TEXT ME AT 909-275-0657 OR EMAIL cigarboxrich@gmail.com
FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @CIGARBOXRICH
Take a hollow object, attach a stick to it, run a string from one end to the other and voila! You have made a musical instrument. Some are made with cigar boxes, gas cans, biscuit tins, hubcaps. Once you put it together and you pluck the strings, it's magical.
My name is Rich Briggs and this is what I do. Scouting for unique cigar boxes and hubcaps and pots & pans and such is a lot of fun. I love hand carving the necks and working with the wood. I enjoy the smells of the wood and the pungent aroma of the cigar boxes. Snooping around junk yards on a treasure hunt for hubcaps is also a kick.
I am always so tickled at the sound that comes out when the whole thing is finished and I plug it into an amp. Who knew it would sound like that? How cool!
Finally, I enjoy setting up my booth and showing people just how amazing these little instruments can sound. I get a real kick when a group of young musicians comes up, grabs a bass and a guitar and a banjo and starts banging away.
These instruments are only sold at a few local venues and art shows in Southern California. They are made one at a time and each one looks and sounds and feels different. Unless my customer is going to hang it on a wall as a piece of folk art, they really need to hold it in their hands and play it.
See you at a flea market sometime.
Rich Briggs
NOTE: The first song at the top of the page was written and played by customers of mine from Germany. It is played on a simple 3 string slide neck guitar they purchased at the 2014 Claremont Folk Festival. Thanks, Andi and Caro, for sending it to me. Check them out at www.carolin.no. This song is on their 2014 album "Backstage"
The second two songs are from the movie "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". Jake Monaco, the Producer of the original score for "Frozen", purchased several instruments from me and was kind enough to send me these clips when he used them on the soundtrack.
Brad Stubbs playing a blues riff. www.bradstubbs.com
"He was very responsive sending requested information quickly. I planned to buy both a hubcap banjo and cigar box guitar so ended up getting both from Rich because he was so customer focused!!"......... Doris from Michigan
"Awesome product, quick custom build time, pleasure to do business with!"........ Ryan from Texas
"Thanks again rich! Right now I am setting it up for what feels right for my playing style. Sounds awesome, and had a bunch of people commenting on the cello while I was walking out the market! I'll be in touch with the suggestions for the dimensions for the upright. Keep cool!"..........June from Culver City
"I was pleased and also surprised he was willing to deliver the guitar!"........Mike from Rancho Cucamonga
“For anyone in SoCal looking for a custom guitar please check out Rich’s work - he is not only amazing at what he does (my Dad is pretty picky, has been playing music for decades and was hugely impressed), he is a genuinely lovely guy! Thank you, Rich for making my Dad’s cigar box dreams come true.” ………Ava from Santa Clarita
“Rich, Joann loved her guitar! You got it right again! ….Kim from New Jersey
RICH BRIGGS cigarboxrich@gmail.com 909-275-0657 UPLAND CALIFORNIA