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Examples of non-cigar-box acoustic three string guitars?

Posted by Guiyoforward on January 30, 2015 at 2:54am in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

Hi everyone, as I explained here:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/newbie-here-looking-for-advice-re-3-string-guitar-adult-sized

I am on the search for a 3 string guitar to play with my children, who have a Loog guitar. While I will assemble a CBG at some point, for the fun and thrill, I would like to have one to play right now. I received a lot of suggestions on that thread, and I know there are great CBGs for sale pre assembled and that I could also get a ukulele, but I contacted a luthier and will probably have one made to order. So my question is, which examples are there of non-cigar-box three string guitars? I only found the loogs, plus the strumstricks (though with diatonic scale), the small merlin (technically not three string, I know)... 

Any others you could care to suggest for inspiration? This would be baritone-uke-sized, is there something special about the classic guitar shape? I would like something more boxy/pineapple-shaped, but I haven't found any pineapple sized baritones, I guess not so comfortable to hold while seating. Perhaps a lute should serve as inspiration? Suggestions welcome!

Thanks again

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Replies

  • Clock The Wolf January 30, 2015 at 5:53am

    The Strumbly.

    http://www.harpkit.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Co...

  • Clock The Wolf January 30, 2015 at 5:50am

    Big & little Balalaika.

    306408000?profile=original

    306408011?profile=original

  • Ron "Oily" Sprague January 30, 2015 at 5:37am
    There's always the Gottan (bottom of the page):

    http://bachido.com/products/standard-shamisen

    And this guy can make you a pineapple baritone (but it won't be cheap; however, you're willing to go to a luthier, so...):

    http://www.roadtoadmusic.com/ukulele.html

    You could also look at the Martin Backpacker, and remove three strings, or one of the new Traveler acoustic models...

    http://www.travelerguitar.com/acoustic

    And there's always the balalaika, which comes in a variety of scales...

    Y'know, you may just be making this too hard for yourself. Why not just buy yourself your own Loog? That way, you're playing the same instrument as your kids. Or is it not "adult" enough for you?
    • Guiyoforward > Ron "Oily" Sprague January 31, 2015 at 2:17am
      The Gottan looks great! Will do a bit more research. I wonder about its sound, with no "hole". The ones on google images do not have frets either. Thanks for pointing this out!
    • Guiyoforward > Ron "Oily" Sprague January 31, 2015 at 12:49am
      Ps a martin backpacker with 3 strings is basically a strumstic with a diatonic scale, right?
      • Ron "Oily" Sprague > Guiyoforward January 31, 2015 at 7:05am
        No, a Martin Backpacker typically has chromatic frets, even if you only use 3 strings on it. Because I started playing 6-stringers with chromatic frets, I see little value, to me personally, in diatonic fretting. You can learn how to play diatonic scales on a chromatic fretted neck, but you can't go the other way. But I know dulcimer and other players like em.
      • Clock The Wolf > Guiyoforward January 31, 2015 at 1:10am

        http://www.strumstick.com/V2/HTML/Backpacker.html#bphistory

        Same guy designed both...

  • Clock The Wolf January 30, 2015 at 3:03am

    The Sanxian.

  • Clock The Wolf January 30, 2015 at 2:59am

    The Shamisen.

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