Cigar Box Build #31 and #32...

Here's some instrument building I have been up to the last few days. 

On the left is a cigar box guitar made from a Simon Bolivar Box, middle is a one string diddly bow made from a box and neck Katie bought from a street person in New Orleans and on the right is an electric drum form an Acid cigar box. 

It's another gold hardware job made from a Simon Bolivar box. Bolivar was one of history's greatest liberators and an admirer of the fathers of our independance. This cigar company dates to 1901. Note the headstock. Tuning keys directions are a bit non standard to spread out the string spacing. Fortunately there are no rules to making instruments at  home so if this bothers you shop in Indonesia. After all they do have to make a living so help them out. 

This guitar is electric with a pizo pickup. Sound is not quite to my taste but as I have found out what about the sound of these guitars is what one person likes another may not. There is what I think is a fine little cigar box I have hanging in the music store and has been there a while. It plays good, slide falls easy to the notes but apparently no one else likes it. On this guitar I got an electric sound I liked on the Fender Frontman 25 amp by adding just a hint of the drive channel. It is tuned to G. Since I don't like the sound I'll sell for $65.  I usually get $75 for these so this is a sale. 

This is a guitar body that Katie bought from a street person in New Orleans on our last visit. I stained the box, added a bass tuner, plugged holes that were already in place to make it a three string and made it an acoustic diddly bow to play on your lap with a slide. I did not think the neck would take three strings but it works perfectly well for one. I'll sell it for $25 bucks. 

I did not build this box or neck. It's kind of a what you see is what you get thing. I tried to keep it as low tech as possible but ended up having to cough up an expensive bass tuner to make it tuneable and usable. It does have a certain mojo straight from the streets of New Orleans. 

Last but not least is an electric drum from a wooden Acid box. I made one of these before but I can't find what I did with it. If I left it at your house please play it a little louder so I can trace my way back to where I have been. 

This wooden box is meant to be played through an amp. Sounds good with effects such as delay and looping. Pick up location is on the left side, not the top that the motor cycle ride is facing. Hold in lap and Play various sides with your hands for different sounds. 

Plug in here. 

I'll take $25 for this drum. 

  

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