Pappy's CBGs

10/27/2025

Let's also get episode 22 posted.
In this interview, I sit down with Devin C Williams. Devin is a musician you will want to listen to and follow for both his prowess on the guitar and the message he delivers in each lyric. He currently resides in Illinois but can be found performing all over the United States and most recently Europe. To check out where you can find him performing next, follow him via his page at

/ devin.williams.391048 .

In this interview, I sit down with Devin C Williams. Devin is a musician you will want to listen to and follow for both his prowess on the guitar and the me...

10/27/2025

Wow! I just realized I've been so busy I didn't post the 2 previous episodes to my page here. So, let's rectify that and post Episode 21 with Karl-Heinz Lau. Karl has one of the most artistic and creative minds in the CBG builders community that I've come across. Operating under the Pigasus label, Karl prefers to build six-string guitars that are exacting in their specs but each a work of art. His work can be found via his page and he is a member of multiple Cigar Box Guitar builder and player groups. There you can also find him playing those instruments as he performs covers spanning a wide variety of artists and musical genres.

In this episode, I had an opportunity to sit down with Karl-Heinz Lau. Karl lives in Alma, Michigan and has one of the most artistic and creative minds in t...

10/27/2025

In this episode of the Suitcase Sessions Podcast, I take a look at an iconic cigar brand and its history to include its more historical namesake and what makes it my personal favorite to build cigar box guitars from. After watching, let me know your thoughts on which box is your favorite to build with! As always, if you enjoy the show, don't forget to hit the Subscribe button and share it with your friends.

In this episode, I spend some time focused on what I consider to be one of the most resonant boxes to build a cigar box guitar from. We will take a quick lo...

09/09/2025

I know this week's episode is a day late however, if you are interested - Check Out the latest issue of the Suitcase Sessions Podcast where I interview Jack Bensema of Scrapgrinder Guitars. If you like what you hear, why not hit the subscribe button and follow us for each episode.

In this episode, I had the privelage of interviewing Jack Bensema from Manhattan, Illinois while at the US 10 Cigar Box Guitar Festival.  Jack is an excellent builder and his cigar box guitar vending booths is one of the best setups around th...

08/21/2024

For those of you following my Cigar Box Guitar Podcast "The Suitcase Sessions", you won't want to miss this episode! I put Chris behind the mic and camera to get her insights and thoughts from her unique perspective as a wife to a builder. We had a lot of fun, laughed a lot and enjoyed talking about her thoughts on Antiquing & Dumpster Diving, Visits To My Shop, The CBG Community, Her Favorite Builds, Why I'm Not Allowed to Make Post Surgery Purchases (while still under the influence of the anesthesia). Ha!

If you like it, let me know what you think and don't forget to "Subscribe"!

In this episode I invited my wife to give us her unique perspective on a variety of topics to include: Antiquing, Dumpster Diving, Visits To My Shop, The Peo...

08/14/2024

The Cigar Box Guitar Community is Fascinating and the individuals who build them are some of the most interesting people I have ever met.

Anthony Walker is a Giant in the community and his story is one you won't want to miss! He spent his career in Local, State and Federal Law Enforcement and no doubt was as imposing behind the badge as he is among his peers.

In this episode of the Suitcase Sessions, we catch up with Anthony at the end of a long day in his shop where he had been working to get MGB truss rods in a run of hand crafted CBG necks.

If you are enjoying the Podcast, Don't Forget to hit the "Subscribe" button!

https://youtu.be/2ImoHNQ40r0?si=nFKJlSKg5dLfkVBv

Let me know what you think in the Comments section!

In this episode I was able to sit down with Anthony Walker of Southpaw Cigarbox Guitars. Anthony lives in Blythewood, South Carolina and has a long history ...

07/31/2024

Today, the Suitcase Sessions Podcast focuses on Tom Banks, the Executive Director of the Mary G. Hardin Center For Cultural Arts. Tom is a true advocate of both Cultural and "Approachable" Arts and is proud to house and curate a permanent Cigar Box Guitar exhibit. Hearing his perspective and feeling his passion for the exhibit and his facility was contagious.

If you are watching for the 1st time, take some time to check it out along with the preceding interviews. Don't Forget to Subscribe!

In this edition, I had the privelage of interviewing Tom Banks, Executive Director of the Gadsden Cultural Arts Foundation, and the Mary G. Hardin Center for...

07/17/2024

Check out the latest interview for my Suitcase Sessions Podcast!

In this episode, I had a chance to sit down with Mark "The Harp" LeClaire. Mark LeClaire is a Cigar Box Guitar builder and performer. He is known for playing his cigar box guitars with his harmonicas and has an ability to tell stories with musical accompaniment on the fly. Here, you will learn how Boys Life Magazine and his natural curiousity led him to building his first cigar box guitar and then how his time in the U.S. Army found him carrying a harmonica into the field to pass the time. Mark is a lot of fun to watch perform and it was equally as fun to learn as much as I did from our conversation.

https://youtu.be/48Y69j04ydE?si=-29R-yJCn3ZL1ygK

Don't Forget to hit that [Subscribe] button and let me know what you think!

In this episode, I had a chance to sit down with Mark "The Harp" LeClair. Mark is a Cigar Box Guitar builder and performer. He is known for playing his cig...

07/15/2024

If you are still driving to work, like me, and can't watch YouTube while at work but enjoy Podcasts, you should try mine out and give it a listen! Here is the latest episode from my Cigar Box Guitar Podcast, called the Suitcase Sessions.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MszaxkInmSKsBnTRsbAz0?si=Hw7iPXQ2QB-W6mnOmYcTtQ

You can also find it on Apple Podcasts as well as most other Audio Platforms under the same name.

Let me know what you think and don't forget to Subscribe!

Listen to this episode from Suitcase Sessions on Spotify. In this interview I had an opportunity to sit down with Logan Elliott. Logan is from the Springfield, IL area and is a prolific builder of Cigar Box Guitars. He specializes in Fretless CBGs and operates under the name of Logan's Home Grown CB...

07/04/2024

I have a new Cigar Box Guitar Podcast called the Suitcase Sessions. If you want to learn more about the cigar box, the Guitars made from them or here performing artists play them - Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to watch the episodes or head over to Apple Podcast on iTunes or to Spotify and check it out! Don't Forget to Subscribe and let me know what you think in the comment sections wherever you find it!!!

https://open.spotify.com/show/4hf79cqQqL4eqq0YhQOD1X?si=a9r5sy7eQ3yxOZlq0SeYdQ

https://youtube.com/?si=YeXJAOp1jqPcpTef

Listen to Suitcase Sessions on Spotify. The "Suitcase Sessions" Podcast is where you will discover and explore the world of Cigar Box Guitars. This is where you will learn new things from the history of the cigar box and its use to the authors who’ve written about it. We’ll travel the 4 corners ...

09/05/2023

I recently completed #93. A 3-String Cigar Box Guitar from a Punch Gran Puro box for a customer in Florida. This particular "customer" happens to be one of my longest held Shipmates and Friends from my Navy time aboard the USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20). In fact, he accompanied me home on a 1,000 mile drive one New Years Eve, 42 years ago when I was set on being engaged to my now wife of 41+ years.

This was a Custom Acoustic build with sound holes that matched his Navy Rating Insignia for Photographer's Mate (Divergent Light Rays passing through a Lens).

On the rear of the box, I laser engraved our ships Logo and Motto (Vox Maris - Voice of the Sea). I used a Gold 3-string Bridge, Black Corner Protectors and Black, Half-moon Mechanical Tuners and an Easy Neck (all MGB high quality components).

For the headstock, I placed a matching Cigar Band just behind the nut and embedded a brass .45 cartridge representing the sidearm we carried on our Security/Watch Duty. Since it is Acoustic and will be played on long haul OTR trips, I placed 2 springs inside to ensure the sound is loud and sustained.

Dan is very happy and was kind enough to share a picture of himself with it next to his rig.

If you want a custom designed Cigar Box Guitar, drop me a message here and let's get started!

02/24/2023

I recently completed this 4 String, Jack Daniel’s Tin electric guitar with a humbucker pickup, chrome mechanical tuners with black half-moon pegs, a fretted neck with rosewood fretboard and pearl inlay markers, a black pickup cover, chrome roller bridge and knurled chrome volume and tone k***s. If you want a custom build like this, message me here or email me at [email protected] . Let’s get you fitted for a One of Kind instrument that will have your friends singing the Blues…while you smile and provide the tune. 😉