9 Different Tunings For A Cigar Box Guitar

This article will show you how you can use strings from a standard six string guitar set to achieve 9 different tunings with different octave spreads for your cigar box guitar.

Open G : G D G
Open D : D A D
Open E : E B E
Open A : A E A
Jazz Tuning : A E G
Classical Tuning : A D G
A6: A E F
Open Tunings for 4 String Cigar Box Guitar
Other Tunings For 4 String Cigar Box Guitar

The cigar box guitar can be tuned in many different ways using strings from a standard 6 string guitar or buying from a CBG specialist supplier. I have been experimenting with some of these different tunings, but I tend to use GDG as my usual tuning at the moment.

1. Open G : G D G

Low Range G D G Tuning

The strings used for playing blues are typically the 3rd, 4th and 5th strings of an acoustic or electric guitar.
There are alternative string choices( see below) but this is what I use.
The A string is used for the lowest sounding ( bottom) string and is tuned down to G
The D string is used as the middle string and is tuned to D
The G string is tuned to G and used as the top string

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
5th(A)	bottom (3rd)	down to G
4th (D)	middle (2nd)	D
3rd(G)	top (1st)	G

If your strings are numbered, these are the kind of ranges of string gauges to look for: bottom 42-46, middle 28-32, top 20-30 ( lower numbers are for the lighter gauge strings)
Use acoustic strings for a non- amplified ( acoustic) cigar box guitar or one with a piezo pickup.
Use electric strings for a coiled pick-up such as a single coil or humbucker
See beginners-guide-to-pickups-on-a-cigar-box-guitar to tell which pick-up you have if you are not sure

I’ve made a couple of tables to help you pick out which gauge of strings to choose for both high range and low range G D G tuning in this article on scale length and tone

For instructions on how to tune to open G tuning without using a tuner you can read the full article I wrote in this post which is summarized below:
Tune the bottom, thickest string to G
Fret the bottom string at the 7th fret and tune the open middle string until they are the same note.
Then, fret the middle string at the 5th fret and tune the open top string until they are the same note.
As a final check, fret the bottom string at the 12th fret and compare it to the open top string. They should be the same note.

I have published a YouTube video for those of you who want to watch how I tune my guitar to G D G using a clip on tuner and using the guitar itself:

IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE WHEN TUNING STRINGS :

Guitar strings are designed to play a certain pitch at a certain tension.
If you try to make a string play much lower than it was intended, you risk having a lot of fret buzz and twang.
However you will have the most problems if you try to tune them much higher than they were intended.
Strings made of wire, either wound or plain steel, will break if they are under too much tension.
Be very careful if you choose to tune a string up, keeping your face well away from the string as you tune.

Alternative Strings To Use For Strumming In Open G Tuning On Cigar Box Guitar

Some people prefer to use a different spread of the octaves. They still use GDG but might choose a low bass, but higher top end for strumming folk or country:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
5th(A)	bottom (3rd)	down to G
4th (D) or 1st (E)	middle (2nd)	to D or down to D
1st (E) light gauge*	top (1st)	tuned up to G*

*this string is at risk of breaking

If you are keen to try a different set of strings for open G tuning, use this beginner guide to help you find the right octave:

Tune the bottom, thickest string to G
If your 2nd string is a D string from a standard 6 string set: Fret the bottom string at the 7th fret and tune the open middle string until they are the same note.
If your 2nd string is an E string from a standard 6 string set: Fret the bottom string at the 7th fret and tune the open middle string until they are an octave apart or fret the bottom string at the 19th fret and tune the open middle string until they are the same pitch.
Then, fret the middle string at the 5th fret and tune the open top string until they are the same note.
As a final check, fret the bottom string at the24th fret if you have one and compare it to the open top string. They should be the same note.

Alternative Strings To Use For Fingerpicking In Open G Tuning On Cigar Box Guitar

For those that prefer a much higher set of notes for fingerpicking country and bluegrass:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
3rd(G)	bottom (3rd)	to G
1st (E) or 2nd (B)*	middle (2nd)	down to D or up to D*
1st (E) light gauge*	top (1st)	up to G*

* these strings are at risk of breaking

Tune the bottom, thicker string to G
Fret the bottom string at the 7th fret and tune the open middle string until they are the same note.
Then, fret the middle string at the 5th fret and tune the open top string until they are the same note.
As a final check, fret the bottom string at the 12th fret and compare it to the open top string. They should be the same note.

I am gradually building pages on chord shapes for this tuning – see the top menu for links. Here are a couple to get you started:

2. Open D : D A D

If you need advice on changing your strings, I’ve written an article here: How Do I Put New Strings On My Cigar Box Guitar?

This is another common tuning for a 3 string cigar box guitar.
There are several ways of using standard guitar strings from a 6 pack to achieve this tuning:

Open D Tuning That Gives A Good Range Of Bass And Treble Notes For Strumming

Use the low E or 6th string as the bottom string on your cigar box guitar, tuned down to D
Then use the G or 3rd guitar string tuned up to A for your second string on the cigar box guitar
For the top string on your cigar box guitar, you have 2 options to achieve the same note:
Either the E or 1st guitar string tuned down to a D
Or the B or 2nd guitar string tuned up to a D
It’s useful to know you have a back-up if you break one of these top 2 strings

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
6th ( E)	bottom (3rd)	down to D
3rd(G)	middle (2nd)	up to A
1st (E) or 2nd (B)*	top (1st)	down to D or up to D*

*this string is at risk of breaking

This tuning is tricky, even with a tuner. To check you are in the correct octave, try this:

Tune the bottom, thickest string to D
Fret the bottom string at the 7th fret and tune the open middle string until they are the same note. Now tune this string up an octave. Keep going up until the 7th fret of the bottom string is an octave below that middle open string.
If you have a 19th fret, fret the 19th fret of the bottom string. it should be the same pitch as the open 2nd string
Then, fret the middle string at the 5th fret and tune the open top string until they are the same note.
As a final check, if you have a 24th fret, fret the bottom string at the 24th fret and compare it to the open top string. They should be the same note.

An Alternative Open D Tuning For Cigar Box Guitar With A Lot More Bass

This tuning uses the 4th, 5th and 6th strings of an acoustic or electric guitar.

The E string goes on the bass string and is tuned down to D
The A string is used as the middle string and is tuned to A
The D string is tuned to D and used as the top string

So for tuning a cigar box guitar to DAD with more of a bass bias:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
6th ( E)	bottom	down to D
5th (A)	middle	to A
4th (D)	top	to D

You might find it tricky as a beginner to get these tunings correct, even with a tuner, so here is my handy guide to using the guitar itself to help you get the correct octave for tuning :

Tune the bottom, thickest string to D
Fret the bottom string at the 7th fret and tune the open middle string until they are the same note.
Then, fret the middle string at the 5th fret and tune the open top string until they are the same note.
As a final check, fret the bottom string at the 12th fret and compare it to the open top string. They should be the same note.

An Alternative Open D Tuning For Cigar Box Guitar With More Of a Treble Bias

Thirdly we will look at using the 1st or 2nd string, the 3rd string and the 4th string from a standard 6 string set to give us a good treble range similar to the high end of a standard 6 string guitar

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
4th ( D)	bottom	to D
3rd(G)	middle	up to A
1st (E) or 2nd (B)*	top	down to D or up to D*

*this string is at risk of breaking

Here is my handy guide to using the guitar itself to help you get the correct octave for tuning :

Tune the bottom, thickest string to D
Fret the bottom string at the 7th fret and tune the open middle string until they are the same note.
Then, fret the middle string at the 5th fret and tune the open top string until they are the same note.
As a final check, fret the bottom string at the 12th fret and compare it to the open top string. They should be the same note.

3. Open E : E B E

My favorite cigar box guitar builder and player, Del Puckett on YouTube, usually plays in open E tuning as he likes the looser string tension achieved when he tunes the strings down from open G to open E.

I am gradually adding chord shapes for E B E tuning to this website. See here for lesson 1: E B E Cigar Box Guitar: Common Chord Shapes Part 1

I also have tables for how to play major and minor chords in E B E in the links above under G D G tuning- How Do I Play Major/ Minor Chords?

Using The 3rd, 4th and 5th Strings Of A Standard 6 String Set For Playing Blues With Lower Tensioned Strings:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned down to
5th (A)	bottom (3rd)	E
4th (D)	middle (2nd)	B
3rd (G)	top (1st)	E

Here’s a video I made of how I tuned my G D G guitar down to E B E:

There are other options for pitch range for open E tuning:

Using The Bottom 3 Strings Of A Standard 6 String Set For Playing Blues:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
6th (E)	bottom (3rd)	to E
5th (A)	middle (2nd)	up to B
4th (D)	top (1st)	up to E

Using The 1st, 2nd and 6th Strings Of A Standard 6 String Set For Strumming Blues and Country:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned to
6th (E)	bottom (3rd)	E
2nd (B)	middle (2nd)	B
1st (E)	top (1st)	E

Using The 1st, 2nd and 4th Strings Of A Standard 6 String Set For Fingerpicking Folk and Country:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
4th (D)	bottom (3rd)	up to E
2nd (B)	middle (2nd)	to B
1st (E)	top (1st)	to E

My favorite electronic tuner : Snark clip-on electronic tuner from amazon.com or Snark clip on electronic tuner available on amazon.co.uk

4. Open A : A E A

If you want to play in A try this easy tuning:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
5th(A)	bottom (3rd)	to A
4th (D)	middle (2nd)	up to E
3rd(G)	top (1st)	up to A

I have written an article about chord shapes for this tuning here: Chord Shapes For A Cigar Box Guitar Tuned A E A – Part 1

5. Jazz Tuning : A E G

The reason you might want to consider this tuning is hard to explain if you don’t know much music theory but I will try to keep it simple.

Instead of the previous examples of open tuning where the open strings play an open power chord ( 2 notes out of the usual 3), the notes are in a typical jazz chord.

Jazz chords usually need 4 notes and will have a 7th, 9th, 11th, and/or 13th added to the root, 3rd and 5th

The tuning A E G gives the root or 1st note (A), the 5th (E) and the 7th (G)

So moving up and down the fretboard with a slide or barred finger will play lots of different jazz chords. If you like jazz, have some fun with experimenting.

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
5th(A)	bottom (3rd)	to A
4th (D)	middle (2nd)	up to E
3rd(G)	top (1st)	to G

6. Classical Guitar Tuning : A D G

This tuning uses some of the middle strings of a standard set of strings.

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
5th(A)	bottom (3rd)	to A
4th (D)	middle (2nd)	to D
3rd(G)	top (1st)	to G

This string and tuning selection is good for playing melody style across the 3 strings and is well suited to the top 3 wound strings of a set of classical guitar strings ( i.e.the 3rd, 4th and 5th strings).

I have recorded a video for different tunings which includes numbers 2, 4, 5 and 6 listed above:

7. A6: A E F

This tuning is root, 5th and 6th and the open chord is classed as a 6th chord. I can’t remember where I found this tuning mentioned but as someone who plays the ukulele too, I was intrigued to see how this would sound.

A ukulele is tuned G C A E ( C6 or Am7) but the size of the ukulele makes the overall sound fairly high- pitched. You could achieve the same overall sound but at a lower pitch by using these strings:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
5th(A)	bottom (3rd)	to A
4th (D)	middle (2nd)	up to E
3rd(G)	top (1st)	down to F

I have had fun experimenting with this tuning which gives a happy sunny sound. If you are used to playing the ukulele, you can use the same chord shapes, omitting the top (E) string.

8. Open Tunings for 4 String Cigar Box Guitar

GDGB from ADGB:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
5th (A)	bottom (4th)	down to G
4th (D)	(3rd)	to D
3rd(G)	(2nd)	to G
2nd (B)	top (1st)	to B

DADF#

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
6th (E)	bottom (4th)	up to D
5th (A)	(3rd)	to A
4th (D)	(2nd)	to D
3rd (G)	top (1st)	down to F#

9. Other Tunings For 4 String Cigar Box Guitar

Using the strings from a 6 string guitar at their normal pitch gives a couple of good tuning options:

E A D G:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
6th (E)	bottom (4th)	E
5th(A)	(3rd)	A
4th (D)	(2nd)	D
3rd(G)	top (1st)	G

D G B E:

which standard guitar string to use	position on cigar box guitar	tuned
4th (D)	bottom (4th)	D
3rd(G)	(3rd)	G
2nd (B)	(2nd)	B
1st (E)	top (1st)	E

Chord Shapes For Different Tunings Of Cigar Box Guitars

I am gradually building up resources to help those of you wanting to explore different tunings who are finding working out chord shapes very confusing. Look in the menu at the CHORDS category and select the tuning you have chosen to navigate your way to some helpful articles and downloads.

Reasons For Having Lots Of Cigar Box Guitars

Whilst you can tune strings up and down fairly easily, you will find that strings will not stay in tune very well if you never let them settle.

I intend to build more guitars so that I can have a selection of guitars in different tunings.

I expect that some boxes will suit different tunings better so I’m looking forward to more experimenting.

Guitar Strings For Cigar Box Guitars

My current favorites are the Zilpha strings by Chickenbone John
I also like these light acoustic guitar strings from Amazon which can be used with a piezo pickup: D’Addario Wound Strings on amazon.com or D’Addario Wound Strings on amazon.co.uk
These are light electric guitar strings from Amazon for a coiled pickup: D’Addario Nickel Wound Strings on amazon.com or D’Addario Nickel Wound Strings on amazon.co.uk

1. Open G : G D G

Low Range G D G Tuning

IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE WHEN TUNING STRINGS :

Alternative Strings To Use For Strumming In Open G Tuning On Cigar Box Guitar

Alternative Strings To Use For Fingerpicking In Open G Tuning On Cigar Box Guitar

2. Open D : D A D

Open D Tuning That Gives A Good Range Of Bass And Treble Notes For Strumming

An Alternative Open D Tuning For Cigar Box Guitar With A Lot More Bass

An Alternative Open D Tuning For Cigar Box Guitar With More Of a Treble Bias

3. Open E : E B E

Using The 3rd, 4th and 5th Strings Of A Standard 6 String Set For Playing Blues With Lower Tensioned Strings:

Using The Bottom 3 Strings Of A Standard 6 String Set For Playing Blues:

Using The 1st, 2nd and 6th Strings Of A Standard 6 String Set For Strumming Blues and Country:

Using The 1st, 2nd and 4th Strings Of A Standard 6 String Set For Fingerpicking Folk and Country:

4. Open A : A E A

5. Jazz Tuning : A E G

6. Classical Guitar Tuning : A D G

7. A6: A E F

8. Open Tunings for 4 String Cigar Box Guitar

9. Other Tunings For 4 String Cigar Box Guitar

Chord Shapes For Different Tunings Of Cigar Box Guitars

Reasons For Having Lots Of Cigar Box Guitars

Guitar Strings For Cigar Box Guitars

Further Reading

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