Cottin Pickin Blues - Cigar Box Guitars

History has a strange way of repeating itself and the 150-year-old tradition of the Cigar Box Guitar is no exception to the rule.
After arriving in Venice, Florida from the NY Metro area about 6 or 7 years ago, being married on the beach at sunset, the new home and all....... and assuming to finally reach the American dream we found ourselves caught up in what is generally considered some of the roughest times for our country.
The American dream (or economic nightmare as many would agree) hit my family with a resounding crash........ BANG!!!!
Lost everything but our motivation to land on our feet. .........and so we have.
A long time friend of mine told me about this crazy instrument that's made of ordinary items that you would find around the house........THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR. I was intrigued to say the least. So off I went into the depths of the Internet to pursue every piece of information that I could find on the subject. I was amazed, fascinated and caught up in this 150 year old lost art.
A few days later I found myself entrenched in an effort to build one of these "things". While working on the project, a friend of my wife's saw what I was doing and asked to me to make one for her, as she had a close friend that would appreciate it. She even went so far as to say that she would pay me for my efforts. Well that's all I had to hear!!!! She bought the first one and that was the beginning of Cottin Pickin Blues.
This all came about three years ago and since then I have built over 235 Cigar Box Guitars. Low and behold....the American dream is resurrected.
As time progressed my builds got more and more refined. Both the acoustic and now the electrics are works of art.
I have been featured in The Sarasota Herald Tribune, The Venice Gondolier, Tampa Tribune, St. Pete Times, Paste Magazine, Smoke Magazine, The Florida Weekly...........Been on FOX 13, SNN TV News and the icing on the cake was Friday, May 31, 2012, I was featured on The Gulf Coast Journal with Jack Perkins on WEDU TV, (Tampa) which has gone national.
It's happening and its exciting!!! My CBG's will also be touring Europe this year with Steve Arvey a well-known Gulf Coast blues musician).
Please feel free to contact me for any further information. Custom made just for you. A gift, an instrument, a wall hanger, a piece of Americana!!!
Best to you all,
Steve Cinnamon
Cottin Pickin Blues

[@cottonpickin3695]

Y'all have just been added to my hero list

[@TonyBrown-lf5nj]

I started building then when Covid hit America Sothern fire guitars and Del Puckett here on KZbin love the history .

[@KountryCuz1]

Nice History for the Cigar Box Guitar I been building them for A Long time now. Love your Video Thanks

[@uncleboogie69]

i love this documentary...it never gets old for me..its too bad i couldnt be on it ..cause i find it so fascinating...especially the history:)

[@SteveArvey]

Thank you!!

[@Chris_connolly_comedian]

I'm a carpenter and far from a musician and that's what drew me to this.

[@tamdiyguitare4358]

So Cool!! thanks guys.

[@rkbot]

Thanks Y'all. Great tips!

[@hansgluck775]

Inspiring .. Thanks!

[@michaelzack3239]

Thanks for the history lesson!

[@americancigarboxguitarsass855]

Great Job!! Thanks For Sharing!!

[@masanaminori8375]

Cigar Box Guitar is really cool!

[@DNAblues]

Good fun video. I have a few CBGs and I think my next one will come from you. They look really well made too. I love my cigar box guitar (cbg). It's a lot of fun. I'm learning slide on it. Thanks for your video.

[@railroadDon]

oh yeah rock on boys

[@lantusapidra6467]

nice playing

[@IggyTheBiker]

Nice!

[@RC-go2kl]

3:38 He's channeling Jack Black!

[@liveoaksmokin]

add a lil bit of a distortion behind mine and it turns it into a monster....

[@Kyletaylors3]

Why don't I ever proof read before I post? Well...at least I build a hell of a cbg. Please go to my website for contact info an ordering for the holidays.

[@Kyletaylors3]

Thank all of you for viewing my video almost 80,000 times. We are now taking orders for our to quality cbg,s for the holidays. Take a look at my website www.cottinpickinblues.com lots more info a info on ordering.

[@kenkingsflyingmachines2382]

Ha Ha. Putting a cigar box guitar through a '65 Fender Princeton. Yeah, it would sound good.

[@SteveArvey]

Wait till you hear my new video coming out later this week..I took the line out on my 65 princeton in to a 65 Super with a 15" Speaker then the line out in to a Marshall JCM 800!! Having a lot of fun..

[@johnwashburn3793]

I play mine through a Silverstone 1344 from '52

[@claudiocelano3655]

SOME DAY I LL HAVE MONEY

[@JoseGarcia-yk3dl]

Hello! I want to start playing this type of guitar. I play the violin do not play the guitar. I would like to know which would be the best option, 3 or 4 strings. Thank you very much

[@georgeworthmore]

i say "basically" too much

[@MagnusGabrielsson]

awesome video. however the jimmy hendrix picture with a cigar box guitar is fake :D

[@davidgood6320]

Be

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

Just for information's sake, that picture of Jimmy Hendrix with the cigar box guitar is fake. He may have played them, I don't know but the picture is a Photoshop job. Just because I'm into good information. That's all.