As a maker of cigar box guitars, Handmade Music Factory is a book I’ve been waiting for for a long time. It’s written by Mike Orr, a professional carpenter and the owner of Built2Last Guitars.
This beautifully produced, full-color book shows you how to make your own musical instruments. Projects include a washtub bass, a soup can diddley bow, an electrified stomp box and washboard, a variety of cigar box guitars, an ironing board lap steel guitar, and an upcycled tape deck amplifier.
Besides including these detailed step-by-step instructions, Orr’s book includes profiles of cigar box guitar builders and a large photo gallery of beautiful instruments made by cigar box guitar aficionados. One of my favorites is a banjo made from the hubcap of a Volkswagen.
If you’re interested in getting started in building your own musical instruments, or you have built them but would like to learn additional tips and tricks and find out how others have created their own musical instruments, this is a great book.