Tradition and Innovation: Black Owl Guitars Specializes in the Art of the Cigar Box Guitar

The cigar box guitar dates back to the early 1800s in the U.S. where social gatherings of slaves often resulted in live music-making with simple cigar box instruments.

After the Civil War, ex-slaves and soldiers used found objects like wood boxes, string, broom handles, tin cans, and baling wire from the shed or barn to make their instruments. Through the Great Depression when money was tight and few could afford a real guitar, the cigar box continued to be heard as an early blues instrument all across the Southern American Delta. In fact it's been said that the great B.B. King himself got his start on a cigar box guitar with a broom stick handle and a single string. Black Owl Guitars in New Bern, North Carolina is keeping this great music tradition alive.

It's owned and operated by David English who often shares demos of his instruments in his studio and on YouTube. Many of them are made with found objects from old farms and warehouses. David is a frequent performer at indoor and outdoor events, parties, restaurants, and festivals.  He plays a wide variety of cover favorites from David Bowie to Radiohead (see below). He also plays several originals like the tune we sample in today's show called Green River. This guitar was made with a NC tobacco stick neck, and a cigar box body. 

David spoke with WFDD's David Ford by phone from his studio in New Bern. He shares why the blues lends itself to the character of the cigar box guitar, just how many things he can recycle in his instrument building, and the fact that cigar box guitars can have whammy bars too.

why the blues lends itself to the character of the insreument

http://youtu.be/KPlMNVwU6Kk