"Hard times make great music."  Ain't that th' truth?!    

While e'rrybody is stuck at home, we're gonna get y'all building the coolest stringed instruments ever.  There's over $1000 in prizes, too!

Unlike our contests of the past, this build-off has no limits on whether it's made from cigar boxes, cans or old guitar parts.  It can have one string wired to a fence post or it could be a full size harp made from a station wagon!  The more creative, the better.  It just has to be a stringed instrument that you built.  That's it!

Here's the details:

Contest runs March 17-April 30, 2020

Judging based on artistry, originality, overall wow factor (and whether it makes Shane want to steal it for his own collection)!

Stringed instruments can be:  cigar box guitars, folk instruments, conventional guitars/banjos/basses/etc, experimental instruments, found object instruments, world instruments.

Prizes: 

• GRAND PRIZE - $250 C. B. Gitty Gift Certificate for 1st place
• THREE RUNNERS-UP - $100 C. B. Gitty Gift Certificate to three runners-up
• BEST DEMO VIDEO AWARD - $100 C. B. Gitty Gift Certificate awarded to the best demo video submitted.  (Note:  photo submission to the overall contest is acceptable.  This award was made to encourage you to film yourself playing and/or demonstrating your instrument.  We wanna show off your videos!)
• MOST VISIONARY AWARD - $60 prize pack from Shane Speal's PoorMansGuitar.com for most visionary (outrageous, inventive, barrier braking) instrument
• HISTORICALLY ACCURATE AWARD - If you build an instrument from our historical instrument plans at CigarBoxNation.com, you could win a $60 prize pack from PoorMansGuitar.com 
• MACGYVER AWARD - $60 prize pack from Shane Speal's PoorMansGuitar.com for the best instrument made from 100% recycled materials
• INSTAGRAM - Three random winners who enter via Instagram will be selected to win a $50 gift certificate from C. B. Gitty (See entry details below)
• FACEBOOK - Three random winners who enter via the Friends of C. B. Gitty Group on Facebook will be selected to win a $50 gift certificate from C. B. Gitty (See entry details below)
• TIKTOK - One random winner who enter via TikTok will be selected to win a $50 gift certificate from C. B. Gitty (See entry details below)

Unlike past contests, no entries will be accepted on the CigarBoxNation.com main website.  This is simply due to a glitch in the comments section.  You can enter via Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or email.

How to Enter Via Instagram:

1.  In your Instagram feed, post up to three (3) photos and one (1) video of your entry.

2.  Add a one (1) paragraph description with your photo entry.  

3.  You must include the following in your post: CigarBoxNation.com Build Off Contest #cigarboxnationcontest #cbgitty #poormansguitar 

How to Enter Via TikTok:

1.  In your TikTok feed, post one (1) video of your entry.

2.  Add a short description with your photo entry.

3.  You must include the following hashtags in your post:  #cigarboxnationcontest #cbgitty #poormansguitar

How to Enter Via Friends of C. B. Gitty Facebook page:

1.  On the Friends of C. B. Gitty Facebook page, post up to three (3) photos and one (1) video of your entry.

2.  Add a one (1) paragraph description with your photo entry.

3.  Direct links from Cigar Box Nation and Instagram are ineligible.  You must have an original post on the page.   

How to Enter Via Email:  

1.  Email Shane at sspeal@cbgitty.com

2.  Attach up to three (3) photos and one (1) video link of your entry.  

2.  Add a one (1) paragraph description with your photo entry.  

Judges:  Shane Speal, Ben "Gitty," Baker

NOTE:  IN ALL SUBMISSIONS, INSTRUMENTS THAT WON PREVIOUS CIGAR BOX NATION CONTESTS ARE INELIGIBLE.

By entering the contest, you give Cigar Box Nation, C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply, Cigar Box Nation and PoorMansGuitar.com the permission to reprint your photos, descriptions and videos in social media. 

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