Join WhatsApp Channel
Join Telegram Channel
Have you ever heard of a cigar box guitar? With its origins dating back to Civil War soldiers, these specialty instruments have been around for close to 160 years. In the central Massachusetts town of Westminster, a local guitar player is strumming up quite the business with Dream Catcher Cigar Box Guitars.For 60 years, Eddie Nasiatka played guitar in rock-and-roll bands. But when the effects from arthritis in his hands made it tough to play a traditional six-string, he decided to dive into making a three-stringed version using used cigar boxes for the guitar’s body.”The first one I built wasn’t a total failure, but it worked. Then I jumped into what I still call No. 1. And it came out beautiful,” Nasiatka said.He explained what he looks for he makes guitars.”You try and get ones that’s all wood. The sound is much better,” he said.Just like traditional guitars, cigar box guitars have a neck with fretboards. Small cabinet vents serve as sound holes. Nasiatka’s electric versions are outfitted with components for a smoking sound Jimmy Hendrix would be proud of.”Each one’s different. Even if I have two boxes the same, they’re different. The neck makes a difference — the vibrations, the type of pick-ups on the electronics,” he said.According to Nasiatka, it’s the ease with which the instruments can be played that makes them so desirable. Tuned to an open G chord, every fret down the neck forms a different chord. As a result, it’s considered a one-fingered instrument that Nasiatka said almost anyone can play. “It’s that easy to play. I had a woman recently — just couldn’t believe you could play 17 chords and learn in one minute,” he said.Nasiatka started his guitar-making company during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that time, he has created close to 40 one-of-a-kind instruments. Along the way, in true artist form, Nasiatka said the joy is in the process of making them and the music they produce.”I charge probably half for what some of these other builders make. But it’s just something I like to do,” he said.In addition to the cigar box guitars, Nasiatka also creates license plate guitars. They are built essentially in the same way, but because he uses real license plates, the guitar ends up being slightly larger. If you’d like to see the guitars for yourself, check out the Sterling Street Market in Sterling, Massachusetts. It’s held every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Sterling Town Common. See more in the video player above.
Have you ever heard of a cigar box guitar? With its origins dating back to Civil War soldiers, these specialty instruments have been around for close to 160 years.
In the central Massachusetts town of Westminster, a local guitar player is strumming up quite the business with Dream Catcher Cigar Box Guitars.
For 60 years, Eddie Nasiatka played guitar in rock-and-roll bands. But when the effects from arthritis in his hands made it tough to play a traditional six-string, he decided to dive into making a three-stringed version using used cigar boxes for the guitar’s body.
“The first one I built wasn’t a total failure, but it worked. Then I jumped into what I still call No. 1. And it came out beautiful,” Nasiatka said.
He explained what he looks for he makes guitars.
“You try and get ones that’s all wood. The sound is much better,” he said.
Just like traditional guitars, cigar box guitars have a neck with fretboards. Small cabinet vents serve as sound holes.
Nasiatka’s electric versions are outfitted with components for a smoking sound Jimmy Hendrix would be proud of.
“Each one’s different. Even if I have two boxes the same, they’re different. The neck makes a difference — the vibrations, the type of pick-ups on the electronics,” he said.
According to Nasiatka, it’s the ease with which the instruments can be played that makes them so desirable.
Tuned to an open G chord, every fret down the neck forms a different chord. As a result, it’s considered a one-fingered instrument that Nasiatka said almost anyone can play.
“It’s that easy to play. I had a woman recently — just couldn’t believe you could play 17 chords and learn in one minute,” he said.
Nasiatka started his guitar-making company during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that time, he has created close to 40 one-of-a-kind instruments. Along the way, in true artist form, Nasiatka said the joy is in the process of making them and the music they produce.
“I charge probably half for what some of these other builders make. But it’s just something I like to do,” he said.
In addition to the cigar box guitars, Nasiatka also creates license plate guitars. They are built essentially in the same way, but because he uses real license plates, the guitar ends up being slightly larger.
If you’d like to see the guitars for yourself, check out the Sterling Street Market in Sterling, Massachusetts. It’s held every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Sterling Town Common.
See more in the video player above.
Source
#Guitar #maker #crafts #cigar #box #guitars