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ATLAS of Plucked Instruments

I recently found a site of incredible content regarding every type of plucked string instrument in the world (Yes, the WORLD!), except one - our beloved CBG's. I dropped a line to Mr. Henny de Bruin who owns and runs the site http://www.atlasofpluckedinstruments.com/index.htm. This is the message I sent him and I included a few pictures as well:

What an amazing site! You have indeed created an almost boundless collection of wonderful culture here. The only thing I found lacking was any reference to Cigar Box Guitars, which originated in the American South. Mostly for playing Delta Blues, cigar box guitars are unique and varied, coming in versions using 1 to 6 strings and can be fretted or unfretted, acoustic or electric, played in various tunings either plucked or with a slide. If you are interested in learning more and seeing some incredible examples of this international phenomenon, take a look at www.cigarboxnation.com.

At the website you can see many more examples along with pictures and videos of cigar box guitars being played, construction methods, technical discussions, and history. We also provide instruments to active-duty soldiers and wounded warriors around the globe.

As a member of that group, I'm sure I speak for all homemade guitar builders and players - we would love to be included in your incredible atlas!

Thank you!

Here is his response:

Hello Hal,

Thank you for your interest in my website ATLAS of Plucked Instruments.
I am always pleased to hear from visitors who enjoyed browsing the many different guitars and lutes.

Regarding Cigar Box Guitars, I think you have a good point here :

By accident I recently noticed the large number of Cigar Box Guitars offered for sale these days on eBay

- which means that there are more than just a few people involved in this type of special instrument.

So yes, I will soon include the Cigar Box Guitar in ATLAS, on page Miscellaneous.

I have now already ordered the book : One man's trash - the History of the Cigar Box Guitars

- to get the background information, and I may even think about buying one myself !

So you may hear me again in near future, for more information !

Thanks a lot for pointing out the Cigar Box Guitar to me, with the first snippets of information, and pictures of your beautiful instruments.

Kind regards,

(mr) Henny de Bruin

Netherlands

I hope everyone here will visit the ATLAS. Besides pictures and history of all these fantastic instruments, many have links to UTube vids of them being played. You will get some amazing ideas for builds.

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Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on October 31, 2011 at 1:23pm

No mountain dulcimers, stick dulcimers or dulcijos.

No diddley bows and no canjos, either.

He obviously needs to visit CBN to keep up with what's happening in the West.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan Rose on October 31, 2011 at 2:09pm

Awesome site. It could be organized better, since you don't always find things where you expect them to be. Mountain dulcimers are in there. http://www.atlasofpluckedinstruments.com/steelguitars.htm Go to the very bottom.

The McNally strumstick is also in there, http://www.atlasofpluckedinstruments.com/miscellany.htm , a little more than halfway down.

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Permalink Reply by Habanera Hal on October 31, 2011 at 4:11pm

Rand,

That's why I contacted him to include our creations. And as Ryan said, the mountain dulcimers and strumsticks are there. Mr. de Bruin will iclude all those missing, I'm sure, once he sees all the variations that we have created.

Rand Moore said:

No mountain dulcimers, stick dulcimers or dulcijos.

No diddley bows and no canjos, either.

He obviously needs to visit CBN to keep up with what's happening in the West.

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Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on November 1, 2011 at 10:11pm

Thanks, Ryan & Hal.

I found the McNally's strumstick. Hopefully they can include a list of the 30+ different names for this kind of instrument plus my favored generic name: stick dulcimer. The instrument will never gain the recognition it deserves when it is called so many different things. Some photos showing the variety of forms should also be included.

I also found mountain dulcimers under"Steel Guitars". Here's that link. He includes some European antecedents of the mountain dulcimer as well.

-Rand.

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Permalink Reply by Roosterman on November 2, 2011 at 7:53am

Good work Hal.... how on earth had we been missed? ;o)

I found an oil can guitar listed though, under the African name 'Ramkie'

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Permalink Reply by ross harper (rustic luthiery) on November 2, 2011 at 9:01pm

Hal,thanks for finding this site and putting it on the Nation!I'm gonna lose heaps of time there!Love the Indian/Central Asian instruments.Check the "BulBul Tarang".Thanks! Ross

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Permalink Reply by Habanera Hal on November 10, 2011 at 10:16am

Well, we have arrived! Take a look at the inclusion of CBG's in the ATLAS at: http://www.atlasofpluckedinstruments.com/miscellany.htm and be sure to let Mr. de Bruin know your thoughts!