Hello all...
My first attempt at building a CBG has had its problems, none that I wasn't able to overcome. It is fretless and I can't wait to strum and slide. I'm still waiting.
My question is; how does one get enough tight on the big string, ideally according to the CBG's suggested GDG tuning, without breaking the string?
I used a .046 gauge wound string, a 0.34 and .026, all acoustic guitar strings, an A, D & G. All good, yes? No. The G string, the .026, went on, tighten to a nice G level... the .034 stretched and got comfortable with a D note. The big string on top, or bottom depending how one looks at it, tightened up to a very tight A... a few more turns and a heavy D ... another turn, getting close to the G... and it broke.
Darn. Another string... this time 0.36, because that's all I had at that time. Same story; tightened up to a very tight A... a few more turns and a heavy D ... another turn and it broke. Each time the string broke at the tuning end not at the bridge.
Other than over tightening in the attempt to reach that first G level, what do I do? What am I doing wrong?
Help. And in advance, thank you.
Bill
Replies
I bought a 12-set bulk pack of acoustic strings for 3 string guitars from CBGitty. The low G is .44, the A is .34 and the high G is .26. Made by Southbound String Co. Check that out, or...
I think I only used one set out of the 12-set pack I bought--I only use magnetic pickups now, went exclusively to electric strings. So, if you're in the US, send me a postage paid envelope and I'll mail them to you for free. They're just hanging on my workbench.
Send a message to my inbox and I'll reply with my address.
Would like that, thanks. Oh, but I'm in Australia. Darn. Living in paradise has its problems.
However, I finally was able to get all three strings tuned without breaking the low G. I reverted to stripping three strings from an old electric gittar been sitting gathering dust. Have been able to tune to G-D-G. My first uses a mag pickup but the next one, if the first turns out successfully, will use a Piezo pickup. Just to determine which I prefer.
This is an adventure into the unknown.
Thank you all................
another Aussie, and just up the road a bit from me too...lol
get yourself one of those clip on guitar tuners.. mine has different settings. C for chromatic, this is the one you want it will tell you what pitch you are playing . G is set for std guitar tuning ie. EAGBGE , then i have B for bass,V for violin and U for Ukelee. its one of those cheap ones from Cash Converters Freedom branded.
EADGBE is std guitar tuning , i stuffed up.....
thats what you get for posting late at night and tired..lol
Ah, so that's the problem... or at least one of them... I have one of those digital tuners, have used it with my grown up guitar and stuck it on the end of my CBG. But, in my foolishness, I was attempting to tune to the G not the C for chromatic. I don't recall ever seeing/hearing about that. Well, shuck, live and learn.
Thanks
I have 2, a little clip-on with those different modes, and a Delta Lab chromatic (CT-40). When I first tried the clip-on, I got kind of confused, seeing that one note, the one the instrument was voicing, had different names between the modes. So I thought that 1. I didn't know what I was doing (still mostly don't), 2. since the operative word (in context) in all of this is 'chromatic', and 3. since I sure as heck ain't holding a violin, uke, or bass, and I have no idea at all what the builders consider a 'guitar', I figured chromatic was the safest bet.
While you’re at the music store, ask for help, they may be able to diagnose your problem?
Ha! ask the guy at the music store? nope. I asked for three acoustic guitar strings, an A, D & G... he frowned and mumbled something about did I actually break all three? I told him no, it was for a CBG. Again a frown, Oh, a homemade instrument, very dismissively. No, I said again, a custom built instrument. I ended up with the strings and a feeling someone should learn custom relations. I won't be going back in there again. So what to do? I ordered from the online catalog. Be here early in the week.
And again, thanks everyone for taking the time to respond and help. While waiting I've put in a couple hours on CBG #2... the third, because I have another box, will have a shorter neck. Have to research that. Gawd, but this is fun!
I, like you, don't know squat about music stuff, but I'm learning.
I have a couple good tuners, and since key and tuning don't compute, I would start with my low string, start winding it up, and when I got to where it was just begining to sound like it was getting into a proper tension, then I'd start going up slowly to the first desired note I came to. Example: pluck, floppy and dull. Pluck, better. Pluck, now it's starting to sound like a guitar. What's the tuner say? G? I want a D, so I keep going up slowly until there's the first D I run into, and it sounds like a real guitar sounding a real note. The other strings are done off each other, the middle string might be an A, so I'd look for the first A above my D, etc.
I have no idea if that is the right way to do it (at least when stringing), but it seems to work for me.
Sorry your local music store is so close minded. Maybe try another shop? I worked in music stores for years & have actually worked with a few of those grumpy guys, so I kinda feel ya. I’m guessing you’re ear just needs more training, I went through that myself, popped many of brand new strings trying to find pitch? Just remember something about tuning- if it feels like it’s getting too tight, then stop & back up? It gets better, just hold on :)
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