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Thread: Parlor tenor ?

  1. #1
    Registered User
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    Default Parlor tenor ?

    I've had a chance to see and hear current issue and vintage Parlor Guitars (6-string). Has anyone, at any time, produced a parlor tenor guitar? 4-string, 5-string, resonator, wood, laminate, old, new, or any other? Am I stuck with a 4-, 5-string electric, sans amp, for practice?

    It looks like the perfect tenor to take to work for practice and whiling away the lonely hours (wow, did I write that?). I work at an extended stay hotel. We only have 80 rooms and half are many-weekly, many-monthly or yearly guests (residents). Other than the occasional Priceline/Hotels.com/Expedia checkin, or new towels/tp/soap requests, I have free time at work. A small, easliy portable tenor would be just the ticket.

    Anyone seen, heard of, know of such a small animal?

    Yes, I've checked Google and its imitators, this Forum, etc. No dice so far for exactly what I want.

    germano
    _____
    Television is very educational. Every time someone turns it on I go to another room and read a book. .....Groucho Marx

  2. #2
    Registered User Martin Jonas's Avatar
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    Default Re: Parlor tenor ?

    The Ozark 3372 (Link) is a small-bodied short-scale tenor and pretty much exactly what you want.

    Martin

  3. #3

    Default Re: Parlor tenor ?

    The original tenors were parlour sized. 1920's Regals, Stellas
    and Martins are about the size of a baritone ukelele. The Regal has a scale of 21inches as compared to 23 which is standard today. The Fletcher tenor guitar is the only currently made small tenor that I know of, and it's pricey. Regals can be found on Ebay pretty regularly for 2 or 3 hundred dollars. I have a spruce and mahogany Regal that I purchased from a local cafe member a few months ago. It's a lovely thing.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Parlor tenor ?

    The original tenors were parlour sized. 1920's Regals, Stellas
    and Martins are about the size of a baritone ukelele. The Regal has a scale of 21inches as compared to 23 which is standard today. The Fletcher tenor guitar is the only currently made small tenor that I know of, and it's pricey. Regals can be found on Ebay pretty regularly for 2 or 3 hundred dollars. I have a spruce and mahogany Regal that I purchased from a local cafe member a few months ago. It's a lovely thing. Oh also the current mini Martin tenor, made of formica is small.

  5. #5
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Parlor tenor ?

    Here is an example of a Martin style 2 tenor.....

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/1929-Martin-...item231b94d20c

    Style 5 tenors show up on ebay with some regularity, as well as regals etc.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  6. #6
    Still learning Taylor and Tenor's Avatar
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    Default Re: Parlor tenor ?

    It is a lot of work but I am in the process of cutting down the width of the neck on an Oscar Schidmt OGHS child 6 string 1/2 size guitar which has 22 inch scale length to make a four string tenor. I had J66 tenor strings on the four inside string positions and it sounded great. It is an easy conversion. You can buy a brand new OGHS for way under a $100.00. It just takes some time power sanding down the neck. Leave the saddle and knock off the edges of the original nut. I've done it a number of times. I have a four electric four string Octave Mandolin made from a kid's size Strat.

    Irish tenor guitar player Gerry McCarty did the same thing to a classical guitar - check out the Youtube posting with him playing the four string

  7. #7
    Unfamous String Buster Beanzy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Parlor tenor ?

    My Martin LXM is really compact but pokes out a ton of sound maybe look at one of those.

    http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/LXMTEN.htm
    Eoin



    "Forget that anyone is listening to you and always listen to yourself" - Fryderyk Chopin

  8. #8
    Registered User SincereCorgi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Parlor tenor ?

    The Fletcher tenors always look quite small and parlor-waisted to me; they might be just the thing (bit expensive, though).

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