Tenor Guitar Players?

GrumpyCoyote

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Heya folks -

I've been thinking about a tenor guitar latley - Particularly because I can string it in 4ths for baritone uke duty or slap it into 5ths to match my octave mandolin fingerings and such... Seems like a pretty versatile solution. Easier to play than an OM, and can fake it’s way as a baritone uke…

1) Anyone play tenor guitar? If so - whaddya have?
2) Any thoughts on the current crop of new tenors out there (Blueridge, Martin, etc...)
 
Coyote, that sounds interesting. If I ranacross a tenor guitar I would sure be tempted. I have thought about taking my kids yamaha kid size guitar and stringing it up gcea, wondering if there would be enough tension to drive that plywood.
Id like to hear you when you get one
Steve
 
I used to have an Ozark tenor guitar. It would have been great if it had been a decent one, but it was a piece of junk.

The principle of the tenor guitar is great though. I may get another.
 
I have a Lark In The Morning, as well as a 1962 Gibson and a Epiphone Caballero (kalamazoo)........
 
....as well as a 1962 Gibson...

Drool.

I take it you play tenor often ;) Ive found myself in "chicago" (DGBE) 4ths tuning rather than 5ths - but I'm think of a second TG to keep in 5ths. Since I play a little mando and OM too, both seems like the way to go. How about you?
 
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Chicago tuned is my prefference but I also like open tunings so I can do slide blues........ The old Harmonys and Regals had very high actions that led themselves to slide work.... The Gibson has sweet low action and the sound is full........

The new Martin is a 4 string tenor based on the Baby Martin body not a full sized one like the Gibson or even the lark........

On an interesting side note..... My daughter plays Tenor guitar rather well....... she is 10 yrs old.....
 
i've been looking at tenors

is there an actual decent ~$500 tenor, currently being manufactured?
 
Yep.

The Gold Tone is about $475US

TG18_front.jpg


Keep in mind, Elderly claims they "perform best" in 5ths, CGDA. I bet with the right strings it would be just fine in 4ths.

Blue Ridge makes one for about $345US
BR40T_front.jpg


Basically, a Martin knock-off. Since Martin only makes one tenor now, it's the only way to get that style new.

The afore mentioned Martin is just a tenor version of the little LXM. The MDF travel guitar. Runs $449US
LXMTEN_front.jpg



For me, I'd stay away from formica instruments. The Blueridge is pretty high on my want list. That is if I don't just say to hell with it and pony up the $1800US for a Breedlove Revival.
BROMT_front.jpg
 
Breedlove tenor = drool.

I, myself, have been thinking about acquiring a tenor guitar. Then again, cash is tight.
 
The lark in the morning is a wonderfull tenor guitar .... It has the same shape as my gibson.......

You just have to look on Ebay
 
Most of the tenor guitars I've seen are tuned CDGA and are generally picked like a mandolin. It seemed too foreign, so I never wanted to pick one up..
 
Yep.

The Gold Tone is about $475US

TG18_front.jpg


Keep in mind, Elderly claims they "perform best" in 5ths, CGDA. I bet with the right strings it would be just fine in 4ths.

Blue Ridge makes one for about $345US
BR40T_front.jpg


Basically, a Martin knock-off. Since Martin only makes one tenor now, it's the only way to get that style new.

The afore mentioned Martin is just a tenor version of the little LXM. The MDF travel guitar. Runs $449US
LXMTEN_front.jpg



For me, I'd stay away from formica instruments. The Blueridge is pretty high on my want list. That is if I don't just say to hell with it and pony up the $1800US for a Breedlove Revival.
BROMT_front.jpg

Update:

I pulled the trigger on the Blueridge - MUCH better than I though for the price. Damn fine tenor.

A folk song I wrote on it today. Nothing special on the musical front, just strumming in C - but you can get the idea of the tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UIzPG3nuhk
 
This is a great thread!!! Are baritones the entry drug to tenor guitars? Who cares? I've crossed the line into being into tonal and playing options...

And great tune GrumpyC!
 
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I've been playing my bari a lot and have been thinking about getting a tenor guitar...

How much of a difference is there, do you think? Also, what's the deal with fifths tuning chord shapes (in terms of difficulty) compared to top four of a guitar tuning?
Harder? Easier? Just plain different?
 
I've been playing my bari a lot and have been thinking about getting a tenor guitar...

How much of a difference is there, do you think? Also, what's the deal with fifths tuning chord shapes (in terms of difficulty) compared to top four of a guitar tuning?
Harder? Easier? Just plain different?

Mechanicaly the fundamental difference is size, scale length, and string type. Bari's are smaller (usually), both body and scale and use nylon strings. Tenor guitars tend to be larger and use steel strings. There are many varieties of tenor guitar, including the original Regals wich are very close to baritone ukes in size and scale (but about 20 years before baritones were invented). I have both a large body arch-top and a flat-top size "0" martin style... Each tottaly different in construction, tone, and role - they come in all flavors.

As far as 5th goes - I find chord shapes to be somewhat harder in general, with the exception of the "home key" of the instrument. Playing in C on a 5th tuned tenor guitar is easy, just like playing in G on a mandolin is easy - two fingers, no worries. Other keys can be signifigantly harder to pull off the chord shapes. In addition, if you are a mando player who likes "4 finger" chord styles, some of them are pretty much impossible on a tenor guitar/ octave mandolin in my opinion. You adapt.

That said, I find scales to be very easy in 5ths - so leads come a bit simpler. Some things become very hard, others become pretty easy.

I keep one tg tuned in 4ths (my Harmony archtop) and now one tuned in 5ths (the Blueridge) and swap back and fourth depending on what sound I want. In a straight up I,IV,V jam - it's six of 1 and 1/2 dozen of the other. In fancy keys and with lots of chord changes I tend to go back to 4ths.

One thing about both of them - I can fake other instrument sounds/roles pretty well. With a capo on 5 my 4ths tuned axe does a passable low G uke impression. Likewise, dropping a capo on 7 allows me to chop a bit like a mandolin on the 5ths tuned box. Very handy for sitting in when everyone else is playing guitar - in both cases.
 
I have an old Stella Harmony tenor guitar that I keep tuned DGBE so I can play it like a bari uke. Unfortunately, it's a piece of crap. I can only put nylon strings on it... if I put on steel strings, the tension causes the neck to bow. Bleah.

I really want a Blue Ridge. I wonder what it would sound like tuned DGBE. GrumpyCoyote?
 
I have an old Stella Harmony tenor guitar that I keep tuned DGBE so I can play it like a bari uke. Unfortunately, it's a piece of crap. I can only put nylon strings on it... if I put on steel strings, the tension causes the neck to bow. Bleah.

I really want a Blue Ridge. I wonder what it would sound like tuned DGBE. GrumpyCoyote?

Shame about that Stella... Try 5ths tunings with light strings. That should keep the neck in good shape.

As for the BR in 4ths - I suspect it would be fantastic. It's well built and could easily take some light guitar strings for 4ths. Since it's expressive and loud with the super light 5ths on there I suspect the larger strings for 4ths tuning would really drive that top - in a good way.
 
I have played a tenor guitar in the past, and I have my baritone uke tuned to tenor guitar/mandola tuning (CGDA). I love the sound of 5th tunings, and I find the chord shapes easier than guitar and other 4th tuned instruments. It's probably due to my familiarity with mandolin.
 
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