Cool instrument combo

[doanepoole]

Just got back from a cool little jam at a friend of a friends house. I was introduced to this guy through a clawhammer buddy of mine. He was a guitar picker, and I brought my old Gibson, and we all sat around and picked for a couple hours. The banjo picker had to go, and I stuck around to pick some tunes.

The guy was pickin a nice sounding Carvin flattop, but after the banjo player he brought out this tiny little Martin to see how it sounded with my Gibson. I mean this thing was tiny. It was a 15-style Martin with the mahogany top, but looked about half-size. I found out when I got home it is called a Terz, but I thought he was sayin "Terd" and I didn't want to be rude so I just kept my mouth shut.

Anyhow, the sound of an old Gibson A with this little guit-box was really, really cool. They complimented eachother great because both sounded real warm and we could relax a bit...no problem at all with being heard for either of us. We were pickin through some Carter style stuff and some slower fiddle tunes ala Liberty, Bonapartes Retreat and some other common ones.

This guy new alot of Celtic stuff. I'm hopin to convince him to pick some more, teach me some tunes, I can teach him some, and see if we can't get some small duo gigs to see how it works. Always good to make a new pickin buddy, especially one who understands volume dynamics, and has an instrument that does the same.

[Eugene]

Very nice! I wish I'd been there to hear. There was a great deal of great classical music, including one of the Giuliani concertos, written for terz guitar at about the time C.F. Martin was setting up his shop in NY. Terz means "third," so named because these were built to be tuned a minor third above guitar: low to high G, c, f, b-flat, d', g'.

[duuuude]

I found out when I got home it is called a Terz, but I thought he was sayin "Terd" and I didn't want to be rude so I just kept my mouth shut.

Dontcha hate when that happens?

[Rex]

Martin made a little guitar like instrument called a tiple also. An old fellow here in St. Louis used to play one.
Another interesting combo is mandolin and a free reed instrument like button accordian or concertina. Of course you have the same problem as playing with a banjo, the other guy has to watch his volume, but done right it sounds great on old time or celtic stuff.

[plunkett5]

Rex- I have to agree about mando/concertina. One of my favorite combos for Irish music. The sparkle that the mandolin adds to the reed sound is the best, plus the different attacks really compliment each other. I play ,mandolin, tenor banjo and guitar with a fellow that plays flute, mandolin, concertina and guitar, so the sonic possibilities are legion, but nothing beats a set of jigs on mandolin and concertina.