The Cigar Box Guitar Builder Podcast

Welcome back to another episode of the world's numkber one, most favorite CBG podcast!! 

Darren and I are joining you today to chat about all the interesting things that are happening in the group. New builds, new members and some incredible group contributions. 

Adam gets super excited about the proper place to put piezo pickups and proves his point with a really cruddy demonstration with a beaten up, 8 year old, rusty CBG. Only the best content ladies and gentlemen.

Darren shows his sensitive side by explaining his grandson's latest saying, which is, "Don't bite your friends". 

Thank you for supporting the show and an enormous THANK YOU to Ben 'Gitty' Baker and the team at CBGitty for supporting the podcast. 

If you need to order parts and want to support the show, you can by using our affiliate link

https://www.cbgitty.com/?ref=birdwood

and if you use the promo code BIRDWOOD you can receive 10% off the price of your first 3 orders with CBGitty.

Big thanks from, Adam & Dazza! 

I've known Pete for about ten years now. He is an incredibly kind and generous person who always gave excellent feedback on my builds and helped me to develop my craft in my early days. He also gave me a car load of old timber to help me get started. Some of which I am still using today! He is a master builder who builds CBGs, electric and acoustic 6 strings and even makes his own pickups. He has a HUGE wealth of knowledge. He is an active member of the Cigar Box Guitar Builder FB group. 

You can find Pete Veevers/Buzzard Guitars on Facebook and his guitars on eBay. 

I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I enjoyed catching up with an old mate. 

If you'd like to support this channel (and are looking for cigar box guitar parts) you can help by using the affiliate link below 

https://www.cbgitty.com/?ref=birdwood

Use the promo code BIRDWOOD to receive 10% off your first 3 orders.

Australian and New Zealand customers can now take advantage of much reduced shipping costs thanks to Ben 'Gitty' Baker.

Join me, Adam Harrison and Darren McDonald as we talk about recent activity in the cigar box guitar world. The conversation ranges from appreciating supportive community members, acknowledging the negative aspect of group dynamics, to the importance of maintaining a positive and respectful atmosphere in every community, especially in artistic domains such as cigar box guitar building.

We not only discusses community dynamics but also acknowledge the incredible work of guitar creators who?ve astounded us with their ingenious designs and creativity. With a special mention of Junksville Guitars for their brilliant and funky creations and Richard Pedretti-Allen's inventive use of cigar boxes to make charming tambourines. Towards the end, we share the nuances and challenges faced while drilling steel and constructing shovel guitars.

The dialogue embraces several anecdotes from teaching music in schools to sharing personal experiences of crafting unique guitars, shedding light on the host's unique approach to customizing and the hurdles faced during the process. Engage yourself in this fascinating journey of imparting music knowledge to young learners, and enjoy a recollection of joining a band performing classic tracks.

This episode not only delves into music creation but also touches upon other areas such as the art of drumming, exchanging instruments with friends and explores different musical genres. 

So tune in to enrich your understanding of music, guitar building, and community dynamics. The episode ends with an open invitation to all listeners to share their stories and experiences in the future episodes, taking a step further in creating engaging musical content. 

And remember, as Darren said, "Don't bite your friends."

You can support this podcast by telling your friends and using the affiliate link to shop at C.B.Gitty and receive 10% off your first 3 orders. 

https://www.cbgitty.com/?ref=birdwood

Use the promo code 

BIRDWOOD to receive 10% off the price of your order.

You can also check out Adam's guitars at Birdwood Guitars.

www.birdwoodguitars.com

Welcome to a fascinating episode of the Cigarbox Guitar Builder podcast. In this episode, we jump back into the world of Cigar Box Guitar Building by resuming our usual insanity. I?m here with Darren McDonald, co-admin of the passionate Cigar box Guitar Builder and Facebook group admin. We are discussing build tips, share insights and experiences about some of the group?s recent builds.

Whether it's exploring unique aspects of guitar building, discussing different playing techniques, or highlighting the group?s progress with more than 4500 members, this episode uncovers various facets of our vibrant Cigar Box Guitar Builder community.

It feels so good to be back in the interviers seat. Talk about rusty!! A huge thank you to Jason Heskins from JLee Guitars for agreeing to be interviewed. He has such a wonderful approach to building guitars and I hope you enjoy the show.

Please consider supporting the show. The easiest way is to simply tell a friend or you could support us over at patreon. You can also give us 5 stars and leave a comment on whichever podcasting outlet you use. 

Thanks again, Adam Harrison

Ok, in all honesty, I have to admit that I am a HUGE Del Puckett fan! I always wait eagerly for his Youtube channel uploads and I have learnt heaps from him. His enthusiasm is totally infectious and his guitars always sound great. So, it only makes sense that I would eventually choose to build a few guitars using his techniques. I did videos of these builds at the beginning of this year and recorded this audio around the same time. Ive just re-booted the podcast and thought it would be cool to upload this episode. I haven't spoken to Del about doing this but I hope he enjoys it if he does hear it. I have continued to build my guitars my way but truely enjoyed the experience. Please like and leave a review if you enjoyed the show. Next week we should be back to a more regular timing for episodes as I have really missed doing the show. 

Adam Harrison

It's been a while but Darren and I are back with another fun filled episode of cbg building. There are many more episodes in the pipeline so thank you for checking in and please don't forget to subscribe. Also, please check out ' The Cigar Box Guitar Podcast'  instagram profile. 

Big thanks from Adam and Darren

Ok, the resonating vibrator is a guitar that Darren made using a spring and a milo tin lid on the inside as a natural reverb. I'm just being cheeky. It's actually a Jack Daniels styled guitar which looks amazing. 

In this episode we chat about the rediculous price of cigar boxes here in Australia and in other (non USA) countries. We discuss alternatives. 

Also please check out two incredibly tallented bands; Cigar Box Serenaders and Cigarbox Man. Two incredibly tallented bands. 

We will be back next month with episodes every two weeks. 

Adam.

OK, this is a contentious statement. However, I've been lucky to have had the chance to build CBGs as a full time job. I certainly haven't done everything correct. In fact, I'm still dealing with certain issues as I run my business down to a hobby again. I'm not stopping but I have decided to get back to building guitars from the heart. I'm over doing made to order instruments as they became 'work'. Don't get me wrong I'm very proud of my work but it really was sucking the creativity out of me which is why I started doing this in the first place. So, I thought it was important to tell this warts and all story.

Darren and I will be back shortly.

Adam H

Ok, doing this podcast was more important to me than I realised. It's back. This first episode is with John Nickel. John taught me more in one episode that I knew in 2 years of building. A great musician and a very giving person. 

We have a Facebook group called 'The Cigar Box Guitar Builder', please consider joining us for all the fun. 

If you'd like to view my range of CBGs please pop over to www.birdwoodguitars.com

Thanks for listening

Adam (Birdwood) Harrison

I've known Darren McDonald for a couple of years. He builds roots instruments from reclaimed timbers and recycled boxes with an integrity that totally inspires me. He is a builder who isn't afraid of a challenge and always has time to say, "Hi" and give a helping hand. So when he agreed to co-host the show with me I was thrilled. I hope you enjoy the new format of the show and we would appreciate any constructive feedback. 

Don't forget to check out www.birdwoodguitars.com as well as the accompanying Youtube channel of the same name.

We also have a Patreon account of the same name and would really appreciate any support.

So sit back and help me welcome Darren to the show.

Adam Harrison

Birdwood Guitars & CBGs

Jesse is a guitar and cigar box guitar builder from Randolph Nebraska. He builds a variety of awesome instruments ranging from ukuleles to 6 string heavy metal inspired solid body guitars. Jesse is happy to use whatever materials come his way and relies on his main trade as a carpenter to craft these cool instruments. You can find Jesse Thomas on Facebook and via our group.

Please consider becoming a patron of our little show via our Patreon account at 

https://www.patreon.com/TCBGB

You can also check out my guitars and CBGs @ www.birdwoodguitars.com

Big thanks

Adam Harrison.

Today I got to interview Mella Miante from Barreldawg Band. These guys have been ripping it up on the central coast of NSW and really pushing the cigar box guitar as their go to instrument. Mella and I chatted about what her band is up to, building her first CBG and a plethora of other cool topics. Sit back, relax and enjoy.

You can check out Barreldog Band's music on Youtube, iTunes and Bandcamp. Also please follow them on instagram @barreldawgband. 

Be sure to follow us here and give us a review if you enjoyed the show.

You can also join our facebook group and subscribe to our Youtube channel. Just look up 'The Cigar Box Guitar Builder'.

There was a slight delay in our messenger feed.

Thanks again 

Adam Harrison

www.birdwoodguitars.com

I've known Mick ever since I started building CBGs back in 2012. He has always been a positive voice urging people to build and enjoy cigar box guitars and handmade instruments. This was a fun episode and once again, I found myself heading to the workshop to find an old box to work into a guitar. Thanks Mick. 

Please follow us on your chosen podcast provider and leave a review. If you have a cbg story to tell please contact me at [email protected] 

Thanks for all the support.

Adam Harrison

www.birdwoodguitars.com

Thanks for tuning in again. This week I was able to catch up with the wonderful Mike Snowden. Mike has been doing a weekly You tube show called Three String Thursday. On that show he shows off his awesome guitars and often plays very cool tunes. Pop vert to www.snowdenguitars.com to see his guitars.

I hope you enjoy the show and please consider becoming a patron of the show. You are also able to hear this episode on iTunes and Spotify.

Have fun and keep building

Adam Harrison

Birdwood Guitars

This episode is part of our 'business talk' episodes. After having a chat with a guitar building friend of mine who had a less than perfect experience with a customer, I thought it prudent to discuss how to positively deal with refunds and exchanges. Please take the information in the friendly way it was meant. The information contained herein is based on the refund policies from here in Australia and from my own experiences. Please check with your own region's refund policies. However, I assume most places would have similar policies.

Please consider becoming a subscriber and patron pf the show.

Regards Adam Harrison

www.birdwoodguitars.com

Firstly, thanks for tuning in to the show.

Secondly, please excuse the very ordinary recording of this episode. I am struggling with a mixture of ageing tech Vs new tech and a total lack of skill.

There are some lags and drag at the very end of the show. Thank you to Joe or his patience.

Having said that, what a great interview this was. Lots of fun and very informative. Joe is the owner of Clutch Creations and he is such a fantastically talented builder. He truly takes bespoke building to a new level without losing the fun of the CBG. 

We are working to find an affordable and easy mixer to use for recording the podcasts. 

Any (kind) suggestions are welcome.

Best regards

Adam Harrison

We are back for 2020! 

This week I am interviewing Keith Crumbly of Crumblycaster CBGs.

There is no intro music this week as I have had to switch to a windows computer and I have to find a mixer as I can't use Garage Band any more.

Thanks for listening.

Regards Adam Harrison 

In this episode Mark and I discuss how cool it is that there are so many different builders out there doing cool things with their builds. Using ideas from a variety of other builders is a great way to develop your own style and create your own masterpiece. However, just be sure to not copy someone's hard work exactly and pass it off as an original. CBGs can look somewhat similar at times but there are so many different things you can do with a CBG to make it your own. Also don't be afraid to share great ideas with our community. If someone uses your idea that is a really cool compliment. 

Also a huge shout out to a young fella, Jack, who picked up his first CBG from me about a year ago. Along with his siblings, he is creating a real storm in his local community with his band 'HOLLOW POINT'. His playing is INSANE!! The future of rock looks good! Real Good!

Once again, big thanks to our Podbean Patrons, followers on podbean and friends over at 'The Cigar Box guitar Builder' Facebook Group.

Stay safe and keep building,

Adam and Mark

www.birdwoodguitars.com

www.cbgemporium.com

https://swampwitchguitars.weebly.com/

https://www.junksville.com/

In this episode Mark and I (Adam) discuss why some CBGs are worth a lot of money. Some CBGs are worth well over the 1K mark and we chat about some reasons for this. Along with the usual craziness that usually happens when we talk shop, we provide a word of warning about shop safety and cool tools. This weeks 'STAR GUITAR' was built by Group Member Tim Henderson. 

Apologies if the sound is a bit off this week. I've been having tech issues.

A huge thank you to our followers, you guys are ACE!!!

Another enormous thank you and hugs to our Podbean Patrons. Your support is greatly appreciated. If you wish to support the podcast you can through your podbean app. 

Keep an eye out for some podcast merch which will be made available at Redbubble soon

www.redbubble.com

Best regards Adam Harrison

www.birdwoodguitars.com

Mark Wilmot

www.cbgemporium.com

Today the team is back! 

Mark Wilmot and I talk about all things CBG.

Which do you prefer? rod or disc piezo.

bandsaw or table saw?

We also discuss a great resonator uke made by builder, Mick Verco and talk about using various items as resonators on a build.

Enjoy

Adam Harrison

Birdwood Guitars.

www.cbgemporium.com

www.birdwoodguitars.com

This week I have a chance to speak with Rob Wrobel from Rob's Cigar Box Guitars. We discuss his building history and what happened with Lace Pickups. Remember that this interview including Rob's explanation of what happened and my personal views are just that. We don't have any input from Lace at this point. Either way Rob is certainly not letting this hold him back and he has already moved on.

Enjoy

Adam Harrison

www.birdwoodguitars.com

https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=robs%20cigar%20box%20guitars

http://www.wigginsbrand.com/

https://lacemusic.com/

Well obviously you would be expecting a comprehensive round up of all things NAMM. Nope:)

Facebook has been burning with one topic all week, You know what it is. Big business vs the little guy. I have no idea what went on behind closed doors but I have some thoughts on the topic. 

We also have some built tips and products to chat about from a few suppliers. 

Sorry about having to record this in the car but here it is, warts and all.

Best regards Adam Harrison

www.birdwoodguitars.com

https://www.facebook.com/Chrisaphoto

https://www.facebook.com/elmarin.todobonito

http://www.mrwsinstruments.com/

https://mgbguitars.com/

https://www.cbgitty.com/free-rewards/

https://lacemusic.com/

In this episode I speak about a recent FB conversation about relic finished guitars. The feedback regarding relic guitars was definitely not pro-relic. I however love a good relic finish guitar and also love to relic my CBGs. So without using the word relic again here is the episode; To Relic or Not to Relic:) 

Remember to subscribe and join THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR BUILDER youtube channel and FB group.

Best regards Adam Harrison

www.Birdwoodguitars.com

http://www.mrwsinstruments.com/

https://mgbguitars.com/

www.cbgitty.com

https://www.novoguitars.com/

https://friedmanamplification.com/friedman-guitars

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=John+Nickel

Wow what a treat to speak with Todd 'Doc' Sigmier from Rocky Mountain Slide Company. Big thanks to Doc for being such a great guest. Really had fun with this one. 

Big thanks to all our FB Group members and new subscribers to the new Youtube channel

Adam

This episode, I speak with Blake Saban from the band The Urban Chiefs. Blake has been playing a CBG (built by the famed Arthur Moody) for a good few years, as one of his standard stage and recording instruments. Blake and The Urban Chiefs have been relentlessly touring for years and have released a number of fantastic CDs and just recently a live DVD which has to be seen. Having seen these guys live I can attest to their huge stage presence and great songs. 

Contact Blake Saban at www.theurbanchiefs.com to purchase an album or DVD

contact me, Adam Harrison at www.birdwoodguitars.com 

Hope you are enjoying the new episodes.

Adam

Well here we are at episode 50!!! Wow!!!

Our interview with the wonderfully tallented Rob Wrobel has had to be postphoned for a couple of weeks due to an unexpected trip to Montana. I kook forward to speaking with him soon. Justin Johnson has a new Kickstarter campaign in the works so be sure to check that out. There are some great new products available from

http://www.mrwsinstruments.com/

https://www.cbgitty.com/

https://mgbguitars.com/

https://www.sixtus-pickups.com/

Please check out these great companies for some great products.

I also made an insane plank guitar from a discarded chopping board which had been made from a Soviet box timber and still had the writing on it. They are loads of fun.

Big Thanks

Adam Harrison

Hi CBG fiends. The CBGBuilder is back!! 

We are back to the ideals and vision that made TCBGBP a worldwide success!!!!! OK thats a bit of an exageration but we are still the most CBG focussed podcast on the planet. 

In this episode i got a chance to speak with Elaine Lally from an awesome, homegrown, retro inspired guitar strap company called MYMUMDRIVESAUFO. 

I also yammer on about NOT fixing a broken guitar. 

OH and there is now a YouTube channel dedicated to this podcast called THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR BUILDER

Have fun building.

Adam

Do you have a brand? Share in the comments if you do. Don't forget to join the FB group too! 

Adam

In this episode Mark and I set out to talk about soldering and all the things that entailed. However we got sidetracked with other topics. As some of you may know I am about to open a bricks and mortar store in Australia that will center around my CBG builds and vintage Japanese guitars. Will it work out? I hope so!! This is a new project that I hope will be of interest and I intend to bring you guys along for the ride. 

Big thanks goes again to Mark for making himself available and to you the listener for supporting the show by subscribing. Please don't forget to like the show on itunes by giving us 5 stars and leaving a comment as this helps us to get noticed. 

Mark and I promise to discuss electrics in the next episode.

Big thanks

Adam Harrison

In this episode I speak with Scott Osborne fron Dirty Bird Guitars. Scot is an independent builder who loves Van Halen and Washburn Guitars. Definately not a bad combo!! This was a really fun interview and Scott was a fantastic guest. Check out Dirty Bird Guitars on FAcebook and don't forget to like his page. 

If you know a guitar builder who you think deserves to have her, or his work promoted here please contact me (Adam) at [email protected] give me their details. 

Thankyou to our followers and please don't forget to give us 5 stars at itunes and leave a comment. 

Regards Adam Harrison

We are back! After a break from regular broadcasts Mark and I are back to talk about all things guitar related. As usual we will be coming from a home made (hand crafted) perspective and our focus ranges from CBGs to solid body electric guitars. 

On another note we say a sad goodby to Ukulele Ray, one of our previous guests. God bless and rest in piece mate. Our thoughts go out to your friends and family. For those who didn't get the chance to see him perform, have a listen to our interview from last year. 

Best wishes 

Adam and Mark

It has been a while since the last episode and it is totally my fault. I've had a few issues occuring that have impacted on my ability to produce these podcasts. But I'm back and reallyb happy to be able to bring you more content. In this episode I give myself a bit of a kick in the bum for being a little snobby when it comes to tools. Really, I have no right to. I must admit that I wasn't intending to be a snob but I think a comment that I made was taken that way. You let me know what you think. A big thank you to our followers and patron and please don't forget to give us a rating with itunes if you get the chance. 

Thanks again 

Adam

Sorry for the delay.

Today's episode is with Greg from Brookwood Guitars. Greg is based in Victoria and builds 3 string fretless electric box guitars with stunning Australian timbers. His extensive woodworking history certainly shines in this episode, so sit back, relax and enjoy.

Adam Harrison

This week we recieved our first patron. It was a huge boost for me to realise that someone out there liked the show enough to do that. So, a huge thank you. I also want to thank our subscribers, your support of the show is greatly appreciated. 

Pat Keegan is a guitar builder from the South Coast of NSW in a town called Ulladulla. He builds electric guitars from reclaimed pallet timber as well as with native Australian timbers. He's a great bloke and gave some insights into his building proceedures. He also works with a minimum of hand tools. Be sure to check him out on instagram at pat_keegan_guitars and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/patrick.keegan

Big thanks and don't forget to join the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1293715283982291/

Adam Harrison

www.birdwoodguitars.com

Tom is a down to earth guitar builder who uses reclaimed timber and licence plates to build fantastic guitars. We talk about learning about the craft of building guitars and our favorite podcasts, builders and tools. I'm so jealous that he got to meet Rick and Cindy from Carmine St Guitars. 

Thanks for listening!

Adam

Firstly, I'm not saying that they ARE too expensive, I'm just playing devil's adjocate. This podcast is in response to a youtube clip that was uploaded a couple of weeks ago. Let me knopw what you think.

I'm sorry for the quality of the audio from the last couple of episodes, it's just been particularily difficult to fin d the time to do the podcasts and the last couple of interviews have fallen through due to scheduling. 

Food for thought.

Adam

This episode is about selling your guitars. I have almost 20 years of retail sales experience and I thought I'd share my experiences in a couple of music stores on my last holiday. The stores I visited were awesome, the staff very friendly and my pockets were relatively full. However, I left Brizzy empty handed and a little frustrated. What I needed was a sales person to actively sell me the product I was pondering over. I realised later that had the sales person taken the lead and made some sugestions then I would have made some cool purchases. Again I really liked the stores and the staff and I WILL BE BACK! I hope this comes across in the podcast. Don't forget to leave a review or comments and..

Thanks for listening. 

Adam Harrison

A new name and a new picture. There will be more interviews and all the fun stuff plus more in the next couple of weeks. 

Regards

Adam Harrison

Ok, things got a little crazy on this episode. A lot of people have asked me about the best place to put piezo pickups. I love to experiment so I learnt a lot on this episode about wiring up piezo pickups and I was even able to confirm what I enjoy about my choice of piezo placement. Hope you enjoy the episode and tell your friends.

Adam

Wow we are over 4000 plays!!! A huge thankyou to all of our listeners.

Don't forget to sign up for the Facebook group.

In this episode I discuss the different saws that I use in the shop. This episode has been inspired by a facebook message regardin the use of saws for fretting. These are my ideas and are not meant to cause offence to anyone who is doing things differently. They are just my experiences.

Hope you enjoy

Adam Harrison

In this episode I talk about my favorite builders and companies. I try to give examples of what I like about their businesses and instruments. All of these builders and companies have developed over time due to hard work and determination. Hope you enjoy.

Thanks 

Adam Harrison

Thanks for being a patron of the show. Enjoy this extra information about fretting from Pat Procter.

Adam Harrison

This week I chat with Pat Procter about his amazing parquetry CBGs. Big thanks to Pat for being patient with me as I was having some tech difficulties. He was very giving and a great example of a do-it-yourself builder who started with minimal skills and developed his art to the amazing level it is at now. 

After we finished the sign off we had a further discussion about a previous episode where I was talking about fretting issues. He was happy to share his ideas for the patron only content. You can sign up to support the show here through podbean and become a patron.

Thanks for listening

Adam Harrison

In this episode I am joined by regular contributor, Mark Wilmot from MRWS instrument supplies. We discuss new builds and problems that new and experienced builders can face when making frettless and fretted instruments. Hope you enjoy this week's episode and thank you for listening.

Adam Harrison

www.birdwoodGuitars.com

Mark Wilmot

www.mrwsinstruments.com