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by Bill Waite
I recently met Glenn Bukowski, founder of Walnut Creek Music Company. He is currently an ‘artist in residence at the Chestnut Hill Inn in Milford, NJ. Glenn can make a guitar out of almost anything. His specialty is the cigar-box guitar, a basic folk instrument, he makes using found material for its construction.
I was staying at the Chestnut Hill Inn Bed & Breakfast with my wife Vicky and son Bobby. We decided to explore river towns for an upcoming issue of Bucks County magazine. We ran into Glenn in his temporary workshop at the Inn, and we began talking about the Inn and what wonderful Innkeepers Rob and Linda Castagna are. Before you know it, Glenn invited us inside to meet his wife andcheck out some of his handmade guitars.
Both Glenn and his wife Kathryn are very nice. Our son Bobby took out his harmonica and Glenn and Bobby began jamming in the living room while Vicky took a video of them on her phone. It was exciting and got us charged up for the Lambertville Shad Festival—our destination for that day.After the jam session, we were really in the mood.
Glenn said that guitars and other instruments from cigar boxes date back to the 1840s and are undergoing a revival fueled by renewed interest in classic blues. The modern revival is powered by www.cigarboxnation.com, where builders share ideas and show off their latest work. Glenn takes pride in his own collection and we, of course, were thrilled to see them.
Glenn’s guitars take from a day to several weeks to build. Most of them have three strings, but he has built guitars with one to six strings. And he had built one that had twenty strings. This unique instrument combines the features of a standard guitar, a bass, and a harp. A friend bet he couldn’t build it so, of course, he had to try.
These handmade instruments are what gave birth to the blues. Many legendary blues musicians began their careers on homemade instruments like these. Just run a piece of pipe or a small bottle (called a 'slide') up the strings of a homemade guitar and you feel the hot southern sun beating down on your shoulders. Add a few chords and it can give you goose bumps.
“Building these instruments doesn't take high-tech equipment or a big budget.” Glenn says, “You can build your own for a few dollars—depending on your ambition and how good you are at picking parts.” “I started building cigar-box guitars a few years ago,” Glenn adds, “when I joined a couple of friends to entertain at a holiday party. We all brought guitars to our first rehearsal and decided we needed to round out our sound. I went to my workshop that night, and by the next evening, had a three-string bass that I played at our performance. I've been building them ever since.”
A simple instrument just needs a box for a body, a broom handle for a neck and a piece of wire for a string. Random bits of wood or old bolts make the bridge, and if you don't worry about varnish or paint, you have a playable instrument. You can make a more sophisticated instrument by finishing the wood or adding modern parts and electronics. Most of Glenn's guitars are equipped with crystal or magnetic pickups so they can be played through a standard guitar amplifier.
Glenn really loves what he is doing. This talented musician and craftsman appreciates the satisfaction of seeing the finished product and enjoys playing it. You can reach Glenn by email at WalnutCreekCBG@gmail.com. Bill Waite is the publisher of Bucks County Magazine.