“What is a Chord?” With Ben “Gitty” Baker and Glenn Watt

Click the image above to get downloadable PDFs of 3 different Chord families!

In this instructional video from Cigar Box Nation TV, Ben “Gitty” Baker and Glenn Watt of C. B. Gitty get right down to the foundations of chords for 3-string GDG Cigar Box Guitars.

They cover what makes a chord, how read them from diagrams and how to play them!

Back to Basics: What are Chords?

In this instructional broadcast, Ben and Glenn will get right down to the foundations of playing 3-string Cigar Box Guitars, talking about Chords. What they are, how to play them, how to read chord forms and diagrams, and more. Tune in at Noon (U. S. Eastern Time) and join in with your questions and comments. Or just play along!

Posted by Cigar Box Nation on Friday, April 7, 2017

New Building Tip: Sinking a Humbucker in a Cigar Box Guitar

JUST ADDED TO OUR CIGAR BOX GUITAR ‘KNOWLEDGEBASE’: Cigar Box Nation founder, Shane Speal demonstrates how to reinforce internal bracing on neck-through cigar box guitars. The tutorial includes a demo video, photos and more:

>>Cigar Box Guitar Building Tip: Neck Reinforcement with Humbuckers

“Why I Play Cigar Box Guitar” by Shane Speal

Here’s a little inspiration from The King of the Cigar Box Guitar.

VIDEO: 3-string Finger Picking Technique for Cigar Box Guitar

Shane Speal shows his fingerpicking technique for 3-string Cigar Box Guitar.

3-String Cigar Box Guitar Tunings

Shane Speal shows various ways to retune a 3-string cigar box guitar.

The guitar is strung with A,D,G strings and tuned to GDG to start.

Tunings discussed:

G7, the Jazz Tuning – G,D,F (low to high)
G6, Hawaiian Tuning – G,D,E (low to high)
G add Gb, the New Agey tuning – G,D,Gb (low to high)
Dirty D – D,D,A (low to high)

“The One String Thing” – Playing Leads on One String of a Cigar Box Guitar

Shane Speal shows how he performs many of his leads on a single string. This technique has been used by Blind Willie Johnson, Dick Dale, sitar players and many others. It’s also a great way to get sounds out of a cigar box guitar!

Partial Slide Techniques for Cigar Box Guitars – HOT LICKS PT 4

Shane Speal shows his partial slide technique which allows certain strings to ring open while others played with a slide.

Make Your Cigar Box Guitar Quack Like a Duck – HOT LICKS PT 3

Because the world is demanding a new duck-inspired cigar box guitar song, right?

How to Play Cigar Box Guitar – HOT LICKS PT. 2

We continue the Hot Licks Cigar Box Guitar Series with this second installment. Grab your 3-string cigar box guitar, a slide and a VERY LOUD AMP!

How to Play Cigar Box Guitar: HOT LICKS PT 1

Grab your 3-string cigar box guitar and plug it into a loud amp. Shane’s gonna show you how to shred.

How to Electrify a Washtub Bass Without Excessive Feedback

Shane Speal shows how his band electrified their washtub bass using a C. B. Gitty piezo rod pickup.

SPONSOR

Screening the Sound Holes Gives Your Cigar Box Guitar a Clean Look

There are many different designs and ideas for sound holes in cigar box guitars, but the simple process of adding window screen mesh can greatly clean up the look and give the instrument a Dobro attitude. Shane Speal shows you the simple process in the video below.

Tools needed:

Scroll Saw or coping saw
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Optional: Linseed oil and Q-Tips (see extra tip below video)

EXTRA TIP: Using Q-tips, apply linseed oil to the cut edges of the hole. It darkens and seals the wood. It gets rid of the “cut out” look.