Wrap up from Woodford Folk Festival

Finally recovered from a busy Christmas/New Year’s period and have made some new videos for the cigar box guitar. Woodford Folk Festival in the last week of December was outstanding once again. The music, the acts, the vibe are always fantastic. It has that village feel but the world comes to you.

I played down at Bluestown one hot morning. The three plus one (bass) string CBG played through two separate amps had a huge sound and went down a treat.

Matt Elliott on washboard

I also had the privilege of meeting a number of musicians from around the world. Christine Salem from Reunion Island came in and fell in love with this CBG.

Christine Salem with her sound man

Darren Middleton of Powderfinger fame (and other great stuff!) with ‘Twin tone’ CBG.

Cigar Box Guitar Australia stall at Woodford Folk Festival

New how-to-play videos for the CBG

I’ve been busy with the video camera. Here are a couple of my latest how-to-play songs on the cigar box guitar. Hope you enjoy.

You Shook Me All Night Long – http://youtu.be/vy0Z92-ds2I?list=UUAXmz0dq0mIV-Ro6K3ssJyg

Honky Tonk Woman – http://youtu.be/P-f-JZZfQcE?list=UUAXmz0dq0mIV-Ro6K3ssJyg

To get access to all my latest how to play cigar box guitar videos, check out my Youtube channel.

The Guardian talks cigar box guitars at Womadelaide

I’d forgotten about meeting the English chap, Alfred Hickling, who made this video for England’s The Guardian. You see some CBG action just after a minute into the video. It reminds me how great Womadelaide was!

Here’s a link to the video: http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/mar/12/10-things-womadelaide-2014-womad-adelaide

Recycled Roots Festival

I’ll be performing at the Recycled Roots Festival in Bendigo on Saturday, 4 April. The line-up is fantastic so come along and join in the fun!

For more info, check out: https://www.facebook.com/recycledrootsfestival.

New cigar box guitar builds

Back in the workshop. Here are some of my latest cigar box guitars for sale.

Cheers

Nigel McTrustry

McTrustry Cigar Box Guitars

Coochie Island Blues and Roots – Australia Day long weekend Sunday session

I’m really excited to announce the Coochie Island Blues and Roots Sunday session, Australia Day long weekend 2015. Coochiemudlo Island is lies in Moreton Bay, between Brisbane and the Gold Coast and, although only 5 square kilometres in size, boasts more than four kilometres of beautiful, safe beaches.

Great beaches for the kids

On Sunday, 25 January 2015, talented musicians will converge on the island at the Community Hall and put on a Sunday session that will, I’m sure, be remembered for a long time to come.

Special mention goes out to The Coochiemudlo Island Events Association for its support – thanks everyone!

Woodford Folk Festival – 27 Dec – 1 Jan

It’s that time of year again…Woodford Folk Festival, a definite must-do on the festival circuit. I’m back again with my cigar box guitars, cigar box basses and cigar box one-string diddley bows so come along and have a play.

I think I’ll plug this guitar in 🙂

New how-to-play Shake ’em on Down vid

Here’s my latest how-to-play cigar box guitar video – Shake ’em on Down. Hope you enjoy.

Drop me a line to let me know how your CBG journey is going.

All the best,

Nigel

McTrustry Cigar Box Guitars

Festival time

It’s Spring time here and I’ll be taking my cigar box guitars and diddley bows out along the east coast of Australia for a number of festivals over the next month or so. This weekend, I’ll be at Redfest in Cleveland, Brisbane (Fri night 7th to Sunday 9th). If you have yet to play a cigar box guitar, want to have a strum and live locally, come and find me at the Cigar Box Guitars Australia stall. For more information: http://redfest.com.au/

The following weekend is the inaugural Coochie Music Festival on Coochie Mudlo Island in Moreton Bay. If you haven’t visited this jewel, jump on the ferry and come along to see Ed Kuepper, Swampfish and others from 10am to 6pm on Saturday, 13 September. It’s an all ages event. I’ll be playing cigar box guitar blues n grooves at the stall. For more: http://www.coochie.net.au/.

Coochie Mudlo –

From 17-19 September, I’ll be at the Mitchell Creek Rock n Blues festival (near Gympie). Get ready for Dallas Frasca, Sandi Thom, Nathan Kaye, Stonefield, and The Hillbilly Goats to name just a few. I’ll have a stall and will be performing with Scottie Burke on drums on stage: http://www.mitchellcreekrocknbluesfest.com.au/.

Mitchell Creek Rock n Blues Festival is in a top spot –

We’ll then travel down along the east coast of Australia to Narooma, about 5 hours south of Sydney, for the Great Southern Blues Festival. We’ll have our Cigar Box Guitars Australia stall there from 4 – 6 October 2014: http://bluesfestival.tv/.

And here are some of the Cigar Box Guitars I’ll have with me:

Pickups and how to choose the best one for you

I’ve had a few questions lately regarding the pickups I use in my cigar box guitars. The three main pickups I use are the humbucker, the single coil and the 3 pole hand wound pickup. Check out my youtube channel for what they sound like (http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBootlegger007).

The Humbucker –  for that grungy/dirty blues sound.

The single coil – cleaner tone but can be dirtied up through the amp.

The 3 pole hand wound – I get some pickups made specifically for the 3 string cigar box guitar – the sound produces clean, warm tones.

New how-to-play cigar box guitar video

Check out my youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBootlegger007) or Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/McTrustryCigarBoxGuitars) for new how-to-play cigar box guitar lessons and videos.

Drop me a line if you have any questions.

New videos – how to play songs on the cigar box guitar

I’ve had time to put together some new videos for how-to-play songs on the cigar box guitar. Here are some links below:

‘Back in Black’:http://youtu.be/ouge-mEAOLw
‘Get Back’: http://youtu.be/AwA9cEbIeLE?list=UUAXmz0dq0mIV-Ro6K3ssJyg
‘Voodoo Chile (slight return)’: http://youtu.be/-xBi7S5mzXQ?list=UUAXmz0dq0mIV-Ro6K3ssJyg 

And just to throw in something a little different, here’s a vid with images from gigs and my workshop:

Let me know if there are other songs you’d like to learn and I’ll get onto it!

Gigs

I’ve been playing the CBG at venues around Brisbane and the Byron Bay area in the last couple of months. Here are a few pics.

Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall, Brisbane

Brunswick Hotel

The Joynt, Brisbane

West End (Davies Park) market in Brisbane

It’s winter in Brisbane and the 4.30am starts required to set up a stall at West End market on a Saturday morning are nearly killing me – but worth it. It’s a great, grassroots market that has some amazing buskers, great food and interesting characters. I’ll be down there the next couple of Saturdays and then the last couple in August. Come down to have a play – or if you want to just hang and listen.

At Davies Park market

Upcoming events

I’m heading out to the centre of Queensland for Gemfest from 7-10 August. I’ll be playing my CBGs on stage, as well as having a stall. I’d love to see you there (if you’re out that way!) It’s gonna be a blast.

http://www.gemfest.com.au/

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Leftys Old Time Music Hall, Caxton St, Brisbane, 9pm, 21 August

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Mitchell Creek Rock n Blues Festival, 19-21 September, Sunshine Coast, Queensland

I’ll be performing at this festival located in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast. I’ll also have a stall so come and check it out!

For tickets and more info: http://tickets.mitchellcreekrocknbluesfest.com.au/?ATOK=0DA1B80C2A

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Grotto Fest, 1 November, Marburg, Queensland

Recent builds

 

Bass String Bertha

 

Nigel McTrustry

McTrustry Cigar Box Guitars

W: http://cigarboxguitarsaustralia.com/
F:https://www.facebook.com/McTrustryCigarBoxGuitars

Y: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheBootlegger007