But from limitations, comes creativity! --Debbie Allen
Joined the Nation back in Fall of 2016. 1st build was Spring 2016--a stick-on-top 3 stringer. But later had some kinda wierd epiphany, dropped the 3rd string & built a 2-stringer back in Sept. Dowel-necked, fretted, simple home-made tuners, and open tuned to E-B on a 24 inch scale using bronze-wound classical guitar 6th & 4th strings. Nut is just two slotted pan-head screws, and the bridge is a plastic bottle cap. Oh, and for picks, I've settled on hair combs that I had laying around. Frets are cut-up chromed key-rings. And finally, just for fun, an old antique copper doorknob on the top end of the dowel neck.
Pretty strange yeah, but straight forward, & not at all fancy or slick. But I really really love my li'l ol' deuce. All acoustic, but has suprisingly good volume--and tone! Full and round, with suprising sustain and reverb, and not very twangy or metallic at all. I'm kinda shocked actually, and so are lots of other folks who've heard it.
Got me a hankerin to sing some blues and other folk stuff a little while back, so my li'l deuce helps me out some as a simple but kinda kool & sweet-sounding accompaniment instrument. So together, the singing and playing kinda compensate for each other's shortcomings. Thru some experimentation and e-z online research, I found that I can easily create (and ornament!) major, minor, augmented, and "diminished" harmonies, and of course the absolute easiest arpeggios ever. And I am learning to build on those simple arpeggios to create spontaneous 3-note and even 4-note picking patterns!
"'Tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be free!" --Simple Gifts
Well and anyway, discovered I can learn to play a whole lotta suprisingly good stuff on just two strings and no amp--with a little creative "outside of the box" thinking. Use my thumb on the low string with my remaining four fingers on the high string to create harmonic and melodic patterns. Works great for me with the broomstick neck. No slide though, but just use my bare fingers instead just fine. Hair-comb pick helps a lot with volume, prevents finger cramps on the pick hand, and--well--looks and feels kinda cool also. At least to me--but I'm kinda freaky that way.
Anyway, I'm hoping to post a few videos for constructive feedback--but don't know how. Don't know nuthin bout no 'lectric stuff--how to mike, what kind of mike, how to git it on a PC, & etc. Maybe some of you folks with more savvy can help me out--simple suggestions and what-not? Like maybe a simple mike? Not too bright here tho, so kindly KISS! Would definitely appreciate it! Deuces are Wild!
Replies
I love this guitar!
Thanks a lot! It aint much to look at, but so far as I can tell, it may be the only 2-stringer of it's kind. The "vision" just kind of popped into my head--what it would be like & how I might play it. Since it has E-B and not E-E tuning, and it has 14 frets, and I don't use a slide, it's actually not a "chugger" & I don't play it like one either. It's really just an open-tuned 3-stringer--but without the high E string. And the broomstick neck lets me use my thumb on the low E-string--so I can use all five fingers on the fret hand. Which so far comes in handy, since I only have two strings. But I am having tons of fun with my lil' 2-stringer, and with all of the exploring and discovery and improvising that learning to play it involves! Just trying not to make my wife too jealous with this new love affair...
I like the bridge. New and inventive.
Best instrument mic is an SM57, in my opinion.
Don't over think it. Use whatever you have available, as in KISS!
Keep It Simple Son.........
Hey Blues Frog! Gr8 to meetcha, n thks for ur reply. Guess I'll try & follow your suggestion--and start out using whatever I have. I've got a speaker that might work as a mike, but won't know until I try. I'm not particularly great right now--I've only been at this since last September. I work a lot too, so practice time is a lot less than I would like. But I've learned to do some interesting stuff anyway in some interesting ways, and I'm trying to work with that. And again, maybe when I get a video up, I can get some more tips from more experienced folks like yourself.
Just be careful. It's an addictive hobby, regardless of how well you play.
Gonna be finishing up #15 soon. I'll try and get a video up by this weekend.
I'll look for yours, hopefully soon.....