Listing of Tenor Guitar Builders

[Ed Goist]

Since there really is no good, comprehensive list of currently active tenor guitar builders, I'm starting this thread as a place for us to pool our collective information, and create one. Below is what I've come up with so far.

Active Tenor Guitar Builders
Aria
Bowerman Guitars
Ian Chisholm (UK)
Breedlove
DarkStar Guitars (electric only)
Earnest Instruments
Eastwood (electric only)
Egan Custom Guitars
Evergreen Mountain Instruments
Fletcher Tenor guitars
Gold Tone
Lark in the Morning
Martin Custom Shop (?)
National (resonator only - custom order only)
David Newton Guitars
Ozark (UK)
Republic (resonator only [model T49])
Soares'y Guitars
Zither Music Co. (electric only)

[Jacob]

Blueridge (Saga)

[mrmando]

I have a Kevin Schwab tenor, so I guess he can go on the list.

I've seen tenors by both Webber Guitars and Paul Doyle. Paul Lestock of Arrow Guitars is making some beautiful ones. Andrew Jerman is getting started on some tenors ... I've begun discussing a custom build with him.

The Bowermans are really nice instruments.

Who's the fellow on Vancouver Island who posted some good-looking tenors the other day?

There's always this, but it doesn't seem to be updated often:
http://tenorguitar.com/build.html

You'll get more names if you post over on the Tenor Guitar Registry.

[Ed Goist]

Blueridge (Saga)

Classic...I OWN a Blueridge tenor (which I absolutely LOVE) and somehow I forgot to list them!

[Ed Goist]

...snip...
Who's the fellow on Vancouver Island who posted some good-looking tenors the other day?

Martin, that's (Joe) Egan Custom Guitars.
Thanks for the info on the other builders, I'll add them.

[Beanzy]

Bryn Munford in Aldershot England.

[Ed Goist]

Updated List:
(I'm assuming that Kevin Schwab builds electrics only?)

Active Tenor Guitar Builders
Aria
Arrow Guitars (Paul Lestock)
Blueridge
Bowerman Guitars
Ian Chisholm (UK)
Breedlove
DarkStar Guitars (electric only)
Paul Doyle
Earnest Instruments
Eastwood (electric only)
Egan Custom Guitars
Evergreen Mountain Instruments
Fletcher Tenor guitars
Max Girouard - NEW (electric only - first under construction )
Gold Tone
Andrew Jerman - NEW
Lark in the Morning
Martin Custom Shop (?)
Bryn Munford (UK - Aldershot, England)
National (resonator only - custom order only)
David Newton Guitars
Ozark (UK)
Republic (resonator only [model T49])
Kevin Schwab (electric only)
Soares'y Guitars
Webber Guitars
Zither Music Co. (electric only)

[DonJ]

Fletcher instruments, David Cavins

Updated List:
(I'm assuming that Kevin Schwab builds electrics only?)

Active Tenor Guitar Builders
Aria
Arrow Guitars (Paul Lestock)
Blueridge
Bowerman Guitars
Ian Chisholm (UK)
Breedlove
DarkStar Guitars (electric only)
Paul Doyle
Earnest Instruments
Eastwood (electric only)
Egan Custom Guitars
Evergreen Mountain Instruments
Fletcher Tenor guitars
Max Girouard - NEW (electric only - first under construction )
Gold Tone
Andrew Jerman - NEW
Lark in the Morning
Martin Custom Shop (?)
Bryn Munford (UK - Aldershot, England)
National (resonator only - custom order only)
David Newton Guitars
Ozark (UK)
Republic (resonator only [model T49])
Kevin Schwab (electric only)
Soares'y Guitars
Webber Guitars
Zither Music Co. (electric only)

[Eddie Sheehy]

G.D. Armstrong

[Seonachan]

Almuse
Jupiter Creek
(both electric only)

I don't know if you want to count this, but Bob McNally makes a 4-string chromatic version of his Strumstick. He doesn't call it a tenor guitar, but that's what it is really. A very, very skinny travel tenor.

[Jim Garber]

There is a list on tenorguitar.com but it seems to be woefully out of date and not complete.

[Ed Goist]

There is a list on tenorguitar.com but it seems to be woefully out of date and not complete.

I've posted this over on the Yahoo Tenor Guitar Registry as well, and pursuant to that post, the folks from tenorguitar.com have indicated that they will be posting the list we construct here as their official list.

So, below is the 'up to the minute' list, as updated here and by the members of the Tenor Guitar Registry. Oh, and for builders with one location, I have included that location if I could determine it.

Sorry, I haven't taken the time to list the websites, but by searching a builder's name, location, and the phrase "tenor guitar" that should pop right up on Google, with a couple of notable exceptions (one of the builders listed here apparently does not own a computer...I like him already! )

Active Tenor Guitar Builders
Almuse (UK electric only)
Aria
G.D. Armstrong (Oregon)
Arrow Guitars (Paul Lestock)
Benedetto Guitars - NEW (Georgia)
Blueridge
Jamie Boss, Hot Strings Guitars (Connecticut)
Bowerman Guitars (Oregon)
Ian Chisholm (UK)
Breedlove (Oregon)
(David) Cavins Guitars (Missouri)
DarkStar Guitars (Kansas electric only)
Paul Doyle
Earnest Instruments (Maine)
Eastwood (electric only)
Egan Custom Guitars (British Columbia)
Evergreen Mountain Instruments (Oregon)
Wayne Fairchild (Michigan)
Fletcher Instruments (New York)
Fylde Guitars (UK)
(Max) Girouard Mandolins - NEW (New Hampshire electric only - 1st under construction as on May 2012)
Gold Tone
Andrew Jerman - NEW (Indiana electric only)
Jupiter Creek Music (Australia electric only)
Lark in the Morning
Martin Custom Shop (?) (Pennsylvania)
Bob McNally (travel tenor only)
Ron Melnechenko (Vancouver)
Vinnie Mondello (Texas)
Bryn Munford (UK - Aldershot, England)
National (resonator only - custom order only)
David Newton Guitars (Texas)
Ozark (UK)
Republic (resonator only [model T49])
Kevin Schwab (Minnesota electric only)
Sea to Sky (Vancouver travel tenor only)
Shelley Park (Vancouver)
Soares'y Guitars (New York)
Webber Guitars (Brittish Columbia)
Zither Music Co. (Texas electric only)

[Ed Goist]

Well, I sent a Facebook message to Andy Manson Custom Guitars in Espinho, Portugal to ask if he builds tenors so I could add him to our list if he does.

In reply, I got a definitive "yes", along with a link to an absolutely incredible album of photos of Andy's recent build of a matching pair of guitars (one 6-string & one tenor) for Edward Lugsdin. Here's the link to the entire album for the two builds.

Also, since this photo album is a Facebook album, one might need to be a follower of Andy's on FB to see it, so I'm also attaching several of the more amazing pics to this post.

Well, I think this qualifies Andy as a builder of tenors...What do you think?

[Ed Goist]

Updated 27 May 2012

Active Tenor Guitar Builders
Almuse [Pete Mallinson] (UK electric only)
Amistar (Czech Republic resonator only)
Aria
G.D. Armstrong (Oregon)
Arrow Guitars [Paul Lestock] (Oregon)
(Greg) Beeton Guitars (Australia resonator only)
Benedetto Guitars - NEW (Georgia)
Blueridge
Jamie Boss, Hot Strings Guitars (Connecticut)
Bowerman Guitars (Oregon)
Ian Chisholm (UK)
Breedlove (Oregon)
(David) Cavins Guitars (Missouri)
DarkStar Guitars (Kansas electric only)
Paul Doyle Instruments (Galway, Ireland)
Earnest Instruments [Joel Eckhaus] (Maine)
Eastwood (electric only)
(Joe) Egan Custom Guitars (British Columbia)
Evergreen Mountain Instruments (Oregon)
Wayne Fairchild (Michigan)
Fletcher Instruments (New York)
Fylde Guitars (UK)
(Max) Girouard Mandolins - NEW (New Hampshire electric only - 1st under construction as on May 2012)
Gold Tone
Andrew Jerman - NEW (Indiana electric only)
Jupiter Creek Music (Australia electric only)
Lark in the Morning
Andy Manson Custom Guitars (Portugal)
Martin Custom Shop (?) (Pennsylvania)
Bob McNally, Strumstick (New Jersey travel tenor only)
Ron Melnechenko (Vancouver)
Vinnie Mondello (Texas)
Bryn Munford (UK - Aldershot, England)
National (California resonator only - custom order only)
David Newton Guitars (Texas)
Ozark (UK)
Republic (resonator only [model T49])
Kevin Schwab (Minnesota electric only)
Sea to Sky (Vancouver travel tenor only)
Shelley Park (Vancouver)
Soares'y Guitars (New York)
(Steve) Sorensen Mandolin & Guitar Co. - NEW (California)
Bill Styler (Priest River, Idaho)
Webber Guitars (Brittish Columbia)
Zither Music Co. (Texas electric only)

[Oggy]

I own a wonderful tenor guitar built by David Sundberg, Sweden, as seen in this thread.

And I know of two other Swedish luthiers that has built tenor guitars...

Tyko Runesson (though living i Switzerland) and Lars Tholstrup Rasmussen.

[Charles E.]

Ed, thanks for starting this list. Breedlove, however does not make a tenor guitar. They make a long scale four string instrument.

[dodomonk]

Colin Kendall of Bury, Greater Manchester UK builds a tenor guitar. I bought a tear drop mandolin of his second hand last year a beautiful sounding instrument, shame the players not up to par, gotta keep practicing.

[mrmando]

Elloree Guitars (Rick Felkel) in West Monroe, La., has built at least one tenor.

There's a pawn shop in Auburn, WA (south of Seattle) claiming to have a plectrum guitar by Randy Wood. I don't know if Randy ever did a tenor, though.

You'll have lots of fun when you start a list of tenor builders who are no longer with us. Steve Parks and D.W. Stevens come to mind.

[Ed Goist]

Updated 1 June 2012

Active Tenor Guitar Builders
Almuse [Pete Mallinson] (UK electric only)
Amistar (Czech Republic resonator only)
Aria
G.D. Armstrong (Oregon)
Arrow Guitars [Paul Lestock] (Oregon)
(Greg) Beeton Guitars (Australia resonator only)
Benedetto Guitars - NEW (Georgia)
Blueridge
Jamie Boss, Hot Strings Guitars (Connecticut)
Bowerman Guitars (Oregon)
Ian Chisholm (UK)
Breedlove (Oregon)
(David) Cavins Guitars (Missouri)
DarkStar Guitars (Kansas electric only)
Paul Doyle Instruments (Galway, Ireland)
Earnest Instruments [Joel Eckhaus] (Maine)
Eastwood (electric only)
(Joe) Egan Custom Guitars (British Columbia)
Elloree Guitars [Rick Felkel] (Louisiana)
Evergreen Mountain Instruments (Oregon)
Wayne Fairchild (Michigan)
Fletcher Instruments (New York)
Fylde Guitars (UK)
(Max) Girouard Mandolins - NEW (New Hampshire electric only - 1st under construction as on May 2012)
Gold Tone
Andrew Jerman - NEW (Indiana electric only)
Jupiter Creek Music (Australia electric only)
Colin Kendall (Manchester, UK)
Lark in the Morning
Andy Manson Custom Guitars (Portugal)
Martin Custom Shop (Pennsylvania, contact an authorized Martin dealer for info on pricing and delivery time.)
Bob McNally, Strumstick (New Jersey travel tenor only)
Ron Melnechenko (Vancouver)
Vinnie Mondello (Texas)
Bryn Munford (UK - Aldershot, England)
National (California resonator only - custom order only)
David Newton Guitars (Texas)
Ozark (UK)
(Lars Tholstrup) Rasmussen Guitars (Sweden)
Republic (resonator only [model T49])
(Tyko) Runesson Guitars (Switzerland)
Kevin Schwab (Minnesota electric only)
Sea to Sky (Vancouver travel tenor only)
Shelley Park (Vancouver Selmer Style only)
Soares'y Guitars (New York)
(Steve) Sorensen Mandolin & Guitar Co. - NEW (California)
Bill Styler (Priest River, Idaho)
(David) Sundberg Guitars (Sweden)
Webber Guitars (Brittish Columbia)
Bruce Wei Guitars (Vietnam)
Zither Music Co. (Texas electric only)

[icuker]

Enough already! I can't be wasting my whole day at work looking all these up!

[mrmando]

Ed, thanks for starting this list. Breedlove, however does not make a tenor guitar. They make a long scale four string instrument.

Breedlove has in fact made tenor guitars. Don't know if they still do. Bowerman, who's an independent luthier now, worked on tenors when he was at Breedlove.

I met G.D. Armstrong at the Tenor Guitar Gathering and he told me John Sullivan made four tenors. 'Twould be fun to get hold of one of those.

[delsbrother]

Breedlove has in fact made tenor guitars.

Considering the wacky things they've made over the years, it doesn't surprise me, but it would be neat to see one of those.

I wonder if the Sullivan was an archtop or flattop.

[Seonachan]

Considering the wacky things they've made over the years, it doesn't surprise me, but it would be neat to see one of those.

http://www.elderly.com/new_instrumen...-cas--BFRT.htm

[mrmando]

I wonder if the Sullivan was an archtop or flattop.

At least some of them were archtops according to what G.D. told me. I am not clear on whether he meant to say that all four of them were.

[delsbrother]

http://www.elderly.com/new_instrumen...-cas--BFRT.htm

That, I believe, is the long scale version that many tenor players consider a plectrum guitar. I'm envisoning something in the 20" scale range, meant to be CGDA tuned. Maybe O-18T-ish?