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Did I buy the wrong thing?

Hello folks, my name is Tony and I'm brand new to CBG's I have been playing 6 string for about 6 months and I'm doing fine with the basic chords. D, G, C, A7, Em enough to make some decent sounding music. I recently purchased a beautiful 4 string CBG with frets. It also has an electic pickup. My guitar is tuned D G B E. When I try to play chorded songs that sound good on the 6 string, they don't sound anything like that on the 4 string. I have tried to find 4 string chord charts and haven't had any luck. Most of the FREE lessons for CBG's are for 3 string guitars and slides. I tried using a bottle neck slide on my 4 string and it doesn't seem to work very well. Do I need to buy a 3 string CBG to learn how to play? I would like to play country songs or church songs with my CBG. Can someone lead me in the right direction on finding chords or lessons for the 4 string beginner. Did I make a mistake starting off with a 4 string CBG?

Thanks,
Tony

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Permalink Reply by Mark Stowe on June 27, 2010 at 6:02pm

Other people have already stated this but I'll say it as well, try open tunings , right off the bat there are three good open G tunings to try (D-G-b-d, D-G-d-g and G-B-d-g) in all of these tunings when you strum the strings open you have the key of G, place a finger across the 5th fret and you have C, move the finger to the 7th fret and you have D. These open tunings are great and rings out pretty clear. Then mess around with some simple 3 cord songs (Crossroads, Sweet Home Alabama . . .) Try making things simple . . .
I do love Tenor 4 strings tunings (C-G-d-a) but you'll have to learn a whole new set of chords

Mark

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Permalink Reply by Kel Wilson on February 3, 2011 at 7:17pm

I'm making my first 4 string (my second build) I've never played before I hope to change that with this one. I hope lots heh

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Permalink Reply by L.J. on February 4, 2011 at 11:06am

I think this was mentioned above. However I bought my son a baritone uke. I think I found a baritone uke chord book at amazon.com . The bottom 4 strings of a guitar are not going to give you the effect of the full six. But if you learn the chords that you feel are missing the most of what youre looking for in higher positions you may be able to aquire the chords that work for you, and teach yourself a lil more about travling up the neck on the 6string at the same time.

For open tunings I normally use GDGB or DGBD on my four strings

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Permalink Reply by Frank Scott on May 10, 2019 at 4:45pm

I understand your position and after building a 4 string I can tell you I was not impressed with the DGBE tuning at all. I think for me the open G tuning is the best GDGB. I have just been in to the building lately so now trying to play the thing I guess just look up banjo chords and you should be fine. I may try that to see how it sounds. I am trying to do the same thing with county type church songs.