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Cigar box guitars?


grace_slick

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Hi, lovely people :thu:

 

Has anyone here got, or had experience, with a cigar box guitar?

 

I'm thinking of acquiring one as they SEEM to be fairly easy to play. Only 3 strings, and I've seen people playing them with the guitars resting on their laps instead of holding them in the normal guitar-playing style, which appeals to me.

 

I don't know what I'm doing with proper guitar playing and found too many chords too difficult so gave up playing all together a long time ago. But this I think I could play around with and have some fun improvising and ad libbing stuff. Apparently many of these guitars don't even have fret markers, which slightly excites me as I really CAN just go free form and play entirely by ear instead of by rules or sight.

 

Anyone? :)

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Hi, lovely people
:thu:

Has anyone here got, or had experience, with a cigar box guitar?


I'm thinking of acquiring one as they SEEM to be fairly easy to play. Only 3 strings, and I've seen people playing them with the guitars resting on their laps instead of holding them in the normal guitar-playing style, which appeals to me.


I don't know what I'm doing with proper guitar playing and found too many chords too difficult so gave up playing all together a long time ago. But this I think I could play around with and have some fun improvising and ad libbing stuff. Apparently many of these guitars don't even have fret markers, which slightly excites me as I really CAN just go free form and play entirely by ear instead of by rules or sight.


Anyone?
:)

 

I have a

6 string electric. It's got a single coil tappable humbucker...full scale and volume tone. I'm selling it for $150.......IM me if you are interested

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I built a two-string bass cigar box (with strings made of weedwacker line) that's fretless and a lot of fun. I've got the parts for a 3-string nylon number I've been meaning to assemble, but I loathe cutting fret slots and haven't spent the time on it. I say go for it. IIRC, you're in Oz, so you're probably best ordering one built in-country than importing one.

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I would suggest that you look into mountain dulcimers, these, I think would sound a whole lot better. Lots of instructional videos and tabs too to learn how to play. Plenty for sale on Ebay and elsewhere for reasonable prices:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1311&_nkw=mountain+dulcimer&_sacat=619

Also, whole websites devoted to them:

http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/discuss/index.php

Bob

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I forgot to add a sample
:)
http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_10107876?utm_campaign=opengraph&utm_content=song&utm_medium=link&utm_source=facebook

Fret layout can be limiting, but retuning is easy to play in different keys and there are capos too

Bob

 

It's been a long time since I've played one, but obviously re-tuning would be limited by the stretchability of the strings. Capos would allow for some truly weird modes to be played, but it wouldn't open up all the keys, as the frets are not evenly spaced.

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Cigar Box's are very cool I think. I'm not sure what kind of music you are into, but if your into Blues... I think every blues guitar player should own a Cigar Box. Your right, a 3string style one is common, but some I've seen have 4 strings as well. (mine is 3) another thing to concider if your into blues, is a Diddley Bo'. it is a one string instrument, and usually has no frets. The traditional slide for one is a 16 penny nail, though most I've seen play, use a regular guitar slide.

My two favorite players are, Scott Ainslie, and Sea Sick Steve. Here are a few you tubes with them.

 

 

 

Good luck and I bet you'll have loads of fun.

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But.......add a dulcimer capo and you'd have virtually the same flexibility as with a guitar and capo.

 

Sweet%2Bwater%2Bcapo.JPG

 

EDIT: Actually, this thing gives me a pretty good idea for a homemade guitar capo that might just work better than what's currently available on the market these days.

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A capo on a modally-fretted dulcimer (like the one pictured) would allow you access to some weird modes starting from different home pitches, but it wouldn't allow for simple transpositions, as the uneven fret placement wouldn't translate directly up the neck. If it were a chromatic dulcimer, like you posted earlier, then yes, a capo would solve the key-change problem.

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Check this out...he's one of my best friends and also maybe the best cigar box player I have ever heard....did I mention hes and incredible guitar player too?....for years I have mentioned my mentor and guitar set up guy...well here's a clip with him playing the cigar box guitar....not the maker...the guy playing in the video...Ed Wright...an incredible musician....

 

When I'm at his house playing around with his, I just can't do it...you really need a unique touch, and the ability to play slide really helps....watch the vid, its fun.

 

http://jenesiscreative.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=32&Itemid=394&wid=20

 

http://jenesiscreative.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=32&Itemid=394&wid=20

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[video=youtube;sqLc5zjp-po]

 

Apparently Cigar box guitars are a big deal near me.....(York Pa 20 minutes from where I live) I never knew it!

 

Here in York Pa, it seems we have a museum dedicated to these instruments and we host an annual festival

 

http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_21401719

http://blog.pennlive.com/go/2012/08/cigar_box_festival.html

http://videos.pennlive.com/patriot-news/2012/08/3rd_annual_pennsylvania_cigar_2.html

http://yorkdispatch.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=1522146&CategoryID=60379&ListSubAlbums=0

http://photos.pennlive.com/patriot-news/2012/08/3rd_annual_pennsylvania_cigar_27.html

http://cigarboxguitars.com/about/museum

http://cigarboxguitar.com/

 

[video=youtube;E2YuVj4gaLw]

[video=youtube;PpKlF_A4N0I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpKlF_A4N0I&feature=related

 

I may have to check it out, you learn something new all the time!

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I recently made a fretless CBG to use strictly for slide playing. 3 strings tuned to EBe. It's electrified, and sounds great, with a deep, "black snake moan' kind of sound. Not at all like a dulcimer or banjo.

 

http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa412/Omnibus2011/SallyGuitarVertical.jpg

http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa412/Omnibus2011/SallyGuitarBackView.jpg

 

They are great fun to build and play.

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