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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on October 29, 2011 at 12:17am

Fred,

Lots of people here start with 3-stringers. There is another contingent that starts with 1-string DiddleyBows, to ease themselves over the fear factor. A smaller group does 4-stringers, an even smaller group does 6-bangers, and then there are the experimenters. If it helps, I started with 2 hand built 3-stringers. I just purchased a 4- stringer. I will probably build one soon for a friend. Point is, like Lay's Potato Chips, no one can build just one. So why not do Build 1 as a 3-stringer, learn Keni Lee's tuning that allows the use of movable forms ( similar to barre chord forms and the CAGED system for 6- stringers), and explore that for awhile? Then do Build 2 as a 4- stringer, and learn how that works.

It all kinda depends on where you want to go, with both building, and playing.

Oily

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Permalink Reply by Printer2 on October 29, 2011 at 1:14am

How about build it with four tuners and then use a three string nut, bridge and tail-piece. The top one is my first build, I made it as a three string but with the neck and frets as nice as they are I have a hard time raising the strings up in order to use a slide. It would have made a nice four string instrument, it is fun with three though. I did make a tail-piece with four holes and positioned the strings at the nut accordingly in order to check out the string spacing four four strings. No reason why you could not switch back and forth  from three to four as long as you have the tuners.

 

http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp142/printer2_photo/guitar%20am...

 

The bottom one is being built without frets but four strings. As said above, once you make one...

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Permalink Reply by DeltaglowBoy on October 29, 2011 at 4:44am

My thought is that 3 stringers are great and have such nice sound, but for the little bit of extra work and miminal expense, a 4th string gives additional tonal qualities and tuning options.

If you happen to want to do some playing that only a 3 string would seem right then take that extra string off. That is not an option with a 3 string ... you can't just add another string .... easily.

 

 

All of my CBG's are 4 string except one ... many tuned differently. My favorite tunings are G, E and A (like you) and for slide I just make the action higher.

My one 3 string build is actually a double course so it really is 6 strings and really cool sounding. I didn't build a 4 string double course because I was concerned about excess tension on the neck without  a rod thru it or additional bracing. 

No rules, do what's right for you and have fun.

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Permalink Reply by Fred Railsback on October 29, 2011 at 3:23pm

A bunch of good information here you guys, thanks very much.

 

I have it together as a three string and I've been playing around on it.  I like it lots but I need that fourth string.  So tomorrow I'm gonna move some things around, fill some holes, make new ones, mount the strings differently, add a volume control.  It's gonna be great.

 

Thanks All,

Fred

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Permalink Reply by Richard G Caudill on October 29, 2011 at 4:31pm

There ya go ,, was just reading all the post ,,, and I felt from ur explanation of playing style u would go to the 4 stringer  ,, I tune mine dgbe    ,,just like guitar and i like it lots that way ,, get a fuller sound to my ear ,, personal opinion 

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