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Tenor Guitars

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Capo Guy
Posted 2009-01-02 9:38 PM (#435458)
Subject: Tenor Guitars



Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394

Location: East Tennessee
I've been watching some old Kingston Trio videos on youtube and have become interested in the Tenor Guitar Nick Reynolds played.

Is the standard tuning CGDA, or DGBE?

It looks like a fun instrument to play around with.
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cliff
Posted 2009-01-02 9:53 PM (#435459 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars


Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842

Location: NJ
The New Main Street Singers used one in "A Mighty Wind" as well (as did Linsey Buckingham on an album a few years back - album sucked, tho . . .)
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an4340
Posted 2009-01-02 11:02 PM (#435460 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars


Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389

Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands
I don't know what the Kingston's play, but it's modern players use DGBE. Tenors have high overtones, which go well with a deep voice. Same chords as a guitar.
I'd use it as a rythym instrument.

Here's one in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPrGfLBnT-U&feature=related

note the suitcase ... all in all I think in one of my next lives I'd like to be pedal steel player.
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Paul Templeman
Posted 2009-01-03 7:17 AM (#435461 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars


Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750

Location: Scotland
traditional tenor guitar tuning is CGDA, same as tenor banjo. Tuning it DGBE like top 4 of guitar bascally turns it into a steel string baritone Uke, and completely changes the character it. If you really wanted to use DGBE tuning a plectrum guitar would be a better bet as they have a longer scale.

Which reminds me. I've been experimenting with a Baritone uke tuning. I took a high tension classical guitar set and strung my baritone uke with the bottom 4 (EADG) Then tuned it GCEA (using a low G) an octave below soprano uke tuning. Works great and uses the same chord names as the other uke sizes.
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Slowhand77
Posted 2009-01-07 4:14 PM (#435462 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars


Joined:
October 2008
Posts: 8

Location: Tucson, Arizona
I have a 1935 Martin C4. My father bought it in a pawn shop in 1937. According to Martin they only made two tenor guitars. One with D28 style markings and one with the D45 style markings. I have the D45 style. Martin thinks the other was lost in a fire in the 60's and thought this guitar had long since disappeared. Standard tuning is indeed like a tenor banjo.
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stephent28
Posted 2009-01-07 4:46 PM (#435463 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
wow cool story slowhand777. Did they offer to buy it from you for their museum?
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Paul Templeman
Posted 2009-01-07 6:06 PM (#435464 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars


Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750

Location: Scotland
Martin made tenor versions of quite a few of their standard models. Certain styles were in production until the late 70's and while numbers aren't huge total tenor production from the early 30's until now would be a few thousand at least.

Tenors were indicated by a "T" suffix and they were made in several styles including 17, 18 and 21 and 28 usually in smaller body sizes such as 0 or 00 though there were a tiny handful of OM and D's. The "C" prefix would indicate an archtop guitar. Tenors were made in styles C1, C2 and C3. I cannot find any reference anywhere to a C4 model

I checked the Longworth books, which in terms of Martin history are considered pretty accurate and can't find any mention of a Tenor in 45 style regardless of size, though of course it's possible that their records are incomplete.

This is very interseting, you may have something unique, pictures would be good.
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2ifbyC
Posted 2009-01-07 9:33 PM (#435465 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268

Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast
Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
I cannot find any reference anywhere to a C4 model
Would they list 'single' unique units?
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Slowhand77
Posted 2009-01-07 11:52 PM (#435466 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars


Joined:
October 2008
Posts: 8

Location: Tucson, Arizona
oops I can't type. Its a C2. Its an arch top F hole. Actually what they told me is that they only made two arch tops. There were several versions of the flat top. This is a large bodied guitar.
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Paul Templeman
Posted 2009-01-08 5:53 AM (#435467 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars


Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750

Location: Scotland
Originally posted by 2ifbyC:
Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
I cannot find any reference anywhere to a C4 model
Would they list 'single' unique units?
Yes, Martin's record keeping, unlike many other guitar companies was extensive, accurate and has been widely published. A model C4 apparently does not exist.
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Paul Templeman
Posted 2009-01-08 5:56 AM (#435468 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars


Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750

Location: Scotland
Originally posted by Slowhand77:
oops I can't type. Its a C2. Its an arch top F hole. Actually what they told me is that they only made two arch tops. There were several versions of the flat top. This is a large bodied guitar.
According to published production totals they did indeed make only 2 C-2T's with f-holes. One 1n 1934 and the other in 36. Between '33 and 38 they made 15 round hole C-2T's. So production total for the C-2T was 17, only 2 of which were f-hole, the rest were round hole.

As for body size and style the C2 corresponds to 000 size and was based on style 28. So it would appear that you have the only surviving example of an f-hole C2 Tenor. If it has 45-style appointments then it's rarer still. Very nice. pics?
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Slowhand77
Posted 2009-01-08 8:00 AM (#435469 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars


Joined:
October 2008
Posts: 8

Location: Tucson, Arizona
Yes I have pictures if I can figure out how to post them.
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Paul Templeman
Posted 2009-01-08 8:06 AM (#435470 - in reply to #435458)
Subject: Re: Tenor Guitars


Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 5750

Location: Scotland
Here's a pic of the archtop roundhole version

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