Cigar Box Nation

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Swamp Dawg Primal Music's Friends

  • Smoking Sugar Lee aka Shalom
  • Paul Lasicki
  • Redbelly
  • Medicine Man CBG's-Mikel Doktor
  • Ron "Oily" Sprague
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  • Keni Lee Burgess
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  • HOLLOWBELLY
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Swamp Dawg Primal Music's Discussions

Sustain

Started this discussion. Last reply by Wade Mar 26. 12 Replies

I have a lack of sustain on my 3 string guitars: using A-D-G strings tuned G-D-G, my lowest string (the A tuned to G) has a noticeable lack of sustain, especially with a slide, from about the 10th…Continue

Cigar Box Nation Tab Book 2013

Started this discussion. Last reply by RTZGUITARS Jan 27. 13 Replies

If the Maya are wrong, let's do it!I propose a tab book separated in 3 string and 4 string sections. If you use linux, in "songwrite" format, for mac and windoze, "tabledit", exporting as pdf. Both…Continue

Lacquer questions

Started this discussion. Last reply by Skeesix Nov 3, 2012. 3 Replies

I use shellac for my finish, covered with a layer of spray lacguer. I would like to do some pinstriping, and was wondering what kind of colored paint I could use between the shellac and lacquer.Continue

The difference between performing and building

Started this discussion. Last reply by jabes Nov 4, 2012. 8 Replies

Isn't it funny how many people can't tell the obvious difference between the performing section and the construction section of this forum? Please, learn to READ before you WRITE! I have to sift…Continue

 

Swamp Dawg Primal Music's Page

Latest Activity

Swamp Dawg Primal Music replied to Nigel McTrustry's discussion The GREAT Cigar Box Nation Riff/Song Book!
"there are already groups for tabs and songs here , use those groups instead of cluttering up cbn with 50 groups doing the same thing, making it impossible to find anything. of course, you could always post them in the building forum..."
Apr 20
Swamp Dawg Primal Music posted a photo
Apr 7
Wade replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
" pretty much what has been said I have found success. A compressor can help a bit if you are electrified, i would suggest: - a thin soundboard that is free to vibrate -a long scale length -bone, metal, or corian nut and bridge"
Mar 26
Craig Mayhem replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"it's all about vibrations"
Mar 26
Ron "Oily" Sprague replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"In addition to strings, neck wood, bracing, your slide material, thickness and weight of same will affect sustain. Heavy chrome steel increases sustain, as does thick walled glass, and some ceramics."
Mar 26
Craig Mayhem replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"I'm going to jump on the string bandwagon. The longest sustaining build I've made is a one-string boat paddle bass. 36" scale. .105 gauge string, tuned to D. Sting vibrates past 30 seconds. Using a one-pole flatpup it just goes…"
Mar 26
ED (Bad Finger) replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"Try bracing the sides of your cigar boxes, especially the long sides, and add a rigid support under the neck - inside the box.  For this purpose I have used some scrap 1x2 pine that is light weight. The box lid is a big factor as well.…"
Mar 26
Greg Potts replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"Slack strings don't have the energy for sustain, so tighter is better. Longer scales help increase tension. Also, if there are any components vibrating it will rob energy from the vibration of the string, and cut sustain. Also, harder woods…"
Mar 24
Swamp Dawg Primal Music replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"seems like the opposite to me, tuning up gives even less sustain, as does raising the bridge."
Mar 23
Swamp Dawg Primal Music replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"I've tried bone, hardwood and bolts on many builds, while bone has a cool sound, nothing beats metal bolts."
Mar 23
mordacai bondurant replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion 3 String Theory Charts and Tab Sheets in the group How to Play a Cigar Box Guitar
"Good stuff, pardner....thank ya for postin' it. And I really enjoyed the stuff on your blog = ww.swampdawgmusic.blogspot.it   mordacai"
Mar 22
mordacai bondurant replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion CBG/Harp Tab Sheets- your choice! in the group CBG Tabs
"Howdy Swamp Dawg, Thank ya for posting these Tab Sheets, pardner. They should come in quite handy....I appreciate it. mordacai www.GittyMan.com "
Mar 22
The Phrygian Kid replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"Need more tension IMHO. Pitch your necks for taller bridges and crank it higher, use fatter strings"
Mar 10
jeff maurer replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"maybe try thicker strings and or tuning up a step"
Mar 10
Scott aka Farmer Ted replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"Materials used for the nut and saddle can improve or hinder sustain, as well as the mass underneath these two points of string contact. A lot of builders I see are using stove bolts or threaded rods...but bone is better. Even better than that is…"
Mar 10
Swamp Dawg Primal Music replied to Swamp Dawg Primal Music's discussion Sustain
"By the way, I build fretless, so using the word fret really means the line on the neck. I also expect fretless fingering to be more muted, it's more of an issue with slides in glass or brass."
Mar 10

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Swamp Dawg Primal Music's Blog

How To Read Tab For 3 String Cigar Box Guitar

Posted on January 26, 2013 at 7:30am 14 Comments

This is a basic tutorial on reading tabs made by me for 3 string instruments. For a guitarist, tabs are a simple way to learn songs without having to read musical notes, and tabs can also show many of the same things as musical notation such as timing and special effects like hammer-ons and vibrato, but rather than generically telling you what note to play, it tells you which string and fret. After learning the basics, most guitarists find tabs more intuitive…
Continue

How To Learn To Play Your 3 String CBG

Posted on January 20, 2013 at 2:30pm 0 Comments

First off, I'm not a teacher. I'm happy to help as I can, but I DO NOT TEACH CBG! People ask lots of questions about my theory and tab posts, and I want to help, but the truth is, I AM NOT A TEACHER!

So, you built you a CBG and now you want to figure out how to play it. You're in the right place! Check out the free lessons under "How To Play".

If you have no clue or experience playing guitar, start with CBG 101 and Knot Lenny's videos, they'll get you off on the right foot.…

Continue

3 String I-V-I Exercises- Intermediate Level

Posted on January 19, 2013 at 8:32pm 5 Comments

Keni Lee's video lessons are great, and I'm having fun learning with them. I play fretless 3 string, both with a slide and fingering, using finger picks. I've worked out these exercises for myself to accompany Kenni's CD4 in I-V-I tuning. Each line of 4 bars is an exercise I repeat for about 2-5 minutes (some exercises are only 2 bars, with 2 left blank). The right hand fingerings are indicated over the tab, and left hand is either slide or fingering notes, I do both. The goals of these…

Continue

Back Porch Jamboree Songbook

Posted on January 6, 2013 at 12:30pm 0 Comments

I'm working on a songbook of traditional American songs, with simple but pleasant arrangements for 3 string Cigar Box Guitar tuned I-V-I and harmonica in 1st position. I'm avoiding deciding what key to use, and will simply post them using the Roman numeral system, so they will be less confusing for people who tune in a different key from me. These songs and arrangements are great for singing with the whole family, and are tunes that are so ingrained in many of our heads, making them a bit…

Continue

Comment Wall (3 comments)

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At 5:42pm on March 13, 2012, Keni Lee Burgess said…

Thank you Vecchio for your purchase. Usually international mail is quick, but sometime shipments can get stuck in the Customs Office. It should arrive soon. Feel free to write if any questions arise as you work through the lessons. Enjoy. Thank you for your friendship, Keni Lee

At 8:46am on March 5, 2012, Keni Lee Burgess said…

Thank you Vecchio for joining my group. Feel free to add to the dscussions or ask questions. Please check out my instructional video CDs. Enjoy your practice, Keni Lee

http://www.ebay.com/sch/njmikeb/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686

At 11:28pm on March 3, 2012, Medicine Man CBG's-Mikel Doktor said…

The pine is ok for the "crow" style builds. Or anything shoert scale. I tried on one 23in scale, and it turned into a bow . If you can get yer hands on some good ol' aged white pine, the necks turn out great. I now a builder in NYC that uses reclaimed pine ,and the guitars sound amazing.

 
 
 

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