Eric Clapton and John Mayer plays Crossroads on GMA. Really nice!

Labels: Blackie, Eric Clapton, Fender Stratocaster, John Mayer

The legacy of Joe Strummer (1952-2002) continues to live on, grow louder and shake up the establishment with the release of the Joe Strummer Telecaster, modeled after the beat up and battle-hardened ’66 Tele® he wielded as leader of “the only band that matters”—seminal Brit punk commando unit the Clash.

Designed in cooperation with the Strummer estate, the guitar has a highly distressed “road-worn” treatment that duplicates the original’s worn-to-the-wood layers of gray auto primer and flat black spray paint. It also features a “Revolution Rock” engraved neckplate and a limited edition art customization kit that includes Strummer-inspired stencils, stickers and graphics by designer Shepard Fairey.

The Joe Strummer Telecaster website

Labels: Fender, fender telecaster, Joe Strummer, relic, road-worn

What does Jimi Hendrix, Bo Diddley, Blind Willie Johnson, Lightnin Hopkins, Charlie Christian, Carl Perkins, George Benson, Albert King, Hound Dog Taylor, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Big Bill Broonzy and Fenton Robinson and a host of other bluesmen have in common?

Well, they all started out with cigar box guitars, and today we are seing a revival for these primitive instruments (the cigar box revolution). Not only does the cigar box guitar have a great history, but they are also great fun to play. One factor for the current revival can be attributed to many musicians desire for a more primal sound. Blues guitarists, in particular, have picked up the cigar box guitar in an attempt to play Delta Blues in its purest form. They are usually played with a slide and have a great whining blues sound that you just can not get from another guitars. They're also small, portable, almost indestructable, weird looking, and they really attract a lot of attention and interest.

One of the persons behind the cigar box revolution are Shane Speal, who has taken up the title "King of the Cigar Box Guitar" for himself. He is also the man behind the The National Cigar Box Guitar Museum, that contains over 70 instruments plus historical documents, photos, ephemera and plans from the Mid-1800's to today.
Other important factors in the CBG revolution are the Cigar Box Forum (with over 2000 members - and rising), and the The Annual Cigar Box Guitar Extravaganza.

A cigar box guitar can be built for less then $10-20, and a great place for getting cigar boxes is eBay.
If you don't want to build your own guitar, there are also cigar box guitars up for sale on eBay.

Instructions on how to build a CBG (cigar box guitar) - here >>
Guitar plans, bands and resources - here >>
Cigar Box Guitar Tunings - here >>

Finally two videos:

Lenny Purnell playing a Harley Davidson Cigar Box Guitar


Seasick Steve on a One String Diddley Bow

Labels: cigar box guitar, delta blues, diddley bow

Nice bluesy playing by Tommy Kim on a Swing T-thru Telecaster styled guitar.

Labels: Swing guitars, Tele, Telecaster, Tommy Kim

As you might have noticed, I'm a great fan of the Fender Telecaster. And as my grandma always said "You always sounds and looks good with a Telecaster on stage".
If you feel the same about the Telecaster as I do, there's a site that you need to visit as often as you can. And that is TDPRI.COM / Telecaster forum - The Worlds most popular Fender Telecaster Guitar Discussion Forum.
Everything about the Telecaster is discussed there, and you will quickly make new Tele friends from all over the world - Take my word for it!

Labels: Fender, fender broadcaster, fender esquier, fender telecaster, Nancy