All of the instruments played in these videos were created using mostly homemade and repurposed materials. It was much easier to build and record with them, than it was making the videos showing me playing each instrument at the same time.
The three string guitar is where I encourage every new guitar player to start, and I think my method has folks playing popular songs in no time at all. More than anything, it will help you understand the fretboard along with chord and scale shapes like you never imagined.
Below are some free tutorials using my DGD tuning method.
Let me know if you have any questions or need guidance with figuring out a particular song.
Related Videos
Cool Extra's
Building tips:
Click here to view all of my YouTube videos
The Lucky Us Band
"The Lucky Us Band" was formed in 2012. I Joined them in October 2024 providing lead guitar, and I get to sing several songs from our three hour, 40 song, set list.
Follow me and the band over here and watch for show dates if you are near Kansas City MO.
Homemade Instruments
Decades ago, I began my journey into instrument building by making some upgrades and modifications to my own guitars. Then I learned about cigar box guitars, their history, and impact on music, and then I was hooked. So much that so that I later wrote the book, "The Folk Art Instrument Builders Reference." You can view a gallery of a few my favorites builds here.
I built this custom baritone 27” scale, lap steel guitar for musician Justin Johnson using a 100 year old barometer, and a neck from an old, Johnson brand guitar. I added added a new fretboard, used red and white fret position markers to give the feeling of mercury rising up the neck.
For this instrument I developed a new method for semi-mounted re-positional pickup. Basically, this pickup can be moved, even during play, to any point under the strings, between the neck and the bridge position.The floating bridge sits atop the metal face plate, above a big hollow cavity, which served in making this a resonator/dobro style guitar and adds to its deep, haunted, tone.
This instrument by far took the most thought, planning, consideration, and focus than any other instrument I’ve ever built. The sound is out of this world and Justin utilizes the space behind the bridge and tailpiece to add some insanely cool vibrato/pitch changes using his hand.
Learn more about Justin at JustinJohnsonLive.com
Sam Wilson, better known as One-String Sam, captivated me with his incredible story and unique music. His life and legacy drew me into a deeper exploration of who he was and how his one-string guitar left an indelible mark on the blues world. This story shares what I discovered along the way and how his influence still resonates today.
In addition to building instruments and folk art, I collect and sell authentic vintage cigar box instruments (and other antique handmade folk art and tramp art), memorabilia and ephemera ranging from books, postcards, records, cigar boxes, cups, plates and more.
