This is the most simple and straight forward was to introduced people to play a guitar on you tube! Cigar box guitar can be fun or even a strum stick but you really want to learn to play this is the best method.
YAY! Common Back with different tunings! Let's also do 4 & 5 string. The 5-string is an incredible mod for advanced players who need more room on the fretboard and alternate tuning to sound amazing.
Da Mann The 5 & 6 String Cigar Box Guitars are becoming way more popular these days & the extended range ones with 7 or more strings are great for transposing more easily so you can find the right key to fit the ranges of certain instruments or vocalists or even both especially in a Church gig.
You mentioned Justin Johnson for lessons. I’d recommend Mark Piper at Uncle Mark and the mother ship, Marc Lebone, Blues Boy Jag, and possibly Shane Speal. They’re all good 3 string instructors, Uncle Mark is my go to, he’s really good at explaining and starts every lesson with a chord rundown at the beginning of each lesson.
You could've used an Electric Guitar cause Chords are easier on lower action, smaller size, etc but there's this guy:ua-cam.com/video/hCORfEXr3jw/v-deo.html that's more appropriate for those who have a common condition called big hand syndrome.
I'm in a comparable sitation. I have a rare bone disease/handicap (idk how this i s called in english) where i can't turn my hands fully horizontally. I've been trying to learn (electric) Guitar for years now, but i can't reach the upper most strings with my fingers because of my wrist immobility. Very frustrating. On the other hand (no pun 🤭) playing on a thinner Guitar Neck, like a 3 String is no problem.
Great video and inspiration. I play keyboard much better and so, I like to combine the two instruments. With the left hand, tapp the bass notes and with the right hand plays the keyboard. Is this possible? Also, your set up for an Open G-D-G (upper strings), and still retain the lower 3 strings to play the country blues guitar. tnx Ed A
News update: No more need to do that cause we now have very affordable beginner friendly 3 String Guitars nowadays made by Loog Guitars. The 3 String Loog Guitars (Mini, and Pro) are tuned like the top 3 Strings of any ol 6 String Guitar to facilitate the transition from this to a Standard 6 String Guitar (such as the all new Loog Pro VI) as far as Strumming Chords & Picking Melodies go. Their Acoustic Guitars are designed to feel like Electric Guitars (Mini has Nylon Strings, Pro & Pro VI have Extra Light Gauge Steel Strings sometimes Ultralights which would be 9s) so that kids can easily play the same music on both Guitars. While it's true that Electric Guitars are easier to learn on than Acoustic Guitars for beginners (as far as everything goes especailly Barre Chords), Loog Guitars made it even easier by making versions that have built in amplifiers so that way you can bring an Electric Guitar everywhere you go w/o having to carry around an external amp. The built in amplifier makes these new Electric Guitars even more beginner friendly "Flip the Switch and Play" plus you have 2 Knobs (Volume Closest to the Jack) & Gain (Closest to the On/Off Switch) which activates Distortion (The Electric Guitar signature sound) allowing your kids to add a Rock n Roll twist to every song they play. Loog Guitars have an app & with the Electric Guitars you can use the Boss Wireless Bluetooth Guitar amplifier so that it can be recorded more easily.
I figured it all out, Electric Guitar is the easiest because you've got really low action to do Chords along w/ the skinny neck & flat body so we're good.
I'm going to do this with my 3/4 size acoustic. The only thing different I'll do is move the middle D and high G down the nut. So the strings are spaced every other groove. That will give me 0.6 inches between strings instead 0.3 inches. Should make it easier to finger. May have use a nut file to widen 2 of the top nut grooves. That spacing may be too wide. I'll play around with it and go back if I don't like it.
Turning a 3 (or 4) string Cigar Box Guitar into a 6 String reminds me of the video I uploaded of me playing Nutbush City Limits on Sitar. RIP Naya Rivera
I don't see why not. I'm thinking about doing that with some 6-string acoustics, taking one or two strings off and tuning them in fifths like a tenor guitar.
Watch " make a sea sick steve guitar " it will show you what strings to cut off and the tuning sea sick steve uses, you can use a lot of different tunings on 3 string guitars
Thanks a lot for the video! I was wondering if there would be any reason you can't turn a 6-string into a 3-string. Actual 3-string CBGs are too expensive to get in my country.
Not that expensive and besides they've expanded the catalog to 5 and 6 string Cigar Box Guitar and even so conversion kits that allow you to update your 3 (or 4) string CBG into a 6 String.
Great video!! I'm a newbie who has picked up a cheap old acoustic for $20 on Craigslist and want to try this with it. I may add a piezo/preamp pickup to it for $15 so I can plug it into a small Vypyr modeling amp to play with sounds. I noticed that Seasick Steve uses an odd string spacing when he does this: s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/b4/49/40/b449409c4749c82b7bf11a625e1c351d.jpg Just wondering if you had any recommendation on which string placements to use, particularly if one also wanted to learn to use a slide with the 3 strings on a full width neck? Thanks!
Thanks... I needed to see some one else also convert his 6 strings...what I did was instead of a traditional 6 string Open G... I went G. D. G. G. D. G... I mostly play just the bottom strings.. If you strum all of my strings it sounds even better... because at my age... I just Dont want to learn how to play standard tuned.. why should this old man go threw all that aggravation when all I want.. is to play something that sounds good ... I just make up cool sounds like you did..and for the first time in my life I can also make nice sounding music.. Thank you Sir for taking the time to upload this video 😊🎼👍
@@Aaron-sy5yx He left it the way it was. Besides Electric Guitars are the easiest to play thanks to their low action, & now we have the "Zero Glide nut" which is a Zero Fret attached to the nut. They're available for just about any Fretted Instrument so the Zero Glide nut will make a big difference.
Thank you so much for this video. If I play around with a 3 string for a few months, will it be harder to then go back and learn 6 string? Or will some of it be transferable?
Learning to play a 6 String Guitar is super easy thanks to the Loog Guitar which is tuned like the first 3 Strings of any ol 6 String, to facilitate the transition from that to a Standard 6 String (Such as the new Loog Pro VI). All Loog Electric Guitars now have a Built in amp "Flip the Switch and Play".
Da Mann I don't do this anymore, I've switched back to a 6 String CBG Guitardion. A Guitardion is a Guitar that sounds like an Accordion cause of it's small body.
Da Mann I don't do that anymore, I've updated back to 6 Strings &then 12 Strings when I played this song:ua-cam.com/video/q8JN6RBcJIA/v-deo.html Silent Night arranged by Darmon Meader & it's voiced a little low. The 1'st note in the Altos is supposed to be a C not an Ab.
sort of. you can turn it into a "soprano bass". Just remove the 1st (heavier) string, and put picollo bass strings in the other higher 3. This are made to play as high as a guitar, but are made for bass. So you'll have a bass with the ADG strings. Tune like this guy if you want then (GDG).
The next year, someone converted a 7 String Guitar into a wide neck 6 String Electric:ua-cam.com/video/Hs_JWfKKH-o/v-deo.html so that it's easier for Classical players to transition to Electric Guitar w/ its low action.
Hi, ok, you’ve eliminated 3 strings and now you have gaps where they were removed... can the three remaining strings be drawn closer together say in the middle or the bottom edge... every time I’ve picked up a 6 string I just can wrap my mind around how complex it is for me... but three strings I think I can handle
Da Mann So once you're good with 3 strings, why not build on up to 4, 5, and finally back to 6 Strings? Ever since my 4 String CBG became a 6 String, I played this song:ua-cam.com/video/_76dk9TkWaM/v-deo.html and again it's voiced a little low. The Downbeat in the Alto part should be a C, it makes no sense to be an Ab.
007 More The good news/ bad news is there isn't a standard protocol which gauges to use . But many different combinations work well . From a recent you tube session , ranged from 13-17-23 to 23-33- 43 . Ultimately personal preference of tone and string tension for playing . The above recomended ( and general consensus ) is to start with a Root- Fifth- Root aka I- V- I aka 1- 5- 1 tuning . Most common is G aka GDG . Fairly distant second most common is D aka DAD . You can apply the same 1- 5- 1 tuning to every othey key . But G or D are good starting points , Seeing as probaby 75% plus of country and basic classic rock are either in key of G or D , they will get you to a good start .
thanks Filiana Blanxart for the brief but very clear summary of guitar string guages and (basically Power Chord) tunings. Here is a very in depth review of strings, guages, tunings and impacts on the sound and tone you can explore. (Just subtract 3 strings!) ledgernote.com/columns/guitar-guru/guitar-strings-guide/
"Go on line and look up what gauge strings you need?" I listened to you blather on for 3 minutes and you just can't be bothered to to name the strings? Pointless video
Thank you. Take a standard tuned guitar. Remove 6 2 and 1st string. Time the 5th string from A down to a G so gdg
This is the most simple and straight forward was to introduced people to play a guitar on you tube! Cigar box guitar can be fun or even a strum stick but you really want to learn to play this is the best method.
Really nice clip. Thanks for taking time to make this video. Much appreciated.
YAY! Common Back with different tunings! Let's also do 4 & 5 string. The 5-string is an incredible mod for advanced players who need more room on the fretboard and alternate tuning to sound amazing.
Simply brilliant. And inspiring to boot. Thanks so much for your ideas.
Brilliant?
All he said was to look stuff up online, then he played a few riffs. Useless.
One of the best simply tuto guitar ever made.
Thank you so much! this really helped me out.
Thank you so much!!! You just stopped me from selling my guitar.
Sounds like a Seasick Steve creation! Cool!👍😎🎸🎶
Loog Guitars now makes versions w/ a built in amp, just flip the switch & play.
Da Mann The 5 & 6 String Cigar Box Guitars are becoming way more popular these days & the extended range ones with 7 or more strings are great for transposing more easily so you can find the right key to fit the ranges of certain instruments or vocalists or even both especially in a Church gig.
What a great idea!
You mentioned Justin Johnson for lessons. I’d recommend Mark Piper at Uncle Mark and the mother ship, Marc Lebone, Blues Boy Jag, and possibly Shane Speal. They’re all good 3 string instructors, Uncle Mark is my go to, he’s really good at explaining and starts every lesson with a chord rundown at the beginning of each lesson.
THANK YOU SIR//// GREAT INFO.///
Thanks dude!
Thanks a lot man ..I have Arthritis in my hands ..to painful😣 to make cords...this I can do ...great upload thanks 👍👍👍👍
Chords are easiest on 6 string Electrics
You could've used an Electric Guitar cause Chords are easier on lower action, smaller size, etc but there's this guy:ua-cam.com/video/hCORfEXr3jw/v-deo.html that's more appropriate for those who have a common condition called big hand syndrome.
I'm in a comparable sitation. I have a rare bone disease/handicap (idk how this i s called in english) where i can't turn my hands fully horizontally. I've been trying to learn (electric) Guitar for years now, but i can't reach the upper most strings with my fingers because of my wrist immobility. Very frustrating.
On the other hand (no pun 🤭) playing on a thinner Guitar Neck, like a 3 String is no problem.
NEATO....Thank you!
Great video and inspiration. I play keyboard much better and so, I like to combine the two instruments. With the left hand, tapp the bass notes and with the right hand plays the keyboard. Is this possible? Also, your set up for an Open G-D-G (upper strings), and still retain the lower 3 strings to play the country blues guitar. tnx Ed A
which of the 6 strings do you make the CBG?
thank you,
What did you do to the neck? This is sweet. I have a beater guitar that I can convert!
News update: No more need to do that cause we now have very affordable beginner friendly 3 String Guitars nowadays made by Loog Guitars. The 3 String Loog Guitars (Mini, and Pro) are tuned like the top 3 Strings of any ol 6 String Guitar to facilitate the transition from this to a Standard 6 String Guitar (such as the all new Loog Pro VI) as far as Strumming Chords & Picking Melodies go. Their Acoustic Guitars are designed to feel like Electric Guitars (Mini has Nylon Strings, Pro & Pro VI have Extra Light Gauge Steel Strings sometimes Ultralights which would be 9s) so that kids can easily play the same music on both Guitars. While it's true that Electric Guitars are easier to learn on than Acoustic Guitars for beginners (as far as everything goes especailly Barre Chords), Loog Guitars made it even easier by making versions that have built in amplifiers so that way you can bring an Electric Guitar everywhere you go w/o having to carry around an external amp. The built in amplifier makes these new Electric Guitars even more beginner friendly "Flip the Switch and Play" plus you have 2 Knobs (Volume Closest to the Jack) & Gain (Closest to the On/Off Switch) which activates Distortion (The Electric Guitar signature sound) allowing your kids to add a Rock n Roll twist to every song they play. Loog Guitars have an app & with the Electric Guitars you can use the Boss Wireless Bluetooth Guitar amplifier so that it can be recorded more easily.
thanks sir I'm getting a guitar found at a flea market with no strings and making a three string out of it
I figured it all out, Electric Guitar is the easiest because you've got really low action to do Chords along w/ the skinny neck & flat body so we're good.
I'm going to do this with my 3/4 size acoustic. The only thing different I'll do is move the middle D and high G down the nut. So the strings are spaced every other groove. That will give me 0.6 inches between strings instead 0.3 inches. Should make it easier to finger. May have use a nut file to widen 2 of the top nut grooves. That spacing may be too wide. I'll play around with it and go back if I don't like it.
Would this work well on an acoustic?
I have a 6 string Guitar in Eb Standard so I could play in Flat Keys
Good idea for those that havent much money to buy a cbg.
Del Puckett: "Six strings are three strings too many."
Not this time
Not anymore, cause you'll have to use really thin strings like the lightest gauge.
Robert pendergast 6 Strings used to be 3 Strings too many but not anymore cause Cigar Box Guitars are getting a truss rod.
Turning a 3 (or 4) string Cigar Box Guitar into a 6 String reminds me of the video I uploaded of me playing Nutbush City Limits on Sitar. RIP Naya Rivera
Great video can any guitr be converted to a 4 string basically a tenor
I don't see why not. I'm thinking about doing that with some 6-string acoustics, taking one or two strings off and tuning them in fifths like a tenor guitar.
Watch " make a sea sick steve guitar " it will show you what strings to cut off and the tuning sea sick steve uses, you can use a lot of different tunings on 3 string guitars
How about a 6 String Version with 3 pairs of Strings?
Thanks a lot for the video! I was wondering if there would be any reason you can't turn a 6-string into a 3-string. Actual 3-string CBGs are too expensive to get in my country.
Not that expensive and besides they've expanded the catalog to 5 and 6 string Cigar Box Guitar and even so conversion kits that allow you to update your 3 (or 4) string CBG into a 6 String.
Build one?
Great video!! I'm a newbie who has picked up a cheap old acoustic for $20 on Craigslist and want to try this with it. I may add a piezo/preamp pickup to it for $15 so I can plug it into a small Vypyr modeling amp to play with sounds. I noticed that Seasick Steve uses an odd string spacing when he does this: s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/b4/49/40/b449409c4749c82b7bf11a625e1c351d.jpg Just wondering if you had any recommendation on which string placements to use, particularly if one also wanted to learn to use a slide with the 3 strings on a full width neck? Thanks!
Is that a Peavy tracer?
An intermediate step is to split the neck down the middle and have two tunings: D A D and G D G.
Thanks... I needed to see some one else also convert his 6 strings...what I did was instead of a traditional 6 string Open G... I went G. D. G. G. D. G... I mostly play just the bottom strings.. If you strum all of my strings it sounds even better... because at my age... I just Dont want to learn how to play standard tuned.. why should this old man go threw all that aggravation when all I want.. is to play something that sounds good ... I just make up cool sounds like you did..and for the first time in my life I can also make nice sounding music.. Thank you Sir for taking the time to upload this video 😊🎼👍
@free will. Did you remove the 3 strings or leave all six with that tuning?
@@Aaron-sy5yx He left it the way it was. Besides Electric Guitars are the easiest to play thanks to their low action, & now we have the "Zero Glide nut" which is a Zero Fret attached to the nut. They're available for just about any Fretted Instrument so the Zero Glide nut will make a big difference.
A decent snark tuner is about $15 on Amazon or $O with an app on your phone.
Free tuning apps using your phone
Thank you so much for this video. If I play around with a 3 string for a few months, will it be harder to then go back and learn 6 string? Or will some of it be transferable?
Actually I'd say use yousician for a 6 string. For blues you'd have to replace the slide with bends.
Learning to play a 6 String Guitar is super easy thanks to the Loog Guitar which is tuned like the first 3 Strings of any ol 6 String, to facilitate the transition from that to a Standard 6 String (Such as the new Loog Pro VI). All Loog Electric Guitars now have a Built in amp "Flip the Switch and Play".
Da Mann I don't do this anymore, I've switched back to a 6 String CBG Guitardion. A Guitardion is a Guitar that sounds like an Accordion cause of it's small body.
Julliard are on the phone for ya Del...
A 6 string guitar is two 3 string guitars sharing the same neck. (DAD, GDG)
Da Mann I don't do that anymore, I've updated back to 6 Strings &then 12 Strings when I played this song:ua-cam.com/video/q8JN6RBcJIA/v-deo.html Silent Night arranged by Darmon Meader & it's voiced a little low. The 1'st note in the Altos is supposed to be a C not an Ab.
Is it possible to change a four string bass guitar into a three string electric guitar?
sort of. you can turn it into a "soprano bass". Just remove the 1st (heavier) string, and put picollo bass strings in the other higher 3. This are made to play as high as a guitar, but are made for bass. So you'll have a bass with the ADG strings. Tune like this guy if you want then (GDG).
The next year, someone converted a 7 String Guitar into a wide neck 6 String Electric:ua-cam.com/video/Hs_JWfKKH-o/v-deo.html so that it's easier for Classical players to transition to Electric Guitar w/ its low action.
Hi, ok, you’ve eliminated 3 strings and now you have gaps where they were removed... can the three remaining strings be drawn closer together say in the middle or the bottom edge... every time I’ve picked up a 6 string I just can wrap my mind around how complex it is for me... but three strings I think I can handle
Electric Guitar is easier thakns to its lower action
@UCp_oqvtUjjW0FfWtwUqsCgw
Electric Guitars are easier to learn on than Acoustic Guitars (barre chords are the big ones) so we're good.
Da Mann So once you're good with 3 strings, why not build on up to 4, 5, and finally back to 6 Strings? Ever since my 4 String CBG became a 6 String, I played this song:ua-cam.com/video/_76dk9TkWaM/v-deo.html and again it's voiced a little low. The Downbeat in the Alto part should be a C, it makes no sense to be an Ab.
Ok you spend a lot time telling us to look up online there ain't no other video about which strings to use or how to tune
007 More
The good news/ bad news is there isn't a standard protocol which gauges to use . But many different combinations work well . From a recent you tube session , ranged from 13-17-23 to 23-33- 43 . Ultimately personal preference of tone and string tension for playing .
The above recomended ( and general consensus ) is to start with a Root- Fifth- Root aka I- V- I aka 1- 5- 1 tuning .
Most common is G aka GDG . Fairly distant second most common is D aka DAD . You can apply the same 1- 5- 1 tuning to every othey key . But G or D are good starting points , Seeing as probaby 75% plus of country and basic classic rock are either in key of G or D , they will get you to a good start .
thanks Filiana Blanxart for the brief but very clear summary of guitar string guages and (basically Power Chord) tunings. Here is a very in depth review of strings, guages, tunings and impacts on the sound and tone you can explore. (Just subtract 3 strings!)
ledgernote.com/columns/guitar-guru/guitar-strings-guide/
@@filianablanxart8305 Electric Guitars solve the playability problem cause of their Flat body, thin strings, and lower action.
It's not a lesson at all
"Go on line and look up what gauge strings you need?" I listened to you blather on for 3 minutes and you just can't be bothered to to name the strings? Pointless video
That's because the gauge you need can differ, based on things like the scale length. Different guitars can need different strings.
...and now you can spend another three minutes reading replies to your ignorant comment, dumbshit...