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Topic: Tenor Guitars |
Jack Knight
From:
Kealakekua, Hawaii
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 11:41 am |
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I seems that the steel guitar and the ukulele were made to be together. Has anybody had any experience with the tenor guitar. Is it the same "match made in heaven sound" that we look for?
Jack[This message was edited by Jack Knight on 18 December 2005 at 11:41 AM.] |
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John Dahms
From:
Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 11:52 am
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| I think traditionaly tenor guitars (especially resonator type) were used kind of as a tuned drum in the rhythm section. There are no rules, though and if there were being musicians we would break them anyway. I like to fingerpick on tenor guitar with a drone or alternating bass on the lower strings. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 2:52 pm
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| Gee John! i thought I was the only geek to fingerpick tenor guitars and banjos! |
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AJ Azure
From:
Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 5:10 pm
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| tenor guitars were brought about to replace the 4 string tenor banjo and as a way for banjo players to still work within in a growing guitar-centric world. The original tenor banjo, acutlaly known as the tango banjo was created for... you guessed it tango.Which was as much of a craze as Hawaiian music around the same time. |
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Rockne Riddlebarger
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Posted 19 Dec 2005 11:48 am
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| Hey Jack! I have used my tenor guitar a number of times as a ryhthm instrument (in a variety of tunings) behind my steel guitar and dobro recordings and I think it works beautifully. I also use it as a right or left channel instrument against a baritone uke in the other, very cool. Both of these 4 string instruments are also the ultimate chord "checkers", when you reduce the chord to four strings you almost always know if it right or wrong, there's not much in the way to confuse the issue. For some great modern tenor guitar recordings check out TONE POEMS III on Acoustic Disc cd, David Grisman knows how to play those things. |
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Roy Thomson
From:
Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
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Posted 19 Dec 2005 11:58 am
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I had a Gibson Tenor in mint and traded it a few years ago for a single 10 pedal steel.
It was archtop and archback one solid peice on each side and it had a nice soft tone.
I tuned it like a tenor banjo and it was amazing the chords on there. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 19 Dec 2005 12:32 pm
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Why do you think a tenor guitar works well with a lap steel, as opposed to a regular guitar? I can understand the match between lap steel and ukulele since they typically play in different registers or octaves. I'm just curious about the blend between tenor guitar and lap steel. Does the lack of two strings make that big a difference?
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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
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John Bushouse
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Posted 19 Dec 2005 2:03 pm
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The original tenor guitar tuning is CGDA, low to high, with the A being the same pitch as the high A on a uke (or the 5th fret of a standard tuning guitar). All strings are a 5th apart.
The differences from a guitar in standard are two-fold - first, the higher register. Second, as compared to a guitar, the chords on the tenor guitar will have a much wider voicing.
Another way to think about it is that the tenor guitar would have the same tuning as a mandola.[This message was edited by John Bushouse on 19 December 2005 at 02:05 PM.] |
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Pete Grant
From:
Auburn, CA, USA
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Posted 19 Dec 2005 2:49 pm
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| I've been playing tenor guitar in Irish tuning G D A E, like an octave mandolin. I have yet to record it with steel guitar or dobro, but it should be interesting when I do it. I'll keep y'all posted. |
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Howard Tate
From:
Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 20 Dec 2005 7:19 am
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Anyone remember the old Mickey Mouse Club? I believe that Jimmie, the older guy on the show, played some terrific things on the tenor guitar. That's my only experience with one.
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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum SD12U, Carter D10 8/8, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3, DD-3, Fender Steel King, Understanding wife. http://www.Charmedmusic.com
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Rockne Riddlebarger
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Posted 21 Dec 2005 7:53 am
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| Yeah, Jimmy Dodd did play a tenor guitar with Mickey's face painted on the top. Jimmy was also the musical director and music writer for that show. |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Loni Specter
From:
West Hills, CA, USA
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Posted 21 Dec 2005 10:10 am
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I became interested in learning guitar at age 7, when a tenor guitar was featured in the solo of a Lawrence Welk show performance. My father then took me to the local music shop to see about renting a guitar and getting some lessons. So the guy comes out from the back with a little Stella or something and I see it has 6 strings. I told the man that the guitar I wanted to play had only 4 strings, and he told me that was a tenor guitar and they don't make them anymore, so we rented the 6. Of course the action was very high and I hated practicing everyday after school, so half way through Mel Bay book one, I gave it up. I sometimes wonder if I would have stuck with it on a Tenor.
I didn't touch another guitar again till I was 12 or so. I still have never owned a Tenor guitar.  |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 21 Dec 2005 11:00 am
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| By the way, I have a very good friend who's lookin' for a plectrum guitar. So,,,,if anybody has one they wanna sell, let me know. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 21 Dec 2005 11:05 am
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You might have good luck posting in the Wanted to Buy section.
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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
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