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Permalink Reply by Ben on December 7, 2009 at 2:07am

4 stringers generally have fuller sounding chords and more tuning options (I personally favor tenor guitar tunings, or banjo type tunings). 3 stringers are great fun to mess around with and my recommendation for a first build. They have less tension on the neck (typically), sound great (especially for beginners), and make you deconstruct songs to their most basic parts and then build them back up again. You can read dulcimer tabs too. Also, you can get 2 guitars out of 1 set of tuners (one set of strings too depending on which ones you use). I guess it also depends on if you already play guitar or if you're looking to rethink your playing technique. If you build a 4-stringer, you can tune it like the top 4 strings of a regular guitar and play it that way. I'm sure before this thread is over, you'll get 7 people tell you that "the great thing about CBGs is that there are no rules." True, but my suggestion is 3-stringer to start.

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Permalink Reply by Cogdell boy (Robert J.) on December 7, 2009 at 2:41am

I would have to agree with Ben , I think for my first one I would make it a 3 string , less stress on the neck ,three extra tuners for your next build ( I know your already thinking about your next one ,right)and it's easy to set up and great fun to play . I made a 4 stringer for my second build with a poplar neck and no bracing and I could have used the neck for a rocking chair rocker after about two days . It had bowed so bad I had to redo it . These is just my 2 pennies worth . The main thing is have fun with it ... Good luck!!!

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Permalink Reply by Tim on December 7, 2009 at 3:36am

3 strings are easier to tune and more "traditional" but to me with the width of a 1x3 for a neck it just lends its self to a 4 string i personaly think they just look more natural. you end up with a 3/8" string spacing witch isn't much more that a standard guitar and probably about the same as a classical guitar.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on December 7, 2009 at 3:36am

Ben +3. Three strings will at least give you chords (triads) but I prefer 4 strings m'self. I find that I am using the higher strings from a pack, tho that's not a rule. This is so I can tune to an open tuning or a standard tuning on the same instrument. I wanna play around with lower strings soon.

Like Robert said, if you use poplar, make sure its reinforced tho I have made 4 strings that work fine with poplar. Use maple or other hardwoods (I hate oak but its readily available) or it might bow.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on December 7, 2009 at 4:20am

Rick,

3 strings = more open raw sound.... plus if you tune a typical "open chord" (open D = DAd or open G = GDg) you can play to song with a more chord variations that still sound good.

4 strings = fuller sound with complete chords and chord variations, even in open tunings open 7ths, open minor, etc as well as the tunings for (ahem) guitar players.

Seriously both are great, you need both, so cut your teeth on a three stringer (fretless or fretted) and then build a 4 stringer.

the best,

Wichita Sam

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