Hi Arlo! Been a fan since before I can remember. Always enjoyed your music and life's outlook. Even got to visit Stockbridge a few years back and stopped in at the church. (Got the Garbage Trail T-shirt!). While growing up in the '60's, I listened to a lot of rock, motown and the like, but folk music had a special place in my heart. Like a lot of people, life got in the way of living, and before I realized it, I had come to a place devoid of music, fun and fulfilment.
My father had been a woodworker, and he aspired to teach me the patience and perseverence to shape a plain piece of wood into something with beauty and function. Being a teenager at the time I had little interest. One day not long ago, a few years after he had passed away, my wife Marilyn asked me to make a small box for her to hold some cards. I scrounged around the garage and found one of Dad's old cigar boxes for her to use. It wasn't exactly what she wanted, so I started looking on the internet for something more suitable. My search led me to CigarBoxNation.com, a community of hand-made guitar builders and musicians. I was looking for a new hobby and thought that this might be fun, so I got the cigar box, a piece of 1x2, some tuners and strings together and went to my workbench.
When I picked up my father's tools for the first time since he had died, a wave of emotion came over me that I can't describe. I just broke down and cried for an hour. Since then, I've begun to realize that every time I build a guitar, my skills improve as a testament to him, and that he is with me guiding my hands. Much akin, I would like to think, that Woody is with you whenever you sing.
My wife and I plan on coming to your concert at Parker Playhouse February 24th. It would be an honor and priveledge if you could take a moment and sign one of my guitars. It would be a way for me to honor my father's memory that I would treasure always.
Sincerely,
Hal Spalter (Habanera Hal)

Welcome to the site. Neat story! Hope Arlo gets to see your guitar. I bet it is neat.

Welcome! There is something about woodworking that focuses the mind. I got into it when I quit smoking because I needed to do something with my hands.. Still smoke free a few years later..

Thank you, Cheryl! I have a lot of fun building these, really helps to ground me emotionally and spiritually. If you're interested, you can check out my builds of guitars, ukuleles, amps and even kalimbas at: http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/pho ... ns=&page=1. It's strictly a hobby for now, but someday I hope to sell a few (I need the room!)
Cheers!

Those are neat! Nice job there. It reminded me. My folks were friends with an elderly missionary named Uncle Plummer and his wife. They came to visit my folks once in the 60's & he showed us a kalimba that the natives in Africa had made. Pretty neat. He died in the 70's I think.