#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

Diatonic 4 String??

Hi all,

I've just signed up here today so I shall start by saying a big HELLO to everyone and that I look forward to being involved in the Cigar Box following.

My first question for you is this, I have been playing with a friends CBG and I am now keen to get building, I want start by building one with a diatonic scale and was wondering if it is possible to have a 4 string arrangement with it? I am aware that Dulcimers can have four strings (two very close together) but I am thinking 4 independent strings like your average 4 string CBG?

And secondly I have been wondering what it would be like having 4 strings but using 1 as a bass string, has anyone done this and does it work?

Thanks for taking the time to read, I must apologise if any of my future questions seem a bit silly, but I am new to the world of Cigar box building and I have a very over active imagination, so some of my ideas may be very strange and absurd.

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on June 2, 2012 at 12:32am

Thank you for your reply. This certainly does sound quite interesting and I've never seen or heard anything like it. I read that you have a patent for this? Are you going into production? I would certainly like to play one, because as you are quite aware, it would be another fun way to see theory in action. Having one finger triads would certainly free up the fingers for other possibilities and exploring the open strings with this unique fret arrangement should lead to some very different ideas. Best Wishes for your venture. Enjoy.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on May 29, 2012 at 7:29am

BenBob...please clarify...how many strings and tuned how? Thank you.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BenBob on May 29, 2012 at 8:12am

I see, "Devil Tuning" was something else. I mean the 513 triad for 3-string, but with the 5 up an octave, making the 1 on the middle string the lowest note. The intervals would be like a uke without the 1 string.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on May 29, 2012 at 11:30am

No I have never tried this. My approach is basically to make the full 6 string tunings into two or more functional parts. Ex Open G DGDgbd into GDg / 151 or Dgb / 513. There are countless ways to string and tune CBGs, but through consistency it is easier to develop a paradigm that can be applied in different ways. The fingerboard is no longer abstract and confusing. Thanks for sharing.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on May 29, 2012 at 12:15pm

I think your saying a diatonic scale like a dulcimer. If that's right then I have experimented with a 4 stringer tuned D,A,d like a dulci with a 4th string tuned an octave lower than the normal low D. I kind of let the lowest D drone most of the time except when I bar across the strings for chords other than the open D. It's a fun experiment if nothing else. I don't know nothin' bout no patents. I hope I'm not infringin' or anything!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BUGGY (C) on May 31, 2012 at 6:37am

Facinating stuff... you got us all going with this question...

As you say though one of the strings tuned in an octave to another would work....I think my dulcimer has 4 strings and works this way. (the bass one being with a thing high octave)

Presumably as a bass string this would just be tuned an octave lower (bit like a 5 string bass to D), but two strings would be tuned the same note. low D high D ?

I have a spare unfretted 4 string...I might give this a go..

Can anyone remind me of the correct principles fo Duclimer fretting numbers/positions?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sik Yeti on May 31, 2012 at 10:19am

Cool, let me know how you get on. I'm going to try it anyway but any foresight will be much appreciated. Guess its just a case of trial and error and as I'm an extreme novice in this game a lot of the previous comments and terms have gone straight over my head :)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on May 31, 2012 at 12:27pm

Man this got deep quick! I'm gonna stick to fretless instruments now so I can find all the notes in between the frets. There's a lot of good ones in there.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Vick Griffin on May 31, 2012 at 2:48pm

That's the first thing anyone's said in this thread that made sense ;-)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jamie MacBlues on June 7, 2012 at 8:15am

Hello, Mr Sik, Welcome, and hope your Yeti gets better soon ;)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BenBob on June 8, 2012 at 11:55am

Sik, regarding your first question, tuning a 4-string diatonic (with a 6.5 fret) to D,F#,A,D has some interesting properties. You get a low b5 useful for blues turnarounds, and you also get a nice easy blues scale pattern. The third string fills in the gaps and gives you all the chromatic notes.It also offers the minor VI as used in "Desperado" and "Dixieland Delight."

I think some duclimer players use this tuning. It would take some practice to learn to avoid fretting the third string unless it is very intentional!