Cigar box banjos

[shortridge]

With smoking a social and Scouting no-no these days, I'm curious if anyone out there has developed or learned of an alternative to cigar boxes for cigar-box banjos.

 

Cigar consumption itself has been trending up, so I don't imagine there's much of a problem getting the boxes these days. More a question of whether they're acceptable.

[Gold Winger]

I wouldn't have a problem with them as long as the Scouts aren't smoking the cee-gars.

[AnniePoo]

Shoeboxes.

[Karen_216]

I suppose same question could be asked about using wine corks to make hot pads. We could buy items new but don't we also try to teach recycling??

i like the shoe box idea. Found some old wooden (and very nice) cigar boxes in father-in'laws stuff after he passed. he used them for various things- he was the original recycler- dont' throw something out if it has a use!! I couldn't imagine turning them into banjos- however the shoe box is another thing- my kids out grow shoes like they're weeds. (the kids not the shoes!!)also diaramma anyone??

 

[le Voyageur]

 

 

gourds...

 

http://www.dhyatt.com/craftsmanship.html

[Gear Dog]

I'm actually looking into doing this with my boys. I work around the block from a cigar shop and found they sell the cardboard cigar boxes for $.24 each. So I'm in the process of building one to see how I can have the boys do it in one sitting. You could also build a cookie tin banjo. Seeing how the holidays are around the corner those butter cookies are going to be plentiful.

 

http://www.planetgaa.com/CTBanjo/index.html

 

 

[Gold Winger]

I think that cookie tin banjo is a bit beyond the capabilities of most Cub Scouts as well as beyond their musical capabilities. That's a pretty amazing instrument.

[mrwoolery]

One site for a simpler version of the cookie tin banjo:

http://dennishavlena.com/banjo.htm

 

A book worth looking at is Dennis Waring's book Cool Cardboard Instruments. There are some very cheesy things in there, but also some real instruments that use cardboard. Many of these could be adapted to work well with other resonating containers.

 

Another site to see is the Folk Urban Music site, especially the Ukulele he makes out of a cheap plastic container, a bit of foam-core posterboard, and toothpicks for frets!

http://www.geocities.com/tpe123/folkurban/uke/uke.html

 

I have made several banjos and other instruments of varying complexity. I'm not quite ready to attempt it with a mob of Bear Scouts, but perhaps next year they will be settled enough to do it.

 

Good luck!

 

-Patrick