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My first ten years in the CBG world

I first saw a cigar box guitar on the internet in about 2005. Blues Boy Jag was the guy and he could play! He gave tips on building and I wanted to build.

CBGs were not my first builds. I made two pretty decent mountain dulcimers in the late 90s, and a very crappy six string travel guitar.

Procuring parts was not so simple. I found a cigar box at an antique store. I drove 50 miles down to Omaha, Nebraska to a guitar repair shop and bought used tuners. The biggest adventure was a piezo. I'd seen online how to use a door bell buzzer and get the piezo out and use it on a guitar.

My first CBG was pretty cool. I tuned it DAD and the strings must have been a half inch off the fretless fretboard. It sounded pretty good and I was thrilled the first time I plugged in and the doorbell piezo worked.

Blues Boy Jag had some playing instructions and I believe the other instruction I found was John McNair. Even with a background of mediocrity on six strings and mandolin, those instructions did not take hold for me with the DAD guitar.

I went back to Omaha and bought frets and tuners and back to Radio Shack for another doorbell buzzer. I made a fretted 4 string, modeling the fretboard off my six string. It was pretty decent and that surprises me now because the only CBGs I recall seeing on line back then were fretless.

I found CBN in 09' or maybe 2010. I lurked a few times and then worked up the courage to join. It was great fun. I think there were about a thousand members then and Kenni Lee Burgess and John McNair seemed to be all over CBN and youtube with lessons. But it was knotlenny's CBG 101 that got me going. What a great thrill that was and I am forever grateful.

I went on a building jag and man, was it fun! I would lose sleep thinking how I was going to do this or that to my CBG in progress. Exciting times. Gitty must have just been getting started about then. I recall him having tuners, frets, disc piezos, brass tent grommets for sound holes – and not a lot more. No fretting templates, f hole templates, ready to use necks, fret boards, pre-wired parts, etc.

Those were creative and fun times – going to CBN to see what people came up with. So much seemed first time new. And if I saw it I would often try it.... Hubcaps, paint lid resonators, cat bowl resonators, license plate guitars. Good times, my friends! All of the fancy gear and parts available now makes it easier to create a nice build. But I think it takes away some of the fun and creativity.

My early CBN days were creative playing times too. I discovered that I am much better on three strings than six. I wanted to make a video! I was shocked to realize I could make videos on my $60.00 Kodak camera- the one I still use!

That first video was scary. I was nervous and had no clue how to edit start and stop times and no clue about lighting. Most of the vids back then (2010) were more basic than what we see now. The comments on my first vid were friendly and helpful and I realized I was making friends.

Friends..... from all over the USA and world. Wow! I dug it. Still do. One sad thing for me is to see some good CBG friends come and go. Things change. Times change. I realize that my passions have come and gone too. I no longer race dirt bikes, play competitive chess or dress like a woman and sky dive. Actually, I never did dress like a woman and sky dive.

Festivals... Early on, I wanted to go to York Fest - a long and costly trip. Never did make it. Likely never will. KC fest has been great fun. I think this year will be the 5^th year. It's good meeting CBN friends and making new friends. And the players down there! Wow. Good folks too.

In some ways these days we live in are bad times. But the internet has many good things to offer. I've learned so much about CBGs, music, blues and blues history. And I've found friends and an audience for my music. I am thankful!

Where is this CBG world going? It has highs and lows. People come and go. CBGs will never go away. Building is fun – some times frustrating as hell, but fun. Playing and singing is fun. Playing an instrument built by our own hands is even better.

I am glad to have found my way to the CBG world and I thank all of my friends and all of you who contribute to our fun pastime.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Uncle John on April 19, 2015 at 3:47pm

Monogramed!

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on April 19, 2015 at 3:57pm

oh ... .. ummmm...... i think that stands for "ugly jewelry "

yup .. that's it .

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Permalink Reply by Clock The Wolf on April 19, 2015 at 4:31pm

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on April 19, 2015 at 4:48pm

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Permalink Reply by Uncle John on April 20, 2015 at 3:35am

Dang! I will buy more Gitty stuff.

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on April 20, 2015 at 10:02am

I spit on the screen! Hahahahaha!

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Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on April 19, 2015 at 6:42pm

Wow Uncle John. I didn't realize you had been at this so long. I think I discovered this place late in 2011 and I built my first in March 2012 and I've never looked back. Haven't learned how to play well yet, but have enough good friends who can that I know how good they can sound. Building these things isn't addictive, but I sure don't know if I'll ever quit as they sure are fun.

Great bunch of folks here and proud to feel that some of the multitude are friends. Never got my decoder ring either, but this year for my 69th birthday (actually 59th anniversary of my 10th) I finally got my "Genuine Daisy Model 1938 Red Ryder BB Gun" so the decoder ring can't be far behind.

As you said, "Playing and singing is fun" (I am getting better slowly) and "Playing an instrument built by our own hands is even better".

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Permalink Reply by Uncle John on April 20, 2015 at 3:36am

Hey, Duck. Can I come over and shoot BBs with you? Put on your safety glasses.

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Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on April 20, 2015 at 8:16am

Sure, we can set up a bunch of tin cans and make some canjos with sound holes.

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Permalink Reply by Uncle John on April 20, 2015 at 3:39am

Cruddy, I am often full of shite, but was right about your singing. You've put up good and much appreciated vids. And done a lot of tech stuff for others. Yup, I remember BeStillRoy.

But I never knew you lost a child. I am so sorry for you and Megan. That hurt must never go away.