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 construction spans
back well over 150 years in our country's history. My Name is John McNair, I enjoy
working by myself with the occasional help from my wife. Every single guitar I build is
built by hand and pocket knife one-by-one 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 build both Left and Right hand guitars and whether you are a Blues,
Country, Bluegrass, or even a Rock guitarist, I'm sure to have the perfect 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 construction spans
back well over 150 years in our country's history. My Name is John McNair, I enjoy
working by myself with the occasional help from my wife. Every single guitar I build is
built by hand and pocket knife one-by-one 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 build both Left and Right hand guitars and whether you are a Blues,
Country, Bluegrass, or even a Rock guitarist, I'm sure to have the perfect guitar for you.
| Now that's Red HOT!!! |
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 © 1997-2008 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!!!! |
| EMAIL OR CALL: JOHN 1-787-671-9790 |
| 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. |
Click it and find out!
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Check out my Left handed guitars and Dobros
I've spent many years teaching myself the ins and outs of building Left handed
guitars, I myself am right handed but if your a lefty I can still build you something
you'll totally love!.....Email me anytime at john@reddogguitars.com
I've spent many years teaching myself the ins and outs of building Left handed
guitars, I myself am right handed but if your a lefty I can still build you something
you'll totally love!.....Email me anytime at john@reddogguitars.com
 |
In todays terms some people call my work "Outsider Art" some call it "Tramp Art"....
some see them as a study 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 of these last few years since I started
posting photos of my cigar box guitars.
Back then the Internet was a very different place and new. Now, like Johnny Appleseed,
those photos have spawned a 1000 builders 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 just 10 years ago....just
Google "cigar box guitar".....Its a "word" as well as a "world" now!
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 these 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.
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!
John McNair
Urbanizacion Los Angeles
Calle Lira #65-B
Caroilna, Puerto Rico 00979-usa
I guess I'm one of the last people in America who still makes the original "Homemade" Bo Diddley guitars out of
left over junk and recycled wood....It seems the music world has moved on to a different sound a feel and I am but
a builder of Dinosours...It's sad that machines have taken over the craftsman's hand and eye.....but, if your tired
of seeing the same old store bought guitars you'll love the real American Bo Diddley guitars I have made in the
past.........check them out!
left over junk and recycled wood....It seems the music world has moved on to a different sound a feel and I am but
a builder of Dinosours...It's sad that machines have taken over the craftsman's hand and eye.....but, if your tired
of seeing the same old store bought guitars you'll love the real American Bo Diddley guitars I have made in the
past.........check them out!
