Bayou Cigar Box Guitars

04/28/2026

NEW! From BCBG - BCBC - that's Bayou Cigar Box Clocks! Because, why not?

04/19/2026

Two days, fifty singer-songwriters from all over the Gulf Coast at five venues and one cigar box guitar builder. I hope we'll see lots of people out there making this a successful event!

04/15/2026

I never had any interest in doing a canjo but I was was looking for something else on ebay and saw this CAO cigar can. It was too cool to pass up. Most canjos are 1 string like a diddly bow, but this can is so big I thought let's just make a plain old 3 string guitar. It's got a wood bridge inside so it doesn't just sound like a tin can but it resonates really well. I haven't decided if it's going to have a pickup or not.

04/09/2026

I didn't know how this was going to turn out, but using a tambourine as a resonator (yes, I took the little cymbal things out) and making a sort of banjo style thing seemed like a fun idea. It was. I guess if it was a 4 string it would kind of be a banjolele but with a longer neck? Anyway, It kicks so much a$$ I'm going to call it Chuck Norris (RIP). It sounds fantastic acoustic or plugged in to an amp. It's got an oak neck , maple fretboard and a single coil pickup.

04/07/2026

THIS SUNDAY! We'll be back at the Musician's Fete at the West Baton Rouge Museum. They have a really great line-up of speakers on all aspects of the business end of the music business that should be of interest to every musician. If you're a working musician this is the stuff you need to know!

04/02/2026

This one is still a bit of a ways off, but we'll be back in Baton Rouge on June 27th and 28th for the Muddy Water Music Festival. Two days of songwriters showing off their works! More details on this one as we get closer. I just wanted everyone to get it on their calendars.

03/26/2026

This is such a great sounding guitar. Looks pretty good, too. It's one of those that I'd be tempted to keep for myself. But it's a lefty. Everything is upside down.

03/22/2026

Thanks Abbeville, we had a great time at the ArtWalk en Rue de Concorde! See you next year.

03/16/2026

It's going to be a big weekend for BCBG! On Saturday we'll be in Abbeville for the Artwalk en Rue De Concorde. We're looking forward to seeing all the great local artists that will be there. Sunday - last minute addition - we'll be back at the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper fund raiser with a Bayou Cigar Box Guitar that you can win at their silent auction!

03/07/2026

I haven't done any shorter scale guitars in a long time, so it's time to make up for that. I usually make guitars that are 25" scale - nut to bridge - a Strat is 25.5", Jaguar 24" a Les Paul is 24.75". Playing in open tuning that's ok, but if you want to play some fancier chords in open tunings those can be a loooong stretch. So here are 2 (yes, 2!) with a 23" scale length. Perfect for people with small hands. Or shorts arms. Or short fingers. Both have oak necks and mahogany fretboards. The white one has a single coil pickup and the brown one has a good old piezo inside. Something else I haven't done much of lately but have been revisiting.

03/02/2026

Huge thanks to the Vermilion Arts Council for the Artist Spotlight on BCBG! The Artwalk En Rue de Concorde in downtown Abbeville on March 21st is coming up fast. We're looking forward to being a part of this great event and seeing all the other artist's works, too. Hope to see lots of old and new friends there.

🎨 Artist Spotlight: Gerard Guidoni — Bayou Cigar Box Guitars 🎸

Gerard Guidoni builds handcrafted guitars from upcycled cigar boxes. Each piece is unique, using reclaimed woods and found hardware, reflecting the folk tradition of resourceful, expressive instruments.

“Where every note tells a story—celebrate the heart and soul of the bayou through handmade music at ArtWalk on rue de Concorde!”

Saturday, March 21, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Downtown Abbeville, Louisiana | Free Event