#1

I recently (well, yesterday) learned about tenor guitars. Has anyone ever tried one? I am thinking about picking one up because they seem ideal for the ambient style of guitar playing I like. Having a 5ths tuning really makes chords sound more open, and if I got used to playing one I wouldn’t be as confused when I switch between my guitar and mandolin :slight_smile: There’s also a tenor baritone which is very tempting. I’ll also admit that I’m a big Warren Ellis fan, so that may be a bit of a factor…

5 Likes
#2

Been curious about them for a while but I’ve never played one. All-fifths tuning sounds intriguing. Are you aware of any specific recordings one might want to check out?

I’m gathering that the tenor guitar is in a similar pitch range as a standard guitar?

I’m really liking the pitch range of the baritone tenor. Somewhere between bass guitar and standard guitar, if the one video I just watched was any indication.

#3

I own one of these: http://www.acousticmagazine.com/reviews/gear-reviews/vintage-viaten/

Which I bloody love! I play double bass in a folk band, but we often get random tiny gigs (aboard old ships, in tiny folk clubs, in dylan thomas’ old living room)… And for that it’s perfect. I also play bass for some singer-songwriters, and this adds a nice extra dimension to songs that don’t need the low end.

I tune mine GDAD, which is an octave lower than a mandolin (Which I also play a bit of in the folk band), but with a D on the highest pitched string. It gives a great open sound, very mellow, very full, but quite different to a parlour guitar or folk shaped guitar. I definitely recommend open tuning for the instrument as it just sings.

The viaten is amazing bang for buck - I played a few different makes before choosing a “cheap” brand, and this just sings. I’d love a 1930’s Martin tenor, or custom archtop, but for less than the price I charge for a day of studio work, I got an amazing instrument.

Bloody love it.

edit for shameless folk band plug www.captaincat.co.uk

2 Likes
#4

Semi-related: I have a baritone Telecaster that is one of my favorite instruments. I have it tuned B-to-B, and it sounds fantastic running through effects. There’s a nice contrast between the lowered tuning and the jangly Telecaster pickups.

2 Likes
#5

It really is very affordable!

#6

I don’t use my bass and my guitar enough to justify getting another stringed instrument (and I lack space too), but the two things that I’d really like to get at some point are the Eastwood Warren Ellis Tenor Baritone and/or a Bass VI… Both seem to have the good points of both bass and guitar for me. But yeah, maybe when we have a big house or something (not likely to happen while living in Tokyo :slight_smile: ).

I already tuned my guitar in fourths and I like it more than the usual tuning, so a tenor tuned in fifths would probably be a good match for me…

1 Like
#7

i have an eastwood warren ellis with the dual pickups. it’s completely great, by far the best instrument purchase i’ve ever made. (though, i haven’t found personally much use for the humbucker; the blade pickup sounds really good by itself. but i’m not going for twang or jangle.)

tempted to get a second one (or astrojet) to have CGDA and low GDAE on hand. maybe someday.

it seems to be able to take a pretty wide range of gauge / tensions. it shipped in CGDA with 0.09" on the a-string, which was both a little thin sounding and prone to breakage. i took it all up a notch, something like 0.36, 0.26, 0.14, 0.11. i think it could go thicker but a little wary of warping something.

3 Likes
#8

crazy, you mean like jeff martin estilo :slightly_smiling_face:
https://youtu.be/19ZksR3hrTI

http://www.slidingpast.com/FAQ/