Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nathan King on October 20, 2009 at 12:09pm

Well, it's all preference of course, what strings and tuning you use... at the end of the day, use whatever feels comfortable!

My two cents: If you're going for some dirty blues, maybe try open E or open D? I personally use open E for most of my CBGs, since it's more compatible with other musicians. That said, my CBGs in open D sound AWESOME! I'd guess you'd like open D, if you're going for some dirt. I like thicker strings too, so I use mostly strings 44-34-24, or whatever else I can find that's close to those guages. (I bought a 12-pack of each just www.juststrings.com, but they're running out...)

As for #2, I'm guessing you're talking about what's called the tailpiece. Tailpiece is sort of the general term for the bottom end of the guitar (as headstock is for the top).

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Permalink Reply by BigBog Cigar Box Guitars on October 20, 2009 at 12:19pm

Wow, that's a quick response, thanks for the string info, re the tail piece: I'm making my first CBG (fretless slide) and want it to be as close to the early real thing as possible (although I'm going to amp it) can you or anyone tell me what was used for this part as I don't like the design with the tail sticking through the box with washers around the string holes.

Nathan King said:

Well, it's all preference of course, what strings and tuning you use... at the end of the day, use whatever feels comfortable! My two cents: If you're going for some dirty blues, maybe try open E or open D? I personally use open E for most of my CBGs, since it's more compatible with other musicians. That said, my CBGs in open D sound AWESOME! I'd guess you'd like open D, if you're going for some dirt. I like thicker strings too, so I use mostly strings 44-34-24, or whatever else I can find that's close to those guages. (I bought a 12-pack of each just www.juststrings.com, but they're running out...)

As for #2, I'm guessing you're talking about what's called the tailpiece. Tailpiece is sort of the general term for the bottom end of the guitar (as headstock is for the top).

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Permalink Reply by Nathan King on October 20, 2009 at 1:11pm

Hmmm... to be historically accurate? I probably couldn't tell ya that one. If you don't dig the tail sticking through the box, my best suggestion would be to click the "pics" link at the top and browse for ideas (mine have all had the tail sticking through).

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on October 20, 2009 at 1:29pm

1. What strings and tuning to be able to play dirty blues.

Dirty strings. Dirty D7

2. What is the part called at the bottom of the CBG that holds the strings.

The bottom.

Nah, Nat said it. The tailpiece.

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Permalink Reply by Nathan King on October 20, 2009 at 1:55pm

Heh, that reminds me of a SRV quote: "I use heavy strings, tune low, play hard and floor it. Floor it. That's technical talk."

Wes Yates said:

The bottom.

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on October 20, 2009 at 2:37pm

Hey Alan, welcome to the Nation.
I dont build thru box tailpieces either.
As suggested if you click pics you'll find plenty of ideas that get around the thru-box
My page shows several I have built that dont go all the way thru.
The only time I build a thru-box is when I did it to cover a screw up where I cut the wrong end of the box not paying enough attention to what I was doing lol

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Permalink Reply by Jkevn on October 20, 2009 at 3:48pm

I don't care much for the neck protruding out the tail, my first builds used hinges for the tail piece. They work great but, your usually limited to brass or painting them....and you have to buy them. I've been experimenting with a small, flat, tombstone looking rig made out of wood from the neck scraps....jury is still out on it. There are all sorts of inventive tailpieces in the pics.

Strings are as dirty as you make 'em. I still stick to the 3,4,5 strings out of a set of cheap 12's and tune it GDg, mainly cause people here can teach you how to play songs in that tuning. Monkey see, Monkey do.

Use what you got til you get something else. Strings are the least permanent part of a CBG.

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Permalink Reply by eLectricRedneck on October 21, 2009 at 8:51am

......you could go with looped banjo strings and a clamshell tailpiece.

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Permalink Reply by Mark on October 21, 2009 at 12:35pm

There really is no such thing as the "real thing". The earliest CBGs were made by people who were improvising from whatever they could lay their hands on - there's never been any standard design. So build whatever feels right to you and allow yourself to be "guided" by whatever materials lady luck places in your path.

As for tail end arrangements, there are loads of different examples out there - some people have used old door hinges as tailpieces, and I recently saw some really neat ones made out of the wire things that secure the tops on Grolsch bottles. For my instruments I've made tailpieces out of random bits of sheet brass (see photos at http://www.airburst.co.uk/junkboxinstruments)

Alan Currall said:

Wow, that's a quick response, thanks for the string info, re the tail piece: I'm making my first CBG (fretless slide) and want it to be as close to the early real thing as possible (although I'm going to amp it) can you or anyone tell me what was used for this part as I don't like the design with the tail sticking through the box with washers around the string holes

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