Cigar City CBG's

Well thanks to Keni Lee pushing me, I now have a new Web page dedicated to the sale of my Cigar Box Guitars. I like them, I enjoy playing them and the feedback has been very positive....
If you would like more information, check out Cigar City CBS's at www.cigarcitycbgs.com. You can also email me at J.Mitchell@cigarcitycbgs.com.

More to follow....

Okay the fun continues..... Kathy Jackson and I headed down to Ybor City to get some photos for the upcoming web site Cigar City CBG's and check out the Farmers market... Had a great time making new friends and doing our little part for the economy.. If you are in the market for some realy great fashion or decorating accessories you need to check out our new friend Barbara's great stuff..... bien50.com


It's a mail box, no wait it's a bread box.... no it's a trash can....

Hey man I don't know I just think it's very cool.... Did I mention that this graphic artist also paint cars...



next I had a chance to meet and speak with a Grand Master Cigar Maker. Wallace Reyes


So what does all of this have to do with building guitars? I have developed a strong interest in Cigar Box Guitars. These little works of art have significant historical importance, they are fun to build, more fun to play and within the reach of anyone that wants to play a guitar...It is much easier to keep track of there strings than six. They are like a Dulcimer except these have a cool factor... I mean come on Jimi Hendrix started playing on one of these and Buddy Guy stole some of his mom's screen wire to make a stick and can into his first guitar. So I am in the mind to start making some of these and selling them... Last point on the subject building CBG's is also allowing me to get my fretting and set up techniques down.... I'll keep you posted on the new web site and upcoming events to promote the sales of my CBG's. Here is a shot of No 6 it's just about ready to harvest.... As one of my gutiar nation friends says "it's almost right for the picking"....
Sorry I had to share that one...

A little distracted

Okay so this is what we're working with here.... Not long ago I had a cold and I was unable to sleep due to a cough.... So I was on the web looking for tuners for the OM and stumbled across a video on cigar box guitars... Tune them to an open cord and you're a slide playing blues man.... How cool is that? I think most of you know that I built one that day and now I'm going to be starting No. 8.... Back in that mix I was on the phone telling a couple of friends (Derek &Howard) about them and each of them wanted one so they became my first customers. Next my sister Kathy is telling me about this farmers market in St.Pete that is a very cool mix of farmers market - art show - party. We went and go checked it out over the weekend and now I am trying to get accepted as a vendor (for at least a couple of months). So the OM guitar building is on hold, but with good reason I am really working on my neck building, fretting skills and set up skills. Not to mention that I have to put together a brochure and website....

I have made friends with a guitar player teacher on youtube named Keni Lee Burgess. He is a fantastic player of old time music and delta blues. You need to check him out his CD is very nicely done and one of my new favorites. He sells his Cd's on Ebay just search Keni Lee. You can also check out some of his videos on You Tube. I should also tell you on his second video in his seres 4 CBG lessons he has a plug for my guitars. I am including one of his instructional videos with each on my guitars. Well that's my story for now and I am sticking to it.

These are great little instruments they are fun to make, sound cool and are really fun to play. If I can make a few of these to sell along the way that's even better.


Here is a shot of No. 7 it has 18 frets 22" scale oak neck with paduak fingerboard. It is a cake pan resonator model this picture was taken when I was setting it up the plastic is still on the drain cover. This is really a nice little instrument ( Hey I feel that way about all of them)...