Hi folks. I imagine there are hundreds of similar questions posted here, so apologies for creating yet another.
I'm about to order a dog bowl reso from Shane Wagstaff in Mansfield (he's only a handful of miles from me, and his builds always seem to garner huge praise). So here's the background...I've been playing guitar for about 35 years, with a few years off here and there, and ukulele for about 3 years on & off, but never really played slide.
I'm just wondering if I should be ordering a 3 string as my first cbg, or go straight for a 4. Ultimately I'll have both (maybe even several of both, if my ukulele collecting habits are anything to go by). What am I going to gain/lose with each over the other?
Your advice/recommendations/insults would all be very welcome.
Cheers
Niq
Replies
Phoned Shane at lunchtime and ordered a 3 stringer (and case). This is going to be a looooong week!
Here's my take on it Kahuna. If you get the four string you can always take one string off. As a guitar player of many years myself I can tell you that both three and four string guitars are extremely versatile. To the point they can seem like completely different instruments. Yes the advantage of a four stringer is, well, it has one more string. However it's also it's disadvantage. Having only three strings can inspire you to create and go in completely different directions with your music. I know most of the folks here do the old blues stuff to a T. Really good at it too. However the musical possibilities are endless. Completely up the the creator. Both three and four stringed instruments.
So for me I'd get the four banger. Try as many alternate tunings as you can find. Then take one string off. It's a hole new world!
Being an old classical player (not real good mind you) I like that with my 4 stringer I can pick out most everything I ever learned, from sonata's to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", the 4th "B" string is a real asset. Plus, having CRS, it's kinda neat I only have to remember positions on 4 strings instead of six!!! LOL
Thanks for all the replies folks. I have a house full of guitars, ukuleles and guitarleles, so I doubt I'll be stopping at one cbg. I think I'll probably go down the 3 string route for my first, with a 4 to follow, then look at building myself after that. Having never really played slide at all before, despite playing for so many years, I think a 3 string might be best for easing me into it.
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/oily-s-guitar-lounge-6-take-an-...
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/oily-s-guitar-lounge-5-ron-s-bo...
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/bouree-bia-or-broke-bach-go-tul...
Things you can do with a 4-stringer:
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/oily-s-guitar-lounge-number-4-j...
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/boneyard-strut-wmv
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/oily-s-guitar-lounge-grandpa-s-...
Things you can do with a 6-stringer:
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/oily-s-guitar-lounge-7-desperat...
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/oily-s-guitar-lounge-9-gumbo-ya...
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/oily-s-guitar-lounge-11-dying-e...
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/oily-s-guitar-lounge-12-ron-oil...
There are limits. But only in your head.
Go for a 3 string, no question about it.
I sell maybe 10 three strings for every four string guitar I sell. I've taught well over 1000 people how to play on a 3 string and it really is the easiest to start with. If you use the maj.5th "power chord" tuning which seems to be the most popular, it's very intuitive and gets right to that raw roots sound - it's neither major nor minor. If you go 4 string, you'll probably have to decide whether to put it in a major or minor tuning, and where to put the 3rd in the chord. I find that the 4 string can actually limit your playing rather than make it more flexible, unless you are familiar with tenor banjo or mandolin tunings, in which case you might well find it conveniently familiar.
Any guitar maker who knows what they are doing will understand this, and should be able to advise you on the possibilities, advantages and disadvantages of 3 string versus 4 string. Any road, thats just my experience and opinion.
i say a 3 .. because it cant always be easily changed to a 4 and you have a great excuse to buy a 4 later ;-)
and 3's carry the tradition factor.
or get both , .... we can't really tell you what you will like better yourself .
i'd advise against leaving one tuner idol , (as suggested by someone here ) its an invitation for rattle . and it looks like a broken guitar.
Both 3 and 4 string guitars have their merits. If my choice, it would be 4 string. The additional string enables you to play more chord patterns, yet still allows for slide playing. It's all about how it's tuned. The tuning combinations are more diverse w/ 4 strings too.
You can use tunings like ADF#B (D6 baritone uke tuning), DGBE (Chicago tenor guitar tuning, and the bottom 4 strings on a standard guitar), CGDA or GDAE tenor guitar/mandolin tunings, and others.
The D6 and Chicago tunings both are easily stepped down to open tunings without changing string, for quickly changing to slide style.
And Shane Wagstaff is a great choice for a builder. Cheers.