Smoking Hot Guitars

Most folks have probably never heard of a cigar box guitar let alone actually heard a cigar box guitar. Pat Cozad has heard a few; in fact he's made over a hundred of them from his workshop in his St. Paul home.

 "People think they're toys when they first see them." Says Cozad but he adds that after they've heard one they immediately "change their tune." He began producing the curious instruments in early 2008 after challenging himself to see if he could build one. He's now formed a home based business-Crossroads Customs. What began as a hobby is now a time consuming obsession.

Cozad says the cigar box instruments have a long heritage dating back to the middle 1800's. People made them out of necessity and out of whatever they had available. Broom or axe handles often formed the neck of the homemade instruments and wooden cigar boxes made for decent acoustics and were commonly used. He says they seem to come back into popularity during difficult economic times. Civil War soldiers made them too.

 Cozad's instruments are not toys but are perfectly suited for children that may be too small to handle a full size guitar. With that said, a lot of adults are now playing them in bands. They are lightweight and have a sound reminiscent of the old Delta Blues. No two are the same, a fact that Cozad likes to tout about his creations. Acoustic or electric models are available ranging in price from $150 to $350 and come with several accessories including a wine bottle neck slide which is how Cozad likes to play his while it lies across his lap. They can also be picked like a conventional guitar.

Pat prefers to use wooden cigar boxes that are made of Spanish cedar or Spruce-the same woods that well known guitar manufacturers use for its superior sound. He picks the boxes up at tobacco shops, online or while traveling. The other components of the guitars are made from a variety of other exotic woods based on his creative ideas or what customer wants.

And what goes better with your brand new cigar box guitar than a new cigar box amplifier? That's right; Cozad also makes amps out of the same cigar boxes that he uses for the guitars. There are many different boxes out there and they lend a lot of character to each creation. Several versions of amplifiers are available depending on what a customer's needs are.

Also adding to each piece is Cozad's musical lineage. He's been playing in bands for decades and has had family members that toured with big names like Marty Robbins and Tommy Collins. Music runs in the family.

 In addition to producing music makers he also plays private events as well as concerts and corporate gatherings. He once opened for Brooks and Dunn while a member of Slingshot and loves to be on the stage.

 Cozad says there's a lot of himself in each creation and every time he sells one it is a little difficult to let it go. But he gets a lot of satisfaction knowing that his handcrafted guitars are now being played by individuals and bands across the Midwest and in other parts of the nation.

Anyone interested in a unique creation can contact him through his website www.crossroadscustoms.net Or give him a call at 308-754-7800.