I think the song the young man plays is lovely--sad and lovely... I never thought about what Muddy Waters played and so forth but it makes sense that it would be something homemade? Anyway, if there is a PBS show re: cigar box guitars and 1880s Delta blues, I am really looking forward to watching it... I wonder how Neal would sound on one of these?
http://www.vanderbilly.com/Guitar-Lesson-American+1880%27s+Delta+Blues+,8561,1.html