For C tuning in the one-line octave you really need steel to keep from continuously breaking 1st strings. But for instruments made for classical stringing you still can tune to C. With the same c note on the 3rd string as the c note 4th string of traditional TG 5ths tuning, just go g c e a; small octave reentrant. We've got strings for that.
I bought a Blueridge last year and really like it. It's tuned DGBE since I also play baritone uke and guitar. It is well made and I can't find a visual flaw on it anywhere! The inside is just as clean as the outside but, most importantly, I really like the sound and feel. Very warm to my ears. I spent a couple of visits to a guitar shop in Santa Fe, NM comparing it to a Gold Tone tenor. Tone wise, I had a hard time telling the difference between the two but, there was a difference.
I bought a Blueridge last year and really like it. It's tuned DGBE since I also play baritone uke and guitar. It is well made and I can't find a visual flaw on it anywhere! The inside is just as clean as the outside but, most importantly, I really like the sound and feel. Very warm to my ears. I spent a couple of visits to a guitar shop in Santa Fe, NM comparing it to a Gold Tone tenor. Tone wise, I had a hard time telling the difference between the two but, there was a difference.
That is good to hear that you like your Blue Ridge, what model is it. I have been looking at the 40-TCE, I mean really looking, I mean really really looking. I think you know what I mean There could be a tenor guitar of some sort purchased next week.
I believe I have the 40-T but, I will look just to make sure. I do know what you mean about looking! When I first saw it in the shop I spent a day thinking about it. Then I went back the second day and after playing it and the Gold Tone, I knew I had to have one! I got a pretty good deal and the shop owner threw in a nice hard case! I'd be interested in hearing what the 40-TCE sounds like plugged in. They are really nice tenors and like I said, very well built! I took it to our local guitar society meeting and immediately one of our banjo players was spewing words of praise for it! He was very familiar with the brand.
DownUpDave,, I'm right there with you! I've been wanting a tenor guitar, but I figured I'd do a lot of playing Nick Reynolds-style (capo on the fifth fret and play ukulele chords), so the BR-40TCE, with it's cutaway, seems like the best choice.
Amazon and Musician's friend are both currently selling the BR-40TCE for $425, which is $100 less than Elderly, whom I would normally prefer to do business with. There is value added in going through Elderly (set up, customer support, etc.), but is it worth paying $100 more? Hmmm.
For a few days last week, it was actually down to $380 on Amazon, and I'm kicking myself for not jumping on it. Having seen it at that price, now even $425 seems like overpaying.
I have the BR-40TCE and it was worth every penny! Sold my pono for it and never looked back. Got mine for around 450 i believe from musicians friend while they had a big sale goin on.
Thanks "Garydavkra, FiL and BigD", I appreciate your feedback and willingness to push me over the edge I have an acoustic guitar that never gets played, because I never really learned. I took the 2 bass strings off it as an experiment and It is now a DGBE tuned large necked tenor guitar, lots of fun, love the sound.
Living in Canada means.....not a store anywhere that carries tenor guitars and paying close to 40% on the dollar when I order from the states. But that is my only opinion, contacted Elderly about being $100 more, remember that is $140 of my money.They are the only ones that do a set up, all others drop ship from the distributor, they don't touch the unopened box.
If I go Blue Ridge I think I will get the TCE model as I already have an amp so that will be fun. I will keep you guys posted.
Bought a Kala KA-GTR this week as I have hankered after a Tenor Guitar for a while and wanted to try one which was decent but not too pricey. Luckily spotted one marked well down for £149 at Omega which looks pretty unblemished to me, but was a shop demo for a while, good discount off the full price. Have tuned it GCEA in steel and will see how it goes, perhaps change over to bari uke tuning soon. No Kala hard cases to be had in the UK so have ordered an Ashbury hard case via Amazon, who had one in their warehouse store discounted. My fingers have taken a pounding from the thin steel strings as I haven't played my mando or acoustic guitar for a few months now...........
I recently added a John Kinnard tenor guitar. Bearclaw Spruce top, Padauk back and sides. Here's a link to a short video I made that combines photos taken by Kevin Beddoe of Kinnard Ukes and an audio demo Kevin recorded.
I recently added a John Kinnard tenor guitar. Bearclaw Spruce top, Padauk back and sides. Here's a link to a short video I made that combines photos taken by Kevin Beddoe of Kinnard Ukes and an audio demo Kevin recorded.
Wow Mark......I mean WOW!!!!! Thanks for sharing the video clip, what a fantastic sound that has. But it is a Kinnard so I would expect no less. It sounds like a full on acoustic guitar and that is the highest praise I can give it.
Wow Mark......I mean WOW!!!!! Thanks for sharing the video clip, what a fantastic sound that has. But it is a Kinnard so I would expect no less. It sounds like a full on acoustic guitar and that is the highest praise I can give it.
Thanks Dave. It's only the second tenor guitar John Kinnard made, but he seems to have gotten it right. I was sold on the idea of a Kinnard tenor guitar after playing some Kinnard tenor and baritone ukuleles. I'm very happy with it.
I just found out that Larrivée is going to produce their own line of Tenor Guitars. Probably 03 series, parlor sized body, 24" scale, 14 frets to the body. So a bit longer than other Tenor Guitars, and I assume they will be using a traditional neck, which is slimmer than on a Uke.
Andrew at The Ukulele Site posted this photo recently on Facebook, along with this description: "factory pic of a new Pono model- steel string baritone, slightly larger than baritone actually but smaller than the tenor guitar."
Andrew at The Ukulele Site posted this photo recently on Facebook, along with this description: "factory pic of a new Pono model- steel string baritone, slightly larger than baritone actually but smaller than the tenor guitar."
I saw on the NAMM videos that they mentioned a steel string uke coming this year. So, I guess this is it. I have experimented with steel strings on a tenor uke, and thought I would really like it, but was a little disappointed. The sound wasn't what I thought it would be. Sounded kind of like a harpsichord, I thought. Very bright, very high, not much low end at all, lots of sustain though with the steel strings.
I just wish they would make a steel string version of the baritone Nui, to go along with the nylon version.
There could be a tenor guitar of some sort purchased next week.
