Tenor Guitars, Guitalele & Baritone Uke

[Down Up Dick]

Hi, bunny, I saw that GDGD somewhere else. I haven’t tried it yet, but maybe I will. I’m using DGBD now.

I wonder. Does the fret board hafta be flat for slide? Mine is slightly radius (radial?).

 

[bunnyf]

Hi, bunny, I saw that GDGD somewhere else. I haven

 

[bunnyf]

Darn, cut off again. Anyway, if I used dgbe as my primary tuning then dgbd would be my go-to open tuning too. How easy just dropping the high e. I’m currently liking the gdae tho, so for me gdgd makes sense. I too think that a radiused fretboard would be a minus for slide but I’m sure my cheapie Recording King TG doesn’t have one and with my lousy beginner technique, I’d never notice the difference.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Yeah, bunnyf I agree. I tried the slide with my Kala Guitar, and it made all kinda racket. I think the action was too low. It’s some better with my Blueridge, but it was still noisy and a bit difficult to use especially on the high notes. It is radial too.

Today I used it on my Kala Baritone Uke, and it sounded and felt waaay better. So I guess I’ll just work with the Baritone in DGBD and see how it works out. The KB’s fretboard is flat too.

The guy I’m following in Pinterest likes to use FCFC on his baritone Uke. Maybe I’ll try that too.

Thanks for your help.

 

[bunnyf]

I’m using a fairly thick-walled glass slide and it can be a little tinny on the high strings in the TG. I’m thinking of getting one of those temporary nut raisers. Maybe try the kind of bar-style slides and try it on my lap.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Yeah, I’ve seen them too. They look pretty easy to use. I also thought of one to make a cheap change from tenor guitar to Dobro. They use high strings too. I watched a guy do it on the internet.

I have two slides. When I first started I bought a big, clumsy one to use on my ring finger. Then just lately I got one that fits on my pinky and is exactly as wide as a tenor’s neck.

Boy! It just never stops does it . . .

 

[Down Up Dick]

Since I’m not using my Blueridge for slide, I’ve changed it’s tuning to CGBD, and I’m playing Plectrum music. I have a coupla books for tenor banjo. One is Scottish music, and one is classical music. Most of the chords are pretty easy, and I enjoy playing in CGBD.

 

[barnstorm]

Nice to see other folks here enjoying the tenor guitar. It's become my main instrument – in fact all my six-string guitars but one have gone.

Check out John Lawlor if you haven't before – fantastic player.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Nice! Good tunes and well played too. Thanks.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Well, I’ve been trying for quite a while to be able to play by ear WITH CHORDS. I can play melodies, no problem, but I couldn’t figger out how to add chords.

I wanted to play with fifths, because I mostly use ‘em for a lotta other stuff that I play. Besides, I just like to play in fifths. But it was a struggle doing it with chords to play just like any other stringed instrument.

However, yesterday I decided to try it with my DGBE Baritone Uke — and Voila! I worked it out pretty much easy-peasy. So today, I retuned my Kala TG to DGBD and pounded away for about an hour and had a very enjoyable and satisfying session. Finally! Success!

 

[bunnyf]

I just took a guitar I’m not playing much and put on the $5 metal nut raiser and put it in GBDGBD dobro tuning and am playing it lap style. Fun but not as easy as I hoped it would be. It led me to picking up a $200 Recording King lap steel and put it in the same tuning. The electric lap steel is cool. I’m following the dobro course on Peghead Nation, which is very good. Working on Amazing Grace. Too many instruments but I’m a curious person and exploring different instruments is enjoyable and to some degree, helps me better understand all the other ones.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Yeah, bunnyf, I was gonna do that too. I still have the necessary stuff in my Amazon wish list. For me it was a way to get away from chords (but it ain’t - I know). Anyway, I‘ve got too much other stuff to do it right now.

So, do you play Country with it? Bluegrass? How’s the slide work? It looked a little more complicated than a glass slide.

 

[bunnyf]

Yeah, bunnyf, I was gonna do that too. I still have the necessary stuff in my Amazon wish list. For me it was a way to get away from chords (but it ain’t - I know). Anyway, I‘ve got too much other stuff to do it right now.

So, do you play Country with it? Bluegrass? How’s the slide work? It looked a little more complicated than a glass slide.

I actually find the steel(bar) easier to use. It’s heavy and you don’t really need to press down much at all. Ya kinda just lay I it down and it does most of the work for you. You’re supposed to be very relaxed with it. I have the Dunlop “lap dawg” and I use it for both the acoustic and electric. Most people use a bullet shaped one on the lap steel but the dobro one w/ the finger grooves is working fine for me right now.

I have eclectic tastes but these days I play mostly old country, bluegrass and gospel. I’ve always had a fondness for that kinda music. Being Baptist, I‘m pretty rooted in gospel music and at my time in life and being down here in “God’s waiting room”(Florida), it just feels especially right. We have a pretty strong BG community here and faith based music has always been a big part of that.

p.s. Lap steel is obviously also sweet for Hawaiian music and I noodle a little with slack key

 

[Down Up Dick]

Yeah, I play a lot of gospel tunes too. I usta go to a Methodist youth group a long time ago, and playing those songs brings back a lot of good memories. I also play Celtic, old folk and Classical. I play lots of other instruments too. I do like Country/Western, but I don’t care much for Blue Grass.

 

[bunnyf]

DUD I was watching True Grit remake recently and Iris Dement covered “Leaning On the Everlasting Arms”(check it out on YouTub). It was so sweet and poignant. Perfect for slide. My kinda music.

 

[Down Up Dick]

Yeah, I really like Iris Dement. I have some of her CDs. I’ll see if I’ve got it.

I’m not sliding right now. I’ve been working on other stuff.

 

[Down Up Dick]

My Plectrum banjo Scottish book is easier with the TG than it was on my banjo. A lot of the chords are 2 fingered. The classical music book is more difficult, but I’m getting through some of it.

The Dunlop Prime Tone, Triangle 1.4 pick sounds pretty good, but I’m trying out others. I’m enjoying the BR a lot more than I did before

 

[Down Up Dick]

I had a good session on my BR today, and I’ve chosen a coupla picks that sound pretty good to me. I also sent for some more picks to try on my BR and other instruments. I’m liking the Dunlop Triangles and the Standard Nylons lately.

 

[Down Up Dick]

I had a really good session with my Kala today. I’ve been trying to play by ear which is no big deal, except that I wanted to play using chords too. Well, I had a breakthrough today. I played just about anything that I wanted to and added chords. That’s pretty good for me. I’m on my way . . .

 

[fromthee2me]

I see the TG has a guitar humbucker fitted.