some cigar box guitar news

There are a few things to tell you about today. I've had a number of people asking about how to build a c.b. amp. I've been putting a small booklet together for a while now and just about finished it. It's going to be available at a very reasonable price. I need to do some work on a new site first before I offer it out. The site is called Folksy and it's a UK site catering for all manner of craft items. It doesn't have an image that fits well with CBGs but it will allow me to put items up for sale and take payment via Paypal. I'll post here when it's up.

I'm having a go at selling a guitar on Ebay. I've gone off Ebay recently as they seem to have got greedy and the hefty fees they take when you sell along with Paypal fees, eats into your sales. I tried a couple of CBGs there before and although there were plenty of watchers, they didn't sell. I noticed there have been a few UK CBGs sold there lately, so it might be a good time to try again. I've put my Quality Street tin guitar on. It has a nice natural reverb sound to it. It has the usual piezo pickup so you can amp it up. I've started the price at £35 which is about half of what I normally sell CBGs for so if you're interested, have a look here and you might grab yourself a nice little bargain. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=260331120035
Sorry to say this though - I am only shipping to the UK at present. The complications, cost and risks of shipping abroad are still too much for my brain to cope with at present. I will get my head around it one day but too much to think about at the moment.

I have a few unfinished CBG projects that you have seen on here in the past. I really need to knuckle down and get them done. I seem to have difficulty in focussing my attention on them for some reason. Too many 'irons in the fire' is my problem but it niggles me that I have all these half-finished things. They'll all be really cool when I have them made so I'm going to concentrate on them this winter. I've started work again on the GPO tin amplifier. The screw-lid-used-as-a-volume control idea has been the stumbling block but I think I have it sussed now. I also restarted the big case that will hold two CBGs and a built-in amp. Lot's to do on that yet though.

Finally I just found out Shane Speal has set up a new Myspace/Facebook type of site called Cigarbox Nation. Had a brief look and it looks really cool. Lots of stuff to help the CBG builders and players. You may know Shane as the self proclaimed 'King of the Cigarbox Guitar' who set up the Yahoo CBG Forum some years ago. He made a sudden exit from the CBG scene earlier this year due to various pressures but seems to have bounced back now.

What's next?

I need to build up some more guitars for stock so I'll probably start two new ones soon. I've got a nice green Ramon Allones box I was going to use last time so that will be one. I'll choose a white box for the other one. It would be nice to carry on with the CBG case I started but that's still on hold. The suitcase drum is on hold too for a while.

I'd love to get the old extension speaker converted to an amp now. I'm buying up electronic components on Ebay at present to make up some new amps. I've been using kits from Maplin so far (quite expensive) but have found some plans to build low wattage amps and want to experiment with them once I get all the bits I need. I'm enjoying the electronics side of this hobby and have some ideas for some other cool ideas for housing small amps like interesting old tins, boxes and maybe a section of the big bamboo poles I have. That's a way down the road for now though.

I've had a request to put a blog on here about making bridges. I'm collecting material for that and will post soon Sammi.

I'm wondering if there would be any mileage in producing some sort of an Ebook for sale. Aimed at beginner cigar box guitar builders/players. Maybe take the meaty sections from this blog, expand on them and add more tips and photos etc. I've thought about even running one-to-one CBG building courses. I'm getting carried away I know but this stuff really lights my fire.