Tenor Guitar

[tiltman]

MAS sometimes spills over into other areas.
Just got a tenor guitar.
Now I need to learn how to play it.
Any ideas? Tips? Resources?
Kirk

[unclelee]

I own and play Tenor Guitars tuned to standard guitar tuning D G B E-----E being the high note. YOU may want to tune it to Tenor Banjo tuning C G D A then you may use Your mandolin skills playing it. You use the same cord paterns as the mandolin, they are just called different. I enjoy taking turns between it and my mandolin. Have fun

[Bill Snyder]

You can get some information on tenor guitars here. (http://www.tenorguitar.com/)

[delsbrother]

Join the Tenor Guitar Registry Yahoo group. Lots of cross-pollination between here and there, for the reasons unclelee listed above..

[delsbrother]

Jinx! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Pete Martin]

Get a Martin O-18T, most serious players eventually get one of these. The best are from the 30's thru the 50's. Tune it CGDA, a way more versatile tuning than the top 4 of a standard guitar. You can't play "chop" type mando chords on it, but that is not the instruments strength anyway. It is a great instrument for many kinds of music. The O-18Ts have great sustain and warmth.

Best of luck.

[danb]

I tune mine (a resonator tenor) GDAE Irish tenor banjo style. Works exceptionally well as an octave mandolin.. There is a long tradition of Irish players tuning the CGDA tenors to GDAE with different string gauges, usually an adjustment to the nut and bridge slots as well.

[Peter Mix]

Hi, My name is Peter and I am a tenor-holic. I cannot think of a tenor I've met that I didn't love and I have several that I love dearly, especially my Le Domino. Pete Martin mentions the Martin O-18T and they are lovely indeed. The Martin R-18 is peachy, too, with an archtop and flat back. Elderly has (or recently had) one. They aren't cheap, but they are grand instruments.
I strongly favor tuning them GDAE- octave mando-style. That way I don't have to think too hard. While I like round-hole tenors a good deal, I do find f-hole archtop tenors more satisfying in general to my ears, better able to cut through and to be heard in choro, swing, gypsy jazz, celtic, classical...pretty much any application suits a tenor, though bluegrass could pose a challenge.
Don't try chop chords on a tenor unless you have very large hands like Mike Marshall. Learn chords! Buy a Real Book and go through it. It's an excellent way to learn and to open the ears. Choro and tenor guitars are a magical combination!
my $.02, Peter Mix

[JimD]

I have mine tuned CGDA and finger it like a tenor banjo. This is great for mandocello players as well (in this case it is an octave higher).

The chord fingerings can be quite comfortable (get a tenor banjo method or chord book).

It may be enlightening to some to try those fingerings on the mando as well -- they may be quite different from those you already use.

[GVD]

After watching Peter play Le Domino I recommend wearing red shoes whilst playing your tenor. Even if you don't sound as good as him at least you'll look good! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

GVD

[tiltman]

Thanks for all of the tips. (esp. the red shoes?)
Glad to know I'm not the only one out there.
I've got a tenor banjo chord book - probably a good place to start.
Thanks again,
Kirk

[delsbrother]

Hi Peter -

Could you advise on playing tenor in a Gypsy Swing context? I have a David Hodson EFS (CgDa, long scale) and have been trying to find the "right" chord voicings for that music while trying to stick with Eddie's tuning.. Maybe a losing cause, but fun, anyway. Do you play mostly chord melody type stuff, or do you venture into single note Django-y solos too? When playing rhythm, are you using all 4 strings, or just three note shapes? The reentrant EFS tuning makes "standard" four-sting tenor banjo barre chords sound very.. Je ne sais quoi.. Gadjo? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

I'm also thinking about going with an OM for Gypsy stuff, GDAE - which do you (or Dan, or anybody) prefer for swing rhythm playing: OM or tenor?

Darrell

ps I try to wear my Fluevogs when playing my EFS. It helps. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[acousticphd]

Glad to know I'm not the only one out there.

I'm another one! I have two, a '41 Harmony flattop (actually does sound pretty good) and a '62 Harmony archtop that I will eventually convert to an octave. So far all I've accomplished is filling the old tuner holes. Combined cost of <$200.

While you can certainly tune it like the top 4 strings of a 6-string guitar (but why?), I agree with the other comments that you have a different and unique instrument when you tune it higher, either in 5ths (CGDA, like a mandola or "true" tenor tuning), or perhaps another "Celtic" tuning to take advantage of the sound of open chords. Something I do is to tune my 4-string a step lower, to Bb - F - C - G , and use a capo at the 2nd fret (or the fourth fret, for other keys like A) - this shortens up the scale and makes fingerings and melody picking a little easier.

[Richard Singleton]

I've been playing my ebay Stella by Harmony 50's or 60's tenor for a year now. I keep it CGDA or sometimes CGDG, which gives a good zookish/dulcimer like sound and sounds good for Celtic and folk tunes. I'm reluctant to try octave strings on it, will save that if I can ever afford a Martin tenor.

[Bob DeVellis]

I had my 0-17T tuned GDAE for quite a while but the intonation never sounded quite right. Double-stops didn't have that sweet sound. Different strings never quite seemed to do the trick. When I went to CGDA and standard tenor guitar strings, I was amazed at how much more accurately everything intonated. It's possible that the larger strings were sitting too high in the nut and saddle grooves, I suppose, but since I virtually never play this instrument with others, the CGDA doesn't really have a down side and it's clear to my ear that the instrument was built with that tuning in mind. Your milage may vary.

[danb]

Sounds like you've diagnosed it Bob.. I had to make the nut slots bigger for the G&D to fit. Intonation wise, for some reason the flat bridge on my tenor guitar still works ok without compensations, same the tenor banjo? Maybe my ear isn't quite as sensitive, or maybe I don't go up the neck enough to notice it

[Peter Mix]

My approach to gypsy jazz is first to try to get the feel of the Le Pompe, the rhymthic engine that drives the music. It's deceptively simple and requires real restraint (on my part, at least) so as not to overplay and muddy the pulse. It's very much a work in progress for me.
# I prefer chord shapes that utilize all four strings, but there are exceptions, of course. Voicings that work well on mandolin, for instance, often don't work as well on a tenor or an octave instrument. Using Lady Be Good as an example, the first measure consists of four beats of G6 and one voicing is 4-2-5-3 (fret numbers on G-D-A-E respectively). Another is simply 0-0-2-0. The open G-string may or may not sound right depending on the instrument or the tune, so to add variety and motion, try 9-5-5-7 and 9-9-10-10...find other voicings that suit your ear and fingers as well.
# As a recovering guitarist, I'm comfortable playing melodies on the tenor as well, but comfort doesn't necessarily translate into sounding authentic, so I'm constantly working on it. Chord-melodies are great fun on the tenor and I spend a lot of time pursuing that approach. #
# # As well, I love playing choro on the tenor and I will admit the melody lines can be daunting due to the chromatic nature of so many choro melodies and the stretches involved. Rhythmic support in choro is HUGE FUN! There is room for lots of motion from chord to chord with bass runs to tie them together and support the melody. It's quite intoxicating. Again, you need to learn lots of chord shapes and will frequently have to edit chords to suit the instrument in hand. You just can't add all of those chord colors that are written in when you have only 4 notes to work with, so you need to be judicious and creative.
# #In any event, the melody instrument is likely to play the colors that will be hard to grab quickly in the context of major or minor 6th, 7th or 9th chords, etc, so I don't worry about those unless I have to.
# # I'm very fortunate to be able to play regularly and often with Will Patton who is a chord monster. I hope he gets his chord book out one of these days as it will be a huge benefit to mandolinists of all kinds. When in doubt, I just ask Will and he's always got something delicious to recommend.
# #Interestingly, Will much prefers octave mandolin with 8 strings to a tenor guitar tuned as an octave. They are quite different instruments with very different characters that often require different chord choices, but this is great fun.
# # If you're looking for something specific to work on, I highly recommend JohnMcGann's Octave Mandolin book as a resource.

It's not really a tenor guitar, but sometimes I switch the strings on my regular guitar around and make a modified version with 5 strings, tuned to like an octave mandola/mandolin at CGDAE. Highly recommended for good times if you don't want to buy a whole new instrument. I think several of the tenor guitars out there are just slightly modified guitars anyways.

[delsbrother]

Thanks for those suggestions, Peter!


As well, I love playing choro on the tenor and I will admit the melody lines can be daunting due to the chromatic nature of so many choro melodies and the stretches involved. Rhythmic support in choro is HUGE FUN!

Are you familiar with the Brazilian Violao Tenor (apparently nylon strung) and its role in Choro, if any? I've seen a lot of pictures of very interesting ones - including resophonic Del Vecchios - being used in Samba bands. I wonder if the playing techniques are the same, or if they're played more like regular guitars (i.e. fingerstyle).



Interestingly, Will much prefers octave mandolin with 8 strings to a tenor guitar tuned as an octave. They are quite different instruments with very different characters that often require different chord choices, but this is great fun.

Hmmm.. That is interesting. OMAS is certainly raging right now..

Darrell

[billkilpatrick]

according to information supplied on this site:

http://www.rycooder.nl/pages/tunings.htm

an alternate tenor tuning is g-c-e-a (bass to treble) or re-entrant, ukulele tuning.

i know what it would sound like on a uke and it's 4/5ths of the tuning i use on my charango but is anyone familiar with this? are there tabs in this tuning? exercises? ... do tell.

regards - bill

[mandolooter]

I have a all mahogany 32 Gibson Plectrum guitar and tune it GDAE, and it just roars in that tuning. I had to do some a little set-up work on it for intonation purposes...mostly on the G string by compensating the saddle. With the 26 3/8ths scale length getting around on it chord wise can be a stretch (no pun...ok it was) but melodies are a charm. It has a BIG sound to go along with its big size! I tryed tuning my Regal tenor as such but it was meant for CGDA to my ears or my string gauge choices were bunk. Im a total tenor-holic like Peter, just not near as talented. I currently spend at least 60% of my time on the tenors and probably would spend more if it weren't for my love of bluegrass. (and mando's of course) As a sidenote and all interested parties take note...the Regal with its X braced top scheme and 23" scale is louder and sounds better than a LOT of the older Martins and Gibsons which sell for double or triple or more! Thats not just my biased opinion either. I have a few of the others also along with some other interesting tenors and it stands out in the crowd. Every tenor nut I let touch it goes WOW as I did when I got it. Here's some pic's of the 2 for size comparisons. The deep body on the Gibson Plectrum adds a lot to the tone and volume it pulls but the little Regal holds it's own no problem with the extra string tension helping. My guess on that one folks...

[mandolooter]

Altho they don't appear to be in the photo, the bridges are lined up to show the size difference. here's a different view

[mandolooter]

one more for the road...

[mandolooter]

A future favorite when i finish repairing it...Kalamazoo from mid 30's or so. I can't wait to hear this baby strung up. What ya can't see is the 4 piece(s) back. On the positive side the neck angle is good so no reset needed.

[mandolooter]

ok I got the camera out so here's the rest of em...1st up, a Roy Smeck Vita Tenor and 42 0-17T Martin
Not quite F holes...but weird as it looks its one of the best sounding ones of the lot. The baby seal holes give it a little more cut in the mix and the deep body helps. Altho the pic's don't show it this thing has a curly spruce top to go with the super curly mahogany sides and back. A Ebay score, I regretted the money spent till it arrived and i strung it up...it's a total keeper! (shouldn't they all be?)

[mandolooter]

2 Bacon Banjo Co. "Senorita" tenors 32 & 34, and a 33 Gibson TG-1
The 1932 (bottom one) is near mint. They both sound strikingly similar, no big surprise I guess.

[mandolooter]

1950 L-50 sized tenor

[mandolooter]

ooops...didn't mean to hijack the thread so here's a tip to help get ya started.
This movable chord shape is easy to make and move around and by lifting your pinky and planting your middle finger the 7th is made. (RE next post) By moving the whole thing up & down a string like a chop chord and ya have quite a few of the basic 3 chord songs covered with ease. From there it starts to require a lot more thought but experimenting with different shapes and the sounds they produce is fun and rewarding. Im gonna get the book Peter Mix mentioned. he's the 2nd person to recommend it to me. They are big fun whatever ya do!

[mandolooter]

hard to photo your own hand...

[delsbrother]

As far as I'm concerned, TAKE ME TO CUBA BABY! Great photos! I love those Vita instruments, but every one I've seen on the 'bay lately has been a basketcase. Oh well.

That Gibson all mahogany plectrum is pretty neat too. What gauge strings are you using for that one?

Also, what are the body dimensions? I like the pickguard too.. Do you mostly play Celtic stuff on it? Swing?

[Peter Mix]

I love this thread! Thanks for all the photos, Mandolooter. I'm very fortunate to spend my workdays here at Rigel because I know if I run into a basketcase, we can fix it. I recently acquired a plectrum version of the Vita tenor and it needs some serious work, but will be dandy when it's done. I'll need to stretch my fingers out like Chris Thile for this one though as it has a 27" scale....yikes!
# #I have a matching Vita uke that is way cool, but a wreck. Did you know that these lovely ukes are being replicated now? They are wonderful reproductions, too. I saw them at the last NAMM show and had to sit down in a dark, quiet room until my pulse slowed.
# cheers, Peter

[tiltman]

Wow Mandolooter,
Or perhaps we should call you Tenorlooter. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Thanks for showing me how to play a 7th chord. I'll play around with that tonight.
Kirk

[delsbrother]

ML, is your Gibson plectrum a long-lost sibling to this one at Elderly? (http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/80U-1914.htm) Yours has the real Plectrum scale, however..

Peter, who's making the vita repros? I was familiar with the Frisco Uke (http://www.marcsilbermusic.com/inventory/photos/friscouke.jpg) made by Marc Silber, are there others? Anything other than ukes?

[mandolooter]

Wow...and i was afraid I'd overdone it last night wit da pic's. Thanks to all for the compliments! I'll try and answer all the Q's...

delsbro 32 22 14 10 if i remember right. the body is 14 3/4 wide lower bout and 19 3/8 tall, 4 inches deep. the pick guard was on it when i got it but it looks like another i've seen. the one at Elderly's...hummm, how would I raise the cash...LOL #I play mostly fiddle tunes, along with CD's and stuff i write on it. Its WAY easier to pick out a melody on it vs a mandolin by ear so I use it for that a lot to learn mando songs by. #The GDAE tuning rules, as Peter said "way less thinkin"

Peter, your an inspiration to me and a ton of others i suspect. i had no idea you shared the tenor bug. How about a pic of the big vita plec.! Mine is starting to get a LOT of playin time cuz it sounds so sweet and has a fast feeling neck + it's gotta be one of the coolest things going in the tenor world. What started as a gift for my daughter now has me giving her mando's and fiddles so the Vita stays with me. If only i could play like Roy!!!!!!!!!!!!

tiltman- glad to be of any help I can. You'd think by the stable I was a pro but im just a vintage instrument nut with too much money invested in these. I started out buying instruments to repair and then sell and have done a lot of that but i keep finding "keepers" that i can't let go. #Im sure Im not the only one with this problem am I?
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Jeff
PS Im opening a online store dealing in vintage stuff, mostly tenors of the guitar and banjo kind and mandolins, plus the assorted other stuff i buy and repair before offering to the public. I've mentioned it to Scott and he's graciously agreed to let me announce it here at the Cafe when I have my "Grand Opening". It will be mid June or around then if I can get it all together by then. I'll keep everyone informed. I have 6 or 7 other tenors that will be available after the repairs are done, most at or around the $300-$400 price range and set up for easy play, correct intonation etc.

[mandolooter]

The repo Vita ukes are by Ukiyo and they have a pic at Gyrphon under Roy Smeck model. A mere $650...:(

[Peter Mix]

Here's my Vita plectrum tenor. She needs some attention, particularly with the twisted neck, but what a fine-sounding instrument! I do admit that the scale length can be a bit daunting.
# # # I'm working on my Le Domino today. What a great guitar! I don't think it had been played in years when I found it and once I strung it with my favorite string gauges .014 .024 .034 .049 it came to life. I have to re-cut the nut slightly to address some minor buzzing issues.

[Peter Mix]

Here's the '32 Epiphone Masterbilt Hollywood Tenor with black walnut back and sides. It was completely dried out with every seam separating when I found it in an auction in northern Vermont a few years ago....a fabulous guitar

[Peter Mix]

Here's the '38 Gibson L7T that was stripped of finish when I found it. We finished it in blue to match our entire line at NAMM one year, then stripped it and finished it in a '20's cherryburst...ooh lala

[Peter Mix]

Here's the Regal Le Domino next to the SS Stewart Snow Queen mandolin...

[Peter Mix]

and last, but not least, the Vita plectrum tenor next to the Earnest Tenorcaster. Side by each (as they say just north of the border), you can see how long the 27 1/4" plectrum scale is compared to standard 22 1/2" tenor scale.

[delsbrother]

Here's the '32 Epiphone Masterbilt Hollywood Tenor with black walnut back and sides. It was completely dried out with every seam separating when I found it in an auction in northern Vermont a few years ago....a fabulous guitar
Wow, that guitar is amazing! I've been searching for one of those on the Internet for years - ever since I saw pictures of Eddie Condon playing a similar one (though I think his was a plectrum? ). Love those pre-Gibson Epi curves!

Peter, is Rigel a good place to send a basketcase tenor I might find for renovation? Or do you just work on your own stuff?

Darrell

[Peter Mix]

We'd be pleased to take on any project that you might like to send our way. We specialize in restoration and refinishing. Feel free to call me 800-476-1009 anytime during the workday.
Yes, the Epiphone is wonderful and I was very lucky to find it. I've seen only one other. There's something about black walnut that produces a brilliant voice.
cheers, Peter

[mandolooter]

Wow, Peter those are way, way cool!! That Vita is beast sized for sure. I love the Le Domino! Wouldn't it be cool to have the whole set! The Epi,drool, drool, drooooool! Im glad to hear your comments on the black walnut cuz Im building a tenor out of it. Here's the before shot...give me a few months for the after.

[mandolooter]

ooops forgot the pic! My body shape is still in the workings but the dread chaulked on is interesting...with a GDAE tuning...hummmm?

[Michael Wolf]

Hello,

this is a beautifull collection of rare tenors.
I saw one of these Epiphone Hollywood models with walnut body here in Germany, about one year ago. I presume that not many of them have crossed the ocean. It was offered to me. Maybe I should have bought it, but the price was a bit to high for me at this time.

Now I put in a little tin in this thread.

Cheers
Michael

[delsbrother]

Yes, the Epiphone is wonderful and I was very lucky to find it. I've seen only one other.
As if this thread can stand any more hijacking..

A great source of images of archtop tenors and plectrums can be found in Swing Era New York (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1566394643/ref=sib_rdr_dp/002-5274106-5316054), a collection of photographs by Charles Peterson. They're mostly played by Eddie Condon (he goes through many styles of Epis and Gibsons).

There couldn't have been many Epi four stringers made.. Wouldn't it be something if Peter's was once Eddie's? Probably spent some time in a dance band's R section, in any case..

[mandolooter]

Im gonna check my local libary for the book, or splurg and just buy it. Thanks for the tip db! I love jazz. As a sidenote the Gibson archtop in my photo I sold. It's now playing Dixieland jazz in across the pond in England!
Jeff

[Dolamon]

Dels Bro, Pete's (of all persusions) - One of the really interesting ideas for Jazz Chords / general futzing around on Tenors of a lot of persuasions is to utilize the chord progression studies which Ted Eschliman created for Jazz Mando ... Since he rehashed his site, my URL listings are no longer current - Go to Jazz Mando and then send Ted a letter that he needs to isolate the root notes on his chord forms ... I do this regularly to annoy him.

These forms work for any fifths tuning and are spectacular on Tenor Guitar or O/M - but as a few of the Peter's above mentioned ... getting laPompe to work on a richly resonating instrument can be an interesting exercise.

[scgc.om]

My tenor is a 1927 Martin 5-17T (although the "T" is not marked on the neck block). 1st year of production! Martin's smallest body size ("5"), all mahogany ("17"), bar frets (pre-'27), and . . . Banjo tuners! Very high "cool factor".

Just got this guitar at Christmas time. Love playing solo fiddle tunes - can't really play with others, as I'd be a 5th lower in pitch.

Enjoy your tenor!

[lucho]

besides the tenor viola from Brazil that some of you may know .... there are other tenor guitars in South america such as this 1941 Breyer TG.
http://www.guitarrasweb.com/guitarr....nte.jpg (http://www.guitarrasweb.com/guitarras/instrumentos/Tenor%201/mediafrente.jpg)

[delsbrother]

Thanks Dolamon - just ordered John McGann's book; that and some more serious study at Jazzmando.com is probably what I need..

Lucho, can you tell us more about Brazilian tenors? What kind of music is played on them? How are they played? The picture you posted shows a nylon-strung instrument. Is it played fingerstyle? Strummed? Flamenco-style? Are there any well-known players we should seek out? Recordings? Thanks.

[lucho]

delsbrother: These brazilian axes are real tenor guitars and not cuatro. They use steel strings and are traditionally tuned CGDA as you could see at the links ( http://www.guitarrasweb.com/guitarr....nte.jpg (http://www.guitarrasweb.com/guitarras/instrumentos/Tenor%201/puente.jpg) and http://www.guitarrasweb.com/guitarr....za.jpg ) (http://www.guitarrasweb.com/guitarras/instrumentos/Tenor%201/cabeza.jpg )) they have a mix of hispanic influences in its design. Now, with regard to the music.... They are used mostly in the so called "regional" folk styles... too many to be precise, but more on the NE of Brazil, also it was popularized by Garoto (Aníbal Augusto Sardinha) in the 1930s for almost any music he played at that time... If you see any old Carmen Miranda movie you will see it in her band. #
More TGs at:
http://geocities.yahoo.com.br/manoel_andrade/FrameSet3.htm
http://geocities.yahoo.com.br/manoel_andrade/ViolaoTenor1.htm

old brazilian method:

http://www.vitale.com.br/sistema/produtos/produto.asp?codigo=10983

the one I showed before in my earlier post is an argentinean Breyer TG. Now check the back....mix of classical and banjo....?
http://www.guitarrasweb.com/guitarr....ras.jpg (http://www.guitarrasweb.com/guitarras/instrumentos/Tenor%201/mediaatras.jpg)

If you read some portuguese:
É o seguinte: o violão-tenor é um instrumento que foi praticamente descoberto pelo Del Vecchio1 e o Garoto, né?2 O Garoto com a musicalidade que Deus deu e o Del Vecchio com a inteligência. Então nada mais é do que um banjo-tenor, que a afinação é de banjo-tenor, dó-sol-ré-lá, e a invenção de passar pro instrumento dinâmico. Ficou com esse som maravilhoso, que na realidade o violão-tenor tem um som diferente, é um tom sóbrio, é um tom muito bonito. Tanto que eu, quando estava no Ceará, ouvia o Garoto fazer o programa na Mayrink Veiga, com a [pianista] Carolina Cardoso de Menezes, e eu já admirava o som do instrumento. Por isso encomendei ao Del Vecchio que fizesse um instrumento pra mim também, mais ou menos parecido com o do Garoto. Isso foi em 1932. Ele mandou esse violão-tenor, que eu fiz questão de conservar assim, porque eu tenho medo até que o próprio fabricante mexa nele, até envernizar, que eu tenho medo que perca o som, porque é realmente um som maravilhoso. O Garoto preparou a valsa Desvairada, pra tocar... ela foi feita pra violão-tenor. Mas como ele tinha uma facilidade grande de instrumento, que a gente até trocava de instrumento e coisa e tal, então ele chegou na gravadora e disseram: "Garoto, hoje tu vai gravar aquela valsa, aquela Desvairada". Porque naquele tempo todos os bandolinistas tinham sua valsa-concerto. Eu até fiz uma valsa-concerto também de bandolim. Mas a do Garoto era uma coisa medonha... Mas ele não podia, ele deixou o instrumento em casa, o violão-tenor, que era a paixão dele. "Mas tem que ser hoje". Naquele tempo, às vezes, a gravação tinha duas cera, três cera, o cara tinha que chegar e tocar mesmo, porque, se não tocasse... Errou, danou-se porque não tinha mais cera. Errou duas vezes, três vezes, acabou a cera, a gravação tinha que adiar. E aí o Garoto disse: "Não, então faz o seguinte..." Aí tomaram um bandolim emprestado do Bandolim de Ouro (sem propaganda) e o Garoto na realidade chegou lá, mandou Desvairada e gravou de bandolim. É por isso que nos meus shows eu apresento sempre Desvairada em bandolim, porque foi gravada originalmente no bandolim pelo Garoto. De repente, eu estava com o violão-tenor na mão e passei pro bandolim também. Vamo ver o que é que sai.

[Música instrumental: Desvairada]
Desvairada, Garoto. Copyright by BANDEIRANTE EDITORA MUSICAL LTDA. (ADDAF).

[mandolooter]

lucho...thanks for all that great info and links. I have a cd by pedro amorim called "violao tenor" that is superb. The man can tear it up on the 4 strings! The pictures in the CD show a classical styled tenor very similar to the one you linked to but with a slotted peghead with 3 leaf clover tuning knobs. The bridge is right out of the classical style also. I'll scan it after work and post em but nows the time to head off. Workin on Sunday so I can get to Strawberry music festival and meet up with Duuude, Benignus and a bunch of other friends. Tall pines, tall stories, great music!

[tiltman]

A simple question from a tenor newbie:

I have mine tuned CGDA.
I read that you can tune them DADA to play slide. I tried that this weekend but got VERY nervous trying to tune the G-string up to A - seemed like the tuner was really straining. Does anyone else tune that way?
Kirk

[mandolooter]

It'll go no problem. have ya beeen to tenor guitar.com or Ry Cooders sites yet? #Lots of great info there on a bunch of tunings too. Your only going #up a bit on a wound string. #NOTE: #If your tener is a old Gibson TG model those are very lightly built guitars and NOT designed for anything but light guage strings...hence there great response. My regal is built like a tank and handles medium guage with no problems. Wha'da'ya got over there anyhows? Im off to Strawberry so I won't be back here till monday night!!!
Pine trees, music, and lots of friends!!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[John L]

My Martin T-18 sounds better CGDA. I could be pursuaded to try GDAE, but either way tenors are better tuned in 5ths. DGBE just sounds like a wimpy guitar - they sing in 5ths!