News

These started out as just scrap 2x4s, spray paint and pieces of plexiglass...Article by Shane Speal.  I've been having a blast with the new 2x4 Lap Steel Kits from C. B. Gi.  In a burst of creativity, I went to the craft store and bought a bunch of Rustoleum spray paints.  I even chose some radical glitter colors.When I first developed the 2x4 Lap Steel, I kept the look very simple with raw wood and zip tie frets.  In fact, the C. B. Gitty kit features my proto …

I just strung this guitar up this morning and it was love at first strum.  The instrument is a C. B. Gitty Mountain Tenor Kit. Before I get into details, here's the demo I just filmed.The kit arrives "in the white" (unfinished) which allows you to paint, stain and customize.  For the sides, back and neck, I used some English Chestnut stain I had from a hardwood floor project from many years ago.  The face of the guitar is actually a photograph of the side of a barn that was printe …

C. B. Gitty's founder, Ben Baker has always said, "I believe that anyone, anywhere can build their own instrument and make music on it."  In keeping with his philosophy, he has written or commissioned hundreds of pages of cigar box guitar music in TAB for every player to learn.  In this post, we present a collection of patriotic and American themed songs that we have posted online for free. Every song is presented in 3-string cigar box guitar, tuned GDG.  Some have additional TAB …

Cigar box guitars are one of the easiest instruments to play - especially those tuned to an "open chord" such as the standard GDG. As Glenn Watt and others have shown us, you can play all sorts of songs on open-tuned cigar box guitars using just one finger. You simply use the index finger of your fretting hand to hold down all three strings at different frets, to play the different chords that make up a song. You can find some of Glenn's best one finger lessons here... but of cour …

Like Jack Kerouac, I have always been drawn to the edges and fringes of modern society. The drifters and hermits, modern-day hoboes and wild-eyed street people who stalk the back alleys and forgotten corners of our modern world, these are the ones whose stories have always intrigued me.I know I could never live that life, but something about these people who live on the edge calls to me... in particular, the group of modern-day hoboes who still ride the freight trains, and take the time to tag t …