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what about the leftover strings?

I just completed my 2nd build, a cookie tin CBG done in a more primitive style with eyebolt tuners and wire brad frets. I used the leftover strings (1st, 2nd, and 6th strings) from the GLS set I bought for my 1st build where I used the 3rd , 4th, and 5th strings. I hate to see those extra strings go to waste,
so now I'm having some difficulty tuning this instrument, any suggestions as to how I should tune it or should I give up and just buy new strings?
I have the 1st two strings tuned drop d, and they sound good, but that big string, I'm not sure what to do with it.

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Permalink Reply by Jkevn on January 2, 2010 at 8:32am

Common problem for the 3-string builder. I solve it by savin the left overs for 1 and 2 stringers. There are, I'm sure, some creative tunings to take advantage of these 3 particular strings. Go through the groups here and see if any thing matches the setup you got....or get ready to build a diddley...

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Permalink Reply by Al Allen (Hangten) on January 2, 2010 at 8:42am

Jeff, using the left over E,A,D strings for a deeper sounding DAD tuning on some of my 3 stringers. I like the bass sound and still enjoy the same music just a octave or two lower??? Really toughens up the fingers too!

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Scott on January 2, 2010 at 10:02am

I've looked, and I havent seen any matches for my set up.I Guess from here on, I may use the top 3 strings for one build, and the bottem 3 for the next.
I'm probably forever an amature Guitarist at best, and these CBG's are my first venture into alternate tunings. I do OK with std tuning on my 6 strings but get confused trying to apply what I know to alt tuning. I was hopeing this set up would be like a 2 string, but with a bass string I could some how incorporate into my playing.
I think maybe I'm way over my head, a diddley bo maybe for my next build

Jkevn said:

Common problem for the 3-string builder. I solve it by savin the left overs for 1 and 2 stringers. There are, I'm sure, some creative tunings to take advantage of these 3 particular strings. Go through the groups here and see if any thing matches the setup you got....or get ready to build a diddley...

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on January 2, 2010 at 10:08am

Nice work Jeff! You got it Jeff, build another and use the leftovers. Have someone else play along in harmony.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on January 2, 2010 at 10:13am

Make two 3 string CBGs with one pack of strings:

E, A, D tune DAD (Key of D)
Great for harmonizing scales on the first string with 2 note doublestops, walking bass lines and power chord shuffle rhythms

g, b, e tune gbd (Key of G)
Great for 2 note doublestops, chords, playing lead.
Enjoy

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Scott on January 2, 2010 at 10:15am

Thanks,
It seemed a good idea at the time. The 2 small strings sound good in drop d, but the top bass string is more than my fingers and brain can process when it comes to playing.

Wes Yates said:

Nice work Jeff! You got it Jeff, build another and use the leftovers. Have someone else play along in harmony.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Scott on January 2, 2010 at 10:20am

I like your way of thinkin,
but what is a 2 note doublestop?

Keni Lee Burgess said:

Make two 3 string CBGs with one pack of strings:

E, A, D tune DAD (Key of D)
Great for harmonizing scales on the first string with 2 note doublestops, walking bass lines and power chord shuffle rhythms

g, b, e tune gbd (Key of G)
Great for 2 note doublestops, chords, playing lead.
Enjoy

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Permalink Reply by Ronnie Retherford on January 2, 2010 at 11:17am

Jeff,
Double stops are simply two notes that harmonize. Fiddle and mandolin players know the term well. Here is an example:

Jeff Scott said:

I like your way of thinkin,
but what is a 2 note doublestop? Keni Lee Burgess said:
Make two 3 string CBGs with one pack of strings:

E, A, D tune DAD (Key of D)
Great for harmonizing scales on the first string with 2 note doublestops, walking bass lines and power chord shuffle rhythms

g, b, e tune gbd (Key of G)
Great for 2 note doublestops, chords, playing lead.
Enjoy

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Permalink Reply by Tres Seaver on January 2, 2010 at 3:21pm

You say "I have the 1st two strings tuned drop D", but that doesn't match what I know as "drop D" on a six-string, where it means to drop the 6th string (the low E) down to a D, leaving the others at their "normal" pitches. In your case, you could downtune the 1st string to a D, the second to an A, and the third (the low one) to a "D", giving you DAD like a dulcimer, but with an extra octave between the low D and the A . Or just tune them low E-B-E, and play any E blues.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Scott on January 2, 2010 at 3:40pm

You're completly correct,
What I meant was I tuned it to Drop D, but I did it just as I would have on a six string
So actually I had it tuned D-B-E it didnt work so well . I have been playing with it for a while and just got the top string where I was liking the sound, and oddly enough it is just as you say E-B-E where it sounds best.
Thanks tres, I knew someone here could steer me right

Tres Seaver said:

You say "I have the 1st two strings tuned drop D", but that doesn't match what I know as "drop D" on a six-string, where it means to drop the 6th string (the low E) down to a D, leaving the others at their "normal" pitches. In your case, you could downtune the 1st string to a D, the second to an A, and the third (the low one) to a "D", giving you DAD like a dulcimer, but with an extra octave between the low D and the A . Or just tune them low E-B-E, and play any E blues.