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"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 …

In anticipation of the huge C. B. Gitty St. Patrick's Day Concert Broadcast this Friday, March 13, we present a classic Irish song in TAB format for both 3 and 4 string cigar box guitar!  Each version has two arrangements, one in the key of G and the other in C.The Wild Rover is one of the best known of the Irish pub/drinking songs, and is definitely a Saint Patrick's Day favorite.  It is said to date back to the 1500's.  The chorus is often accompanied by audience parti …

In this post, you'll see episode #124 of the Gitty Gang Show, this one titled Homemade Music Is Amazing. Scroll down to see a video of the entire show. Scroll a bit further to see timestamps directing you to your favorite show segments, along with other helpful tidbits of information. Every Friday afternoon at 2 PM (US Eastern), the Gitty Gang goes live on Facebook and YouTube. The Gitty Gang Show is a grabbag variety show full of cigar box guitars and other homemade instruments, …

In this post for building canjos, you'll learn how to remove the top from a beverage can in under a minute without a single tool!Making your own canjo is one of the most uncomplicated and satisfying musical instrument-building projects you can undertake. To build one requires little more than a neck, a tuner, a string, and a can. As a toast to the canjo's simplicity, Ben "Gitty" Baker recorded a short video demonstrating how to remove a beverage can-top using no tools. And that process to p …

In this post, you'll see episode #123 of the Gitty Gang Show: the Valentine's Day Jam Session. For this show, the Gang hit the stage and took turns leading performances of songs ranging from an Irish jig to a cowboy song to a classic rock n' roll tune.The Gitty Gang Show goes live every Friday afternoon at 2 PM (US Eastern). It's a grab-bag variety show full of cigar box guitars and other homemade instruments, songs, how-to's, stories, jokes, and more.In addition to the Gang's Valentine's Day ja …