Red Dog Guitars is a small one person craft shop specializing in keeping a truly American
tradition alive of making Dobro, Slide, Folk, Tenor, Acoustic and Electric guitars out of
different types of vintage and antique cigar boxes. This dying form of guitar construction
spans back well over 150 years in our country's history. My Name is John McNair, I work
by myself with the occasional help from my wife. Every guitar I build is built by hand
using only the highest quality and rarest of recycled materials in a pursuit of the richest,
most authentic Blues and Country sound and tone possible. I enjoy using old furniture
and reclaimed old growth American hardwoods for necks and braces, not only are they
much more stable woods, but they are usually much better looking and I believe it adds a
charm and character that you can't get from the "run of the mill" at the local lumber yard.
I build both Left and Right handed guitars and whether you are a Blues, Country,
Bluegrass, or even a Rock guitarist, I'm sure to have the perfect cigar box guitar for you.
tradition alive of making Dobro, Slide, Folk, Tenor, Acoustic and Electric guitars out of
different types of vintage and antique cigar boxes. This dying form of guitar construction
spans back well over 150 years in our country's history. My Name is John McNair, I work
by myself with the occasional help from my wife. Every guitar I build is built by hand
using only the highest quality and rarest of recycled materials in a pursuit of the richest,
most authentic Blues and Country sound and tone possible. I enjoy using old furniture
and reclaimed old growth American hardwoods for necks and braces, not only are they
much more stable woods, but they are usually much better looking and I believe it adds a
charm and character that you can't get from the "run of the mill" at the local lumber yard.
I build both Left and Right handed guitars and whether you are a Blues, Country,
Bluegrass, or even a Rock guitarist, I'm sure to have the perfect cigar box guitar for you.
Music and Photos within Research archives on this site Courtesy of Library Of Congress ©Public Domain. Used for research under Fair Law, unless otherwise stated, i.e Goggle search; copyright holder unknown. Red Dog Guitars Copyright © 1997-2009 MADE IN AMERICA. All rights AVAILABLE, feel free to cut, copy and paste any guitars you see on this site...be sure to tell 'em it's a Red Dog!!!! |
| Red Dog Guitars strives to adopt the use of alternative construction techniques that avoid waste and make better use of our planet's valuable and in many cases irreplaceable resources. |
OK, you have 3 choices to click below
You can see the guitars I have,
visit the Cigar Box Guitar History Museum,
or continue reading below about this site.
You can see the guitars I have,
visit the Cigar Box Guitar History Museum,
or continue reading below about this site.
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In todays terms some people call my work "Outsider Art" some call it "Tramp Art"...some
see them as a part of American history and historic musical instruments. Truthfully, I've
never considered myself much an artist, just a ordinary guy with a passion for music,
history and art putting them together for an original formula for creating guitars. A
craftsman so to speak? I love to make them, it's my passion and they would eventually
pile up to the celling if I didn't do something with them.
So, here I am selling them. Everyone, from many of the most famous of movie stars,
musicians, European royalty, down to the starving artist has pursued me non-stop for one
of my guitars. I never would have imagined my work would spark such a worldwide
phenomena and following.
Even today, many years after posting those first few photos, it still has me speechless.
Whatever you prefer to call my work, or how you interpret it, I greatly appreciate your
interest. I can't begin to say how thankful I am since I started sharing photos of my
homemade cigar box guitars. Back then the Internet was a very different place and new.
Now, like Johnny Appleseed, those photos have spawned a 1000 cigar box guitar builders
and players from coast to coast who realized there was so much more in the world than
Fender or Gibson........there's nothing wrong with those factory guitars.....but since that
change.......many great and talented people are making and selling cigar box
guitars...WOW! that's something unheard of back when I started posting photos many
years ago.
As for me, I have never changed and I am still just one guy stuck in the past, but because
the power of the Internet I am with disbelief at how popular my guitars have become, if
this was still the 90's and without the world wide web, being able to share my work for
this long would be all but IMPOSSIBLE! I remember having to run small classified adds
in a Louisiana newspapers and waiting for a call!!!!... and to now see how information is
now exchanging between person and person is mind bogging......pictures of a house, car
or even guitar from the other side of the planet at the click of the mouse!
I use to joke with my wife "be careful when you answer the phone, you never know who it
might be"....But never could I have guessed some of the famous or far off people I have
been humbled to meet just by answering the phone in my living room.
Well, since your here, feel free to browse the gallery of guitars for sale and viewing. I've
been making them far longer than I have been selling them, and while it wasn't possible
for me to show you all of the guitars I've built, I've tried to select some interesting and
colorful designs to give you an idea of what I enjoy making.
As for the guitar Aficionado, check out the History archives of American Folk music
and the Blues. I have spent years scouring Libraries, the Internet and basically any
and everywhere for the history of the cigar box guitar. It is vast and I have amassed
an array of historical photos not found anywhere else in the world. I have seen many
online art galleries and libraries and I have noticed they all were hard to navigate
because you needed to open many pages just to view one photo after another.....I
found it to be too much clicking and waiting....but....this I set up much different and
it allows you to view many historic photos easily and enjoyably. I encourage you to
visit, especially if you have a child or family member interested in the history of
music. Some of the photos are so memorable and impressionable you'll never forget
them... some will take your breath away....But no matter what, If you enjoy history,
your sure to enjoy them, have a peek. Click here
If you have any questions on something you’ve seen on this site, Pick up the phone,
Don’t be shy!!!!...my wife says I can be a real chatter box sometimes, look how far
you had to read to get to this spot on this page!!!!!...sheeez.. I'm tired of typing
now!....so no worries, if you have a question call me or my wife at,
1-787-671-9790. Or you can email me anytime at john@reddogguitars.com
Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the site!
and the Blues. I have spent years scouring Libraries, the Internet and basically any
and everywhere for the history of the cigar box guitar. It is vast and I have amassed
an array of historical photos not found anywhere else in the world. I have seen many
online art galleries and libraries and I have noticed they all were hard to navigate
because you needed to open many pages just to view one photo after another.....I
found it to be too much clicking and waiting....but....this I set up much different and
it allows you to view many historic photos easily and enjoyably. I encourage you to
visit, especially if you have a child or family member interested in the history of
music. Some of the photos are so memorable and impressionable you'll never forget
them... some will take your breath away....But no matter what, If you enjoy history,
your sure to enjoy them, have a peek. Click here
If you have any questions on something you’ve seen on this site, Pick up the phone,
Don’t be shy!!!!...my wife says I can be a real chatter box sometimes, look how far
you had to read to get to this spot on this page!!!!!...sheeez.. I'm tired of typing
now!....so no worries, if you have a question call me or my wife at,
1-787-671-9790. Or you can email me anytime at john@reddogguitars.com
Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the site!
Watch this short video...but be careful, it will BURN your ear hairs off!
The
Screamin'
Eagle
Cigar Box
Guitar
Screamin'
Eagle
Cigar Box
Guitar
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click here
click here
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click here
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click here
| EMAIL ME at john@reddogguitars.com OR CALL: JOHN 1-787-671-9790 |
| EMAIL ME at john@reddogguitars.com OR CALL: JOHN 1-787-671-9790 |