New Harmony Tenor Day - string question

[fox]

I tend to stick to CGDA on my shorter scale tenors (20" & 21") & use GDAE on my bigger body tenors like the blueridge & the harmony, I even have a huge 6 string Dreadnought body with a 23" scale tenor neck fitted.
I find the bigger body volume makes better use of the G string but to be honest the harmony is a show piece for me.
I am not sure how a 25" scale would work with GDAE certainly would not work with CGDA as there are no commercial string to get the A.
The great John Lawlor uses a standard 6 sting guitar with a cut down neck but he uses different tuning in F I think?
Here he is .... http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ould-be-played

[Verne Andru]

I listened to your sound check, you obviously have talent but my best advice would be to keep an eye out for a Blueridge BR40 as that will blow you away compared to the harmony

Thanks and I will. Problem I have is there are virtually no tenors of any type here! The fact this one showed up and I was able to snag it is very rare. I ordered an Ibanez last year and finally cancelled after a 9 month backorder. And that was through Music123. I'm interested in the Kala - shorter scale appeals to me - but just heard from our version of Guitar Center [country's largest chain] that they don't stock the Kala so it needs to be special ordered, then it's a 5 week plus delivery time. The Harmony will do for now.

This is the one I'd really like to get my hands on



http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/018TE40.htm

[Chip Stewart]

Thanks and I will. Problem I have is there are virtually no tenors of any type here! The fact this one showed up and I was able to snag it is very rare. I ordered an Ibanez last year and finally cancelled after a 9 month backorder. And that was through Music123. I'm interested in the Kala - shorter scale appeals to me - but just heard from our version of Guitar Center [country's largest chain] that they don't stock the Kala so it needs to be special ordered, then it's a 5 week plus delivery time. The Harmony will do for now.

This is the one I'd really like to get my hands on



http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/018TE40.htm

A Martin O-18T is my holy grail of tenor guitars. Unfortunately, a used Martin O-18T in good condition will sell for $3000. That's way out of my price range. The Blueridge tenor guitars are affordable Martin O-18T clones. I love my Blueridge BR-60T, but if I ever win the lottery I'm buying a Martin O-18T.

[Verne Andru]

A Martin O-18T is my holy grail of tenor guitars. Unfortunately, a used Martin O-18T in good condition will sell for $3000.

That's cheap. That Martin was selling for around $4000 when I looked a week or so ago. Must have just sold since.

This Collings is super sweet as well:


http://www.collingsguitars.com/Instruments/?ID=90

After those 2, everything is a Harmony!

[Verne Andru]

Restrung her to:

C - .36
G - .24
D - .15
A - .10

She's much happier and balanced this way - thanks a ton for the input, folks!

I did a bit of nut work and, yes, it is a bone nut. I doubt Harmony would have used bone on department store guitars so I'm leaning toward a pro working on her in the past. Solid, resonant voice that just sings!

When I was in my guitar store getting the strings the manager came over - he was the one who told me about not being able to get the Kala yesterday - with a small-ish guitar case saying he wanted to show me something. Inside was this sweet little Martin tenor! Sounded great. Felt like a much smaller scale than the Harmony - maybe 19"? It was one of the small, mahogany ones. I am tempted [I think that was the point] but it is quite "used" and doesn't come cheap.

I did notice a distinct difference in tone between the Martin and the Harmony. The Martin sounds like a very sweet flat-top with a round sound-hole and the Harmony sounds like a very sweet archtop with f-holes. I think some people expect an archtop to sound like a flattop, but they are very different. Their build's are completely different and the mechanism for activating the sound board is very different. All things considered, the Harmony sounds as I expected a tenor archtop to sound.

But I do thing I got very lucky and stumbled into a really nice one in great repair and condition.

[fox]

I think the Martin T15 & T17 are the all solid mahogany models made from the 1930s until the 60s, some have a short 21" scale.
However I have read that the mahogany models can be quite subtle and quiet players.
I have also read, that none of the vintage Martins should be bought for their sound alone as most modern tenors are equally as good if not quite a lot better sounding!

I have been after a Vintage Martin for the last year, especially the T17, as I like the mellow hardwood sound & I have plenty of loud tenors anyway.
They don't come up very often where I live and are crazy prices when they do!

[bruce.b]

For me, if I was interested in a flat top tenor, I'd get the new Collings over a vintage Martin. IMO it's much nicer than an O-18T. Higher quality build, better neck playability and sounds better. If I ever did this I'd see if I could get them to build me one with a shorter scale, 21 to 22 inches.

I'm more interested in archtop tenors and am perfectly content with my Herb Taylor. So much so that when I get another tenor it will be a custom one from Herb. Probably this spring sometime?

[Verne Andru]

I thought he said the Martin was a T10, but I wasn't paying very close attention to anything other than the guitar.

I do like the shorter scale as some mandolin fingering is a real stretch on a 23" neck. The new Kala is 21" and I'd like to give it a go.

When we start talking about the kind of money Collings want's we're into the realm of custom builders. Shelly Parks is in my city and if I could get a 21" Selmer-style from her for the same money, I'd probably go that way.

Unless I could find one of these...



I found some old Harmony catalogs and this is what Harmony had to say:

Famous Harmony Monterey Leader & Monterey Tenor Guitar

Slim-Thin Uniform Feel Steel Reinforced Necks

Know everywhere for it's dependability, attractive color, finish and value. Has given satisfaction and pleasure to thousands of players. Auditorium size 15 3/4 x 40 in., made of carefully selected hardwoods [birch]. Arched top and back. Edges are celluloid bound. Ovalled ebonized fingerboard has bone nut and position markers. Adjustable ebonized bridge permits variation of string height. Celluloid pickguard. Nickel plated tailpiece. Black polished finish with contrasting grained reddish highlights. 4 string model similar in quality and beauty to No 950. Same dependable construction and finish. Plays easily, has pleasing tone.

Favorites for use in jazz groups and recommended by guitar teachers for students, these Auditorium size models are built with the traditional curved contour tops and backs, and violin-type f-holes, or sound holes.

Features of all models are the Sim-Thin neck reinforced with a rigid steel bar, ovalled hard maple fingerboard, white bone nut, adjustable bridge, bracket-mounted pickguard.

Over the years the prices were listed as $47.50, $54.50 & $69.50.