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

building electric diddley bow need help!!!!

Hi everyone was too scared to build 3 string cbg (even though got all the parts) untill I seen justin johnsons vid on making a diddley bow and though hell I can do that! So my first build is guna be a one string electric diddley bow!

Ive a few questions which is best pick up? bridge or not sure name of the other think its a humbucker?

What length?

What strings to use ive standard 3 string set and E string and A string of electric bass guitar! Im a huge classic rock fam ACDC, Metallica, Van Halen etc, so based on that type of music which string?

Using a home built cigarbox with sound holes and a through neck broom handle!

Would appreciate any imput or ideas!

Thanks in advance guys!

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by robert jones on October 6, 2014 at 1:19am

A little one string exercise for you to try while waiting for things to dry:

Play:

0 4 7 4 0

Then play:

0 3 7 3 0

Which arpeggio sounds major?

Which sounds minor?

Why?

Refer to previous threads if needed.

There is a prize for successful completion. ;-)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by robert jones on October 6, 2014 at 1:57am

Here's another play and guess the song snippet for your one string pleasure:

10 12 12 10 12 7 6 5 3 0 0

10 12 12 10 12 7 6 5 3 0

Use vibrato on the 3 fret.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scruggy on October 6, 2014 at 2:23am

What tuning are these in?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by robert jones on October 6, 2014 at 3:26am

Tuned to whichever string you use to play it on. We are talking one string here.

Say you use the E string you would be in the key of E.

If you wanted to change to the key of F you would move everything up one fret. This is called transposing.

So if you were on the E string and wanted to play in the key of F the tab would become:

11 13 13 11 13 8 7 6 4 1 1

11 13 13 11 13 8 7 6 4 1

Key of G would be two frets higher than the key of F:

13 15 15 13 15 10 9 8 6 3 3

13 15 15 13 15 10 9 8 6 3

That's about as far as you can usefully go on any one string.

The same shift applies to playing chords on a multi-string instrument.

Check out James O. Lunsford's video on playing in all 12 keys to see and hear the concept expressed very clearly in action.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scruggy on October 6, 2014 at 4:06am

So any hints on this one?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by robert jones on October 6, 2014 at 4:17am

Sure.

The sun will shine on you and you'll rise to the top when you figure this one out.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scruggy on October 9, 2014 at 12:38pm

s it cocaine ?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by robert jones on October 9, 2014 at 10:14pm

You're not too far off. It's the riff from Sunshine of Your Love by Cream, close as I can get it on one string. Sounds better with overdrive.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scruggy on October 10, 2014 at 1:03am

Gosh damn I thought I had it! Lol

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by robert jones on October 10, 2014 at 11:56pm

But are you having fun?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scruggy on October 6, 2014 at 11:48am

Just finished my first build, one string cigarbox diddley bow! What a fun weekends work! Waiting for glue to set before I plug her in and see how she sounds! :-)