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strung this 3 string puppy up with one string, to test, tuned to G, and it's pretty flabby.

I put a D'Addario Nickel wound 32 (acoustic or electric) string on this 3 string I'm working with, tuned it to G, because that's what was recommended for my lap steel, and it sounds kinda flabby and dead. 25.5" nut to bridge, 34" tuner to tailpiece. 1x2 oak neck, fiberboard box (approx 3"x7"x7"), one 1.5" hole in the top.

1/4" bolt for nut, 1/2" bolt for bridge.

Wide changes in note value with turns of tuner at this tension. It got about at tight as on my lapsteel when I had it tuned to the E above this G value, but was starting to feel too tight at that point. Lapsteel has a shorter nut to bridge length, 21". I guess maybe that's it right there, longer playing length on the diddley means lower pitch for same tension.

Any other ideas?

Any suggestions for gauges for a GDG tuning, maybe in the mid-range, not high. Maybe this should be my D string. I want to play this both fingered and slide. No frets right now. Maybe none ever. Photo included. Sorry for the low light. Well, the photo didn't show in the preview. Let's see if it shows when I post.

What would be a suggested nut and bridge height for an unfretted slide/finger guitar?

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on November 3, 2011 at 3:13am

Just make the next one with the bridge closer to the string ends and you will be fine no matter what the scale length. 1.5 to 2 inches from the bridge to the tailpiece seems to work for me. Look at my picture on my page to see what I mean. Mine are 24" scale just for reference.

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Permalink Reply by David Ford on November 3, 2011 at 10:45am

Pardon me for thinking like Pythagorus, but, I now see why you want the tailpiece connect points as near the bridge as possible. The downward force is going to be the ratio of the height (sine) to the hypoteneuse, if my one or two engineering classes from 45 years ago are still telling me anything intelligent.

So, the nearer the tailpiece to the bridge, the more downward pressure on the box top by the bridge.

Say, I don't have much of a woodshop right now. How did you cut the finger joints on the corners of one of those boxes I saw on your profile. Seemed there was only two fingers near the center of the corner.

I'm downstairs right now using a hand miter saw jig to cut the corners of a box I'm building because it was going to cost me too much money to go the finger joint route. I don't have a table saw at the moment. Just a router table, and I'm still setting that up. I know how I can do box joints with the router, but still need to get there, build the setup, etc. Haven't touched it in years.

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on November 3, 2011 at 8:26pm

A .032 gauge is good for around a "D" on that scale, so either tune it to a D, or change the gauge.

For a low G you'll want something like a .044, or a high G about an .023

By the way, that Strothers link is for Dulcimers and the string gauges are totally inappropriate for guitars in my view.

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Permalink Reply by David Ford on November 3, 2011 at 9:47pm

at someone's suggestion, I picked up a 44, 34 and 26. haven't put them on yet though. I want to prepare the wood first (sand, spray, sand, spray).

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Permalink Reply by Mark Bliss on November 4, 2011 at 12:30am

Pardon me for thinking like Archimedes, but "Eureka!" now your getting somewhere! LOL!

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