Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Martin tenor guitar - with 8 STRINGS !

  1. #1

    Default

    I could be risking a possible personal purchase, but . . . check out a new listing:

    http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/80U-1920.htm

    Just saw this at Elderly. As a guitar and mandolin player, who loves a recently-purchased Martin tenor, this looks kind of interesting [right down to the John Pearce armrest - who would need one on such a small instrument??]. Never seen one like it before . . . !

    Anyone know more about this/care to comment?

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Bangkok, Thailand
    Posts
    656

    Default

    Don't know anything about it...but that would sure be fun to play around with.
    Paul

  3. #3
    8 Fingers, 2 Thumbs Ken Sager's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Burnsville, NC
    Posts
    1,829

    Default

    Why? Why show us things like this? You know we all have too many instruments and dwindling resources and yet we keep drooling over ANYthing remotely interesting?

    I'm so screwed.

    Thanks. Thanks a lot.
    Less talk, more pick.

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Carol Stream IL USA (Chicago area)
    Posts
    3,358

    Default

    In practice, this is a guitar-shaped 'zouk, isn't it?
    Mandolins:
    Mid-mo M11 (#1855)
    Ovation MM68 (#490231)
    New flute CD:
    Wellsprings 2: Joyful!

  5. #5

    Default

    PCy: I'll 2nd that!!
    Ken: I share your pain . . . !!
    glauber: Given the tuning (CGDA), isn't it more like a mandola?

  6. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Carol Stream IL USA (Chicago area)
    Posts
    3,358

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by (scgc.om @ April 18 2005, 14:38)
    glauber: Given the tuning (CGDA), isn't it more like a mandola?
    Tuning-wise, yes, but it seems to have octave courses (judging by string thickness). I didn't see any tuning in the Elderly site, so i thought it was tuned like an octave mandolin (GDAE).



    Mandolins:
    Mid-mo M11 (#1855)
    Ovation MM68 (#490231)
    New flute CD:
    Wellsprings 2: Joyful!

  7. #7

  8. #8
    Registered User JimRichter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Indianapolis IN
    Posts
    1,861
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    The double course Martin tenor may be based on Nick Reynold's O-18 tenor he had converted to an 8 string while playing with the Kingston Trio. #In some of the publicity photos from the late '50's, you'll see Nick w/ a double course 0-18 tenor that he had the Martin company convert from a 4 string to an 8 string. #He didn't do this for any type of mandolin effect--my understanding is that he did that to increase volume. #It's possible that this Martin double course tenor may be have been made toward the end of the folk era due to that influence. #Reynold's tuned his in standard tenor tuning (C-G-D-A).

    I just recently got an 1930 Martin 0-18 tenor that I'm told belonged to Grisman before me. #Fantastic instrument. #

    Jim




  9. #9

    Default

    I just checked Elderly's website . . . . Looks like temptation has passed - the 8 string Martin tenor is no longer listed. Sure sold quickly! [wonder who bought it? anyone here? wonder what it sounds like??!!]

    Feel like I dodged a GAS moment!!

  10. #10
    Café habitué Paul Hostetter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Santa Cruz, California
    Posts
    6,286

    Default

    I have done that conversion on a few Martin tenors, it's a natural. I sure wouldn't liken it to a bouzouki in any sense though. Real bouzoukis have a 26+"scale and are tuned CFAD, a step below a regular guitar's top four strings. Tenor guitars are meant to be tuned way higher: CGDA, the same as a viola or tenor banjo. Most people tune these double-strung things GDAE, an octave below a mandolin, and the proper term would be octave or tenor mandolin.

    .
    ph

    º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º
    Paul Hostetter, luthier
    Santa Cruz, California
    www.lutherie.net

Similar Threads

  1. New martin lxm tenor --- any opinions?
    By JPL in forum Tenor Guitars
    Replies: 8
    Last: Mar-17-2008, 8:51am
  2. Case for small Martin Tenor Guitar needed - ideas?
    By scgc.om in forum Tenor Guitars
    Replies: 14
    Last: Mar-01-2008, 9:23am
  3. New martin tenor
    By Mike Herlihy in forum Tenor Guitars
    Replies: 0
    Last: Feb-25-2008, 2:43pm
  4. Martin tenor guitar
    By Avi Ziv in forum CBOM
    Replies: 12
    Last: Jan-11-2006, 5:03pm
  5. Strings for tenor guitar tuned GDAE
    By Eric F. in forum Equipment
    Replies: 3
    Last: Dec-24-2005, 1:21pm

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •