A String thing.

[David English]

Ok, this string thing is "stringing" my build out.  I know it's all a matter of opinion but I'm not sure quite what to get.  I was just gonna order some off Gitty but I'm not sure what to buy. Whats best for DAD tuning. Or is that the best tuning. This is my first build remember, I've never played a 3 stringer. I'm used to 6.  Gitty has packs in D or G. Some folks have said go with extra lights, some say lights, some say mediums.  Some say get guitar strings and split them up yourself. Might as well get any and all suggestions. I want a good deep blues sound. What would Shane say? LOL!

[Clock The Wolf]

This seems to be a somewhat controversial subject. I myself am constantly changing the types of strings I put on my cbgs, both in  the choice of materials and the gauges... and that's not even bringing up tuning, which I sometimes alter mid-session. For a 3 stringer it's fairly common to use the 2nd, 3rd and 4th string or 3rd, 4th and 5th string (2nd through 5th for a 4 stringer) from a set of medium acoustic or electric guitar strings... I just buy the individual strings in bulk myself.

[Rand Moore]

Hi J.D.

I prefer string combinations that leave my melody string (string 1) a plain wire string. The reason is that I'm sloppy when it comes to fretting and you can hear what I call "fingering noise" as your finger passes along the wound string, producing unwanted noise. The other two drone strings usually are wound and I seldom fret them (maybe occasionally string 2, fret positions 1 & 2). Lately, on my new builds I've been using mostly strings 2, 3 and 4 out of a set of six light weight acoustic guitar strings. I think 'The Clockwork Owl' and I agree that this set of strings is a good set of strings to start with. D-A-D' is a good tuning to begin with as well. It's a 'member' of the family of tunings we call 1-5-8 tuning, and the next most commonly used 'member' is G-D-G'. These are the two tunings I use most frequently.

-Rand..

[Rand Moore]

I just re-read your post. If you want a deep blues sound, you'll likely want the thicker strings (maybe 4, 5 and 6). What I told you earlier was from the perspective of folk / mountain music and string dulcimers, not the blues. You probably should wait until others have had a chance to offer advice, preferably some one with a blues background.

-Rand.

[Rand Moore]

Also, I recall that Delta Blues players play slide with heavier strings. So, don't go with light strings as I had originally suggested. Look for the heaviest set you can find.

-Rand.

[Clock The Wolf]

Somewhere @ .24, .32, and .42 wound strings seems good for a moderately deep and dirty Delta slide sound. Personally, I'm uncomfortable going much heavier than that, at least when it comes to an open G tuning on a 3 stringer. With a sturdy neck you can still wind the strings up to GDG, even AEA if you want.

[Slowpaw Steve T]

I found using .42 or .46 strings were too heavy on the neck for a 3 string and made tuning unstable - for fretting i would go for a set of 9's and use  the A,D, G or D,G,B for slide,  and not use the 9 or the 42 at all, though it depends on your type of build,  i usually tune to GDG with a 25.5" string scale ....just my opinion though i've tried 'em all! (-;

[Outhouse Instruments]

These things just aren't that complicated. This is your first build, git'er playin'!

You've fallen into a familiar trap .... over thinking these things.

It's a box.

A stick.

Now add some strings. Tune it. Play it.

 

Top 3 out of a light or extra light set will give you all the swampiness you want.

Tune it GDG.

 

PLAY.

 

You can learn what all you want for yourself after you start playing.

No matter what you cannot find your sound until you play.

 

 

AFKAM

[Keni Lee Burgess]

Due to the non standard nature of CBGs, I would suggest experimenting. To get your CBG to play it's best regarding ease of playing and tone; nut and bridge height (string height from the fingerboard), scale lenght, string gauge, and tuning are all related. On my instructional CD 4 (How to Play 3 string CBG) I suggest using medium gauge string ADg from a standard pack of guitar strings and tune GDg. Additionally, using the same strings you can tune to ADf# which is basically Open D. This tuning offers a system of moveable chords so you can approach playing like a regular 6 string. See my page for these Devil Tuning videos. (A Cigar Box Guitar Player's Guide to Chords) 

If the guitar seems too tight or loose you can tune up or down until the guitar rings correctly. GDg tuning is tones 151 from the major scale. Here is a chart with all the keys. All the fingerings are the same, only the key changes.

 http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/13-keys?context=user

The other option, If you want to be in GDg tuning is to experiment with different gauges until your find the correct ones to meet your guitar's needs. If the CBG is built correctly, setting it up properly is essential to it's performance. I hope you find this information useful. Enjoy your new build, Keni Lee    

[MichaelS Country Boy Guitars]

If you have a set of stirngs already, use them top or bottom half of the set (6) is fine, or somewere in the middle.  I get mine from Gitty and I tune to Dad, I am using the 26, 17, 13 medium set. It can be tuned to other than Dad, some guitars sound better at different tunings even with the same set of strings.  Just string it up and go.