Welcome Guests of The Orion
The Only CBG Store In The World!
While there are many home-based cigar box guitar builders who sell their guitars online or in person as vendors at music festivals and outdoor markets, The Cigar Box Guitar Store is the only brick-and-mortar store specializing in cigar box guitars in the world.
Owned by juried artist and luthier Jeff Mello, who owns the store with his wife Tara, the store showcases his works of playable art, which include three- and four-string guitars made out of cigar boxes and other recycled materials, such as lunchboxes, tins and even baseball bats. At any given time, there is a selection of about 40 cigar box guitars, as well as other cigar box instruments.
About the Instruments
Unlike many cigar box guitars, Mello's creations are designed to be highly-playable, with low action, highly-polished necks and evenly balanced. Details such as smooth-edge fret wires and top-quality electrical details make them desirable by musicians.
Mello's guitars stand up to heavy use and travel. To protect internal wiring from breakage from transit and usage shock and vibration, all soldering is performed to industrial workmanship (IPC for those familiar). All interconnections are made with shielded cable. Solder joints are covered with sleeving or silicone for strain relief.
The most complex of the Mad Sci Innovations guitars, called the Professional Series, include high-end electronics, a balanced body and an adjustable truss rod. See the Pro Series in action and see the details in this video.
Longest-Running CBG Festival
Jeff and Tara are also the organizers of the longest-running cigar box guitar festival in the world. In 2025, the 21st Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival featured a dozen musical acts at three different venues over three days. Over $15,000 was raised for the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation, a non-profit that integrates music with learning in North Alabama schools. Click here to learn more and sign up for updates for the 22nd annual festival, scheduled for May 29-31, 2026.
VISIT US
Please contact us to schedule a private meeting with Jeff & Tara.
The Cigar Box Guitar Store is located in Studio 106 at historic Lowe Mill A&E, a collection of over 150 artists studios in 190,000 square feet.
2211 Seminole Dr. SW
Huntsville, AL 35805
To easily find Studio 106 at the Lowe Mill A&E complex, drive south on Seminole Dr. to where Seminole Rd. curves sharply and turns into 9th Ave. At the curve, continue straight through the gate into the gravel drive labeled "Smokestack Lot." Be careful of oncoming traffic at the curve. Follow the gravel drive straight to the end of the parking lot. You'll see Door #17 immediately on your left next to the Smokestack. When you enter the building, walk straight. We are the studio next to the bright red railing.
CUSTOM DESIGNS
Below are some examples of custom guitars. Download an e-book of custom designs or read reviews.
