Here's the basics for playing slide blues on your three-string cigar box guitar!  Shane Speal breaks it down using the Open G (GDG) tuning and a stubby slide.  This is where you start!  Get them old chugging blues patterns down and you'll be on your way.

This nifty new video camera was provided by the guys at C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply.  

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  • Thanks Shane! I'm getting ready to build my first CBG and I'm excited to learn to play it.I'm shure I'll be watching this video a lot!

  • One thing that is driving me totally nuts is every damn time I touch the string with the slide I get an initial buzz.. I try and be exact in my placement and make a definite solid contact but the buzz is still there.. It's only momentarily but it sounds awful..

    • Eric  . if i can offer some tips  .. 

      slide rattle  can  depend  on alot of things ..  different people  hold  a slide   at  different  angles     and with    different  fingers  . 

      even  different  slides  ..  if your angle  is  not  flat across   ,,   you    may   get   rattle on  either  end string  ,,     if  by  nature  you  cant  break  the habit  of your      finger  / wrist angle  ..  try a tapered slide  , like  a  bottle  neck  ..  try  it   both  ways  too. taperd  back  and  foward  . 

      some folks also     use   their    trail   fingers to  mute the strings  behind  the slide  abit  ..  because  you are bound to  get some rattle    no  matter  what  . ( or palm  mute .)

       also  there  is the     "approach"   to  the  string     , i  say "approach"  because ; think   of the  slide  as an  airplane    landing   on the string    at an  angle,   and  approach  the  string as  such  ..this  will  reduce   rattle  .

         a head on  drop  is  more likely to  produce rattle ,

      the same  with  lift  off    . but  dont  be afraid of  the string approach   even on a drop.

      bottom line  ,  the more  you  play ,  the more  you will  find  out  what works best   for you  . 

      it  will  get  better  . 

      sit up straight  also    , that  helps  . ;-) dont  tilt  the  guitar to  see the  fret markers  , use the side markers  .

      then again  ..  some  folks  let  it  rattle away     and  call  it  "character"  ;-)

       that works too. 

      and if all  else  fails  ..  you  can  kill  the  problem  totally  with this  .

      http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/swamp-witch-guitars-re...

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