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It was a special morning at the 2017 New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival when our own Shane Speal got to interview several cigar box guitar builders who attended.  Instead of just asking a few questions, Speal actually took their respective guitars for 'test drives' and offered some input from a performer's point of view. In the first of a many part series, we proudly present Shane's interview with Florida builder, Rob Wrobel. Wrobel presents two of his cigar box guitars to Speal:&n …

It doesn't take much to make a musical instrument. You can sandwich an elastic band between two popsicle sticks to make a kazoo. You can even bang two rocks together to hold a beat. But what about crafting a single-string bass from a 5-gallon bucket and other cast-off objects?Well, that's exactly what you'll see here. Using a grimy bucket rescued from a burned-down restaurant, two broom handles used to sweep an old factory floor, and a handful of miscellaneous bits, a single-string, 5-gallon buc …

Legacy. Heirloom. Memorial. Commemoration. What do these words mean? When something momentous happens in our lives, such as the passing of a dear friend whose life impacted many, how do we find a way to commemorate that?  Eulogies, headstones, some photos and kind words shared on Facebook... for me, that wasn't enough. When my friend Charlie Boyle died of cancer on July 11, 2019, it was like a hole had been ripped in the hearts of those of us who loved him. For years we'd been g …

One hot August morning I decided to head out to the Gitty workshop and build something. I'd been spending too much time at my desk, you see, and while the air conditioning is nice, I needed an "inspiration" break.  There's nothing like making some sawdust, and turning a crazy idea (and a pile of unlikely sticks) into an amazing instrument, to re-stoke the creative fires. The result was the Yankee Yardstick guitar, a beautifully rustic and unique instrument creation that sounds eve …

Shane Speal shows you how to turn a simple $24 Canjo neck into a cool Walkabout Dulcimer (Strumstick).  The instrument shown in this tutorial is very basic and uses the neck-on-top method of building.  Soundholes and other decorative elements can be added for artistic flair. Here's the tutorial video.  Scroll down for additional photos and a full parts list.The hack requires these steps: Drill out extra spaces for guitar tuners on the headstock  Add two additional …