Making Poor Man’s Guitars

Written by one of the leaders of the modern cigar box guitar revival, this book is a personal look at the history of these improvised instruments as well as a guide for making your own. Speal provides detailed instructions for crafting a range of string instruments including several guitars, an electric wash tub bass and a one-string fiddle, as well as accessories like a microphone made from a beer can and a “foot-stomper” drum made from a wooden box – each built around found materials, and each with its own story.

Mixed in with the projects are photo studies of antique instruments (and how to recreate them), interviews with music legends, and historical accounts that illustrate the circumstances and ingenuity behind many hand-made instruments from the birth of the blues to the present. Softcover, 8" × 10", 176 pages, 2018.