photos from boxstock 2011

Just a few snaps from the event.
Top -Tinqui8 performing at the evening gig.

Middle - Ben Prestage

Bottom - Chickenbone John checking out an old archtop

new Monte Christo and Cuaba CBGs

Some photos of my latest creations.

cgb "the special" is finished

Yeah at last it's done and I'm well pleased with it. It has great sustain which can be a problem with cbgs. I put that down to the hefty neck reinforcing I had to do inside the box to facilitate cutting away a recess for the pickup. I have a three way switch to select either the piezo or the magnetic pups or both together. The piezo is much hotter than the magnetic and so the middle position, where both pups are in circuit, is a bit piontless becuase all you can hear is the piezo. It's quite heavy for a cbg and I like that solid feel, nicely balanced too. The action seems just right to me, high enough for slide but able to be fretted with fingers too. I have it tuned to open G with strings 456 from a set of 10 guage electric steel strings. When I get time I'll do a video for Youtube.

some cbg photos as promised

I made an effort and took some photos to show you as promised. This is the "special" I've been working on for a while. It may not look much but my design aims were to make a visually understated guitar, quite minimal looking and a bit of a "ratrod". Having made a plain, aged-wood finish guitar before, and liked the look of the monochrome brown, I decided to make another but with some added refinements. The hand-wound magnetic pickup I won at the Birmingham CBG fest is the first refinement that makes it a special. Adding a second pup in the form of a piezo disc and a changeover switch plus volume control were the next additions. And to top it off, I've got some real bone blanks for the nut and saddle. Check out my posting on the bone slide to read about these.

tobacco tin amp and mic

Thought you might like to see my latest projects - a tobacco tin amplifier (above) and microphone below. The amp has a small internal speaker with an output jack that can connect to a speaker cab, switching off the internal one. There's a gain control which at minimum setting has an almost clean sound but when cranked up has a wicked distortion. Only 1/2 watt but more than loud enough to pee off the wife whilst watching tv. There's an on/off swicth and LED indicator. Runs off a PP3 9 volt battery.

The microphone is a passive device and simply has a 1/4 inch jack plug to connect to an amp. has a slight distortion to it - great as a harmonica mic. I think both these items look real cool and go great with the whole CBG ethos.

First UK cigar box guitar fest

Yes folks it's happened at last. My dream of a UK cigar box festival finally came to reality thanks to Chickenbone John who hosted the event at the Tower of Song Blues Club Birmingham . He did a sterling job and gave us great day of blues and cigar box fun. A relatively small but enthusiastic gathering of about 25 attended for a day of pure cbg indulgence. I met a great bunch of folk and got the chance to examine their amazing creations. I'm still buzzing from the excitment and trying trying to take it all in. So much to see and people to meet. Cigar Box Nation forum has been the vehicle that initially brought us together when I started a UK discussion group in an attempt to identify other CBGers in the UK. Just to say it was a fantastic day with playing and building workshops, a 'show and tell' session on guitars, pickup winding, building small amps and open mike session for those with enough confidence. The evening gig featured Chickenbone John and his resident house band, open mike again and to top it off, the amazing Hollowbelly. I'll be telling you more in later posts. Here's some photos of the incredible guitars.

glamour photos of Miss Stella

Here she is.

new Don Tomas cigar box guitar

Just dropping in to post a picture or two of my latest build. I'm using an old door key for the saddle on the bridge - works well. Sink drainer for sound hole and solid mahogany neck cut down from some old shelves. Nice warm tone from the smallish box and pretty good volume. I'm pleased with this one but it's been claimed already!

latest cigar box guitar

Here's a piccy of one of my latest cigarbox guitars. It's tuned to low open E. Neck is mahogany and it has a piezo pup. Bridge and nut are threaded bolts. Strap is hand made from some webbing with strong hessian twine to anchor each end.

I've had a go at a stompbox using a cool looking French butter box. I attached a piezo disk and amped it up but it sounded rubbish. Just a plain tapping sound. I want a deeper thump but as yet don't know how to get it.