How to Play a 3 String Cigar Box Guitar

Co-authored by Michael Papenburg

Last Updated: May 11, 2023 Approved

The Cigar Box guitar is an easy to play instrument and an excellent one to begin exploring playing with a slide. A little understanding of the music will help you to master this amazing little instrument. They are generally home made instruments though many craftsmen have perfected the art of creating these unique instruments.

It has but three strings and two are tuned to the same pitch (except one octave higher). This is both a limiting factor and one that opens up tremendous possibilities. Less is more, more or less.

An understanding of the tuning, a few scales, and a few simple chord progressions can ease your way into enjoying this complexly simple instrument.

Steps

Download Article

There are eight notes between the low D and High D' strings (an octave).
2
For review: It is Every Good Boy Does Fine on the lines (EGBDF), and FACE on the spaces. On the Bass clef it is Good Boys Do Fine Again and ACE G on the spaces.

Advertisement
There is a whole step (skip a fret) between everything except B&C and E&F (1/2 step or next fret up).

From C to C' there is a pattern: W, W, H, W, W, W, H, where W=Whole step (skip a fret) and H=Half step (next fret up).
To play a D Major scale (from low D to high D') follow this second pattern. Practice this pattern with "finger fretting" and also with a slide.
5
The key of G has only one sharp (F#). Similar to the above pattern, except the C is a natural - fret above the B. Start in the 5th fret on G, then play the notes up to high G.

In Western music many chords are made up of a triad; the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of a scale. Due to the limitations of this instrument (only 3 strings), a chord is made of the 1st and 5th notes in the scale. For example, an A chord is composed of A and E (and A'). This means a barre placed across the 3 strings will make a chord. Use a glass or steel slide to form the barre (or lay one finger across all three strings). Place the slide directly above the metal fret wire to make a crisp note. Keep the slide parallel with the frets when you move it. Pick a note, then slide a fret or two up or down the neck to the next note.
Play G (5th fret), C (10th fret), G (5th fret), D (12th fret), G, C, D, C, G or variations thereof.
11
A classic Chord Progression: Place the slide directly above the metal fret at the 12th position, strum or finger pick 1,2,3,4 beats and move the slide to the next position.

Frets: 12th, 9th, 5th, 7th, 12th… repeat three more times; follow-up with a turn-around...
12th, 14th, 12th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 12th.
12
The progression is what the left hand would play on a piano. See if you can find the individual notes to a melody that may go to this familiar progression. [Hint: Heart & Soul or Silhouettes on the Shade.]
G, C, G, D...

The fret numbers are given for the key of D, figure out the fret number for the same progression in the other two keys. Play the 4 chord progression four times, then follow up with the turn-around.
14
Many 3 Chord progressions (1st, 4th, 5th)
15
Many 4 Chord progressions, with "turn-around" (8th, 6th, 4th, 5th).
16
Tablature: There are probably few examples of Cigar Box Guitar tablature, here is one blues scale riff... The lines represent the strings (fat string at the bottom), the numbers represent the fret to put your finger or slide in.
17

This progression came from a guitar booklet called Basic Blues by Will Schmid.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

Can it play an 8-note scale?

Community Answer

Yes. Fewer strings does not mean you can't play scales.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 4
Question

Can I play 7ths and minors?

Kim G

Top Answerer

It is possible to play 7th and minor chords on a cigar box guitar. You can find fingering charts on Google by searching "cigar box guitar fingering charts."

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 2

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Hit a note, slide up to the next note. Smoothly.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Spend some time picking out scales with and without the slide.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
The instrument can easily be tuned to other keys. Tune all strings up to EBE or down to CGC that is another possibility for personal exploration.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Show More Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

At first this may seem difficult. Don't overanalyze; when played through a few times you will hear the musical steps repeating in the different keys.

Thanks
Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
Keep the slide parallel with the frets (move your whole hand).

Thanks
Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2
This is not a complete course in music theory, only a sub-set of scales are shown. Once you grasp these fundamentals, it is up to you to explore other possibilities.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 2

Things You'll Need

A 3-string Cigar Box Guitar.
A glass or metal slide which fits comfortably over your ring finger.
The chrome slide in the picture is a toilet paper holder tube cut to size, you can use most anything.
A chromatic tuner will ensure you are in proper pitch.
Finger and thumb picks to save your flesh and to give a sharper sound.