post everything you do - you never know who you're going to inspire next!"

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