CNN's Mike Rowe gets a lesson in music history by learning how to make a guitar out of a cigar box. Pictured here are three- and four-string cigar box guitars built by Mike Snowden.
CNN's Mike Rowe gets a lesson in music history by learning how to make a guitar out of a cigar box. Pictured here are three- and four-string cigar box guitars built by Mike Snowden.
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Snowden is a musician and a craftsman. He plays cigar box guitars as a one-man band and builds them from his garage.
Snowden is a musician and a craftsman. He plays cigar box guitars as a one-man band and builds them from his garage.
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Each guitar is handcrafted and no two are alike. Snowden holds up a three-string electric guitar made with a Punch cigar box, maple inlay and walnut fretboard. "There's some kind of magic going on in the box. I don't know what it is. It doesn't sound like a banjo. It doesn't sound like a guitar. It's hard to describe," Snowden said. "A bigger box has more of a deep tone. A smaller box has a tighter tone."
Each guitar is handcrafted and no two are alike. Snowden holds up a three-string electric guitar made with a Punch cigar box, maple inlay and walnut fretboard. "There's some kind of magic going on in the box. I don't know what it is. It doesn't sound like a banjo. It doesn't sound like a guitar. It's hard to describe," Snowden said. "A bigger box has more of a deep tone. A smaller box has a tighter tone."
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A one-string guitar like this one is often easier for kids to play.
A one-string guitar like this one is often easier for kids to play.
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After fretting the cigar box guitar neck, Snowden holds it up to make sure the frets are even and the neck is straight.
After fretting the cigar box guitar neck, Snowden holds it up to make sure the frets are even and the neck is straight.
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Snowden cuts a notch in each end of the cigar box so the neck of the guitar can run through the box.
Snowden cuts a notch in each end of the cigar box so the neck of the guitar can run through the box.
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Old meets new: The first trace of cigar box instruments dates back to the mid-1800s, but Snowden couldn't sustain his cigar box guitar business without the Internet. The majority of his business comes from <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsnowdenguitars.com%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">his website</a> and <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fuser%2FSnowdenGuitars" target="_blank" target="_blank">YouTube channel.</a> Since 2007, he has sold close to 1,000 guitars to people all over the world.
Old meets new: The first trace of cigar box instruments dates back to the mid-1800s, but Snowden couldn't sustain his cigar box guitar business without the Internet. The majority of his business comes from his website and YouTube channel. Since 2007, he has sold close to 1,000 guitars to people all over the world.
Ferre Dollar/CNN