Poor Man's GuitaR

Arranging a song from a 6-string guitar to a 3-string cigar box is an exercise in discovering the essential notes and chords.  To do it right, you have to find the truest essence of the song (the main riffs, melody,…

Shane Speal's Snake Oil Band is like the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

I have somehow surrounded myself with a full band of Renaissance men, and it's the coolest thing ever.  Each member of the band has wild occupations and hobbies from Farmer Jon's farming, brewing and Revolutionary War reenacting to Rick's hot rods & stadium announcing.  

Just when I think I've seen just about every incarnation of cigar box instruments, Rich Eberlen shows up with his Cigar Box Stoessel Lute.  According to the info on his website, The Fretboard Explorer, the hybrid-style lute/zither instrument style…

These "Super Tub Bass" plans have just been added to the CigarBoxGuitars.com archive of musical instrument plans.  The bass is set up to be played like a fretless upright bass and is relatively simple to make.  

The article is originally…

Above:  A simple piano roll, when hung on the wall gives the appearance of an old Chinese hand scroll painting. The air holes add a modern art twist and the lyrics, running…

In Poor Man's Guide, Issue #3, I explored the much forgotten Kitchen Kazoo Bands of the early 20th Century.  These makeshift orchestras would perform entire concerts on kazoos plus funnels, curtain rods and anything that could be found in…

A crude, but impressive 4-string fiddle has recently been discovered in Burnet TX that features an Addison Tinsley Tobacco's Natural Leaf plug tobacco box for the body and the builder's actual signature and date on the back.  

Derick Kemper, harmonica player for Shane Speal's Snake Oil Band returns to the insane blacksmithing show, Man At Arms: Reforged.  The second episode has just been released and Derick is creating a massive sword along with the cast.  Scroll down…

I'm proud to announce the all new CigarBoxGuitars.com, the Encyclopedia of the Cigar Box Guitar. 

This website was created over 16 years ago by fellow cigar box guitar enthusiast, Ian "Scotty" Scott and it served as the foundation for…

An excerpt from Shane Speal's Book, Making Poor Man's Guitars.  (purchase here.)

Two of the most freakish guitars in my extremely weird guitar collection are by Tone-A-Cane Copper Pipe Guitars and Pete Regan’s Metal Guitars. Both are crafted using metal…

We're thrilled to announce the new season of the wild blacksmithing tv show, Man At Arms: Reforged which features our harmonica player, Derick Kemper!  The first episode has just been released this morning.  Scroll down to watch.

Kemper is a…

In The Partscaster Cookbook, Shane Speal, shows you how to build wild electric guitars from junked guitars, new guitar kits, miscellaneous parts and unusual found objects! 

• Step-by-step details on a Telecaster style guitar with a Mexican "Day of the…

Here's a quick warning to any of my small biz friends in the instrument and arts & crafts world:  When Paypal offers to give you a loan, don't do it!

Paypal Working Capital offers loans to qualified users which is…

Daniel Hulbert of Circuits and Strings network is one of my favorite people on the internet.  Every week, he makes something new, from innovative travel ukuleles and other music inventions to experiments in 3D printing and more.  Each project is…

For the past month, C. B. Gitty, CigarBoxNation.com and PoorMansGuitar.com has hosted an instrument build-off, encouraging people to use this time of quarantine to make some beautiful music art. 

The first winners have been selected from random entries in Facebook,…

Brian Revels of Eclectic Upcycled Crafts & Primitive Music (Dallas, NC) recently created this awesome six guitar stand using a large wooden wire spool, sole carpeting and caster wheels.  The result is a totally funky, yet functional space-saving guitar stand.

…

LIFE IS ABOUT TO GET GOOD.  Are you ready for post-COVID-19?  Is the Church ready?  

I don't think so...

Let's face the facts: the virus will go away at some point.  Are we preparing for what's next?  Are we preparing…

Legendary ska bassist, Horace Panter (aka "Sir Horace Gentleman") recently laid down some cigar box guitar tracks for a star-studded video tribute to Sandy Nelson's song, "Let There Be Drums."  Panter is using a 3-string license plate guitar that I…

Many fans of Shane Speal's Snake Oil Band know my son, Shane Jr. (aka "Deuce") as our stunt drummer, appearing in many of my shows throughout the years.  In addition to being a percussionist, he is a sought-after hip hop…

Ten years ago, I lost my job due to downsizing.  I had a great career in marketing for a company that I loved.  But then they sold out to a large corporation and *poof,* my job was gone.

The first…