...and tenor banjos?

[Griffis]

I think it's great the powers that be who run the board have opted to have a tenor guitar section.

I don't mean to cause any trouble, but I wondered if anyone else thought it might be nice to expand it to a "Tenor Guitars and Banjos" forum.

Personally, I have one of each and I expect most people who have both use the same tuning for both, etc.

As tenor banjos tuned GDAE are very common in celtic music and are connected both to tenor guitars and mandolins (when tuned GDAE) I just thought that might make it a little more inclusive.

Either way, I'm happy. The only other tenor guitar forum I know of is basically an email list.

[Ken Sager]

There have been several threads on tenor banjos. Including it in a tenor guitar subheading might be nice, but don't assume anything about tunings. There are many folks who play tenor guitar strung like a tenor guitar, not an octave mandolin. There are other folks who tune the tenor banjo in fifths, but CGDA. I have one of each, too, but I rarely play the tenor banjo in GDAE. It's usually DGDG or CGCG and capoed for other keys. My tenor guitar is always GDAE. The differences in setup, string guages, etc., might warrant a separate tenor banjo heading all to itself.

Oh, and there is a tenor guitar forum somewhere?

[Ken Olmstead]

As a tenor banjo player I would also be thrilled. I guess from the board's perspective where do you draw the line? What about the tenor's close cousin the plectrum? Even tenor guitar is already getting pretty close to the 6 string guitars which a huge number of people on this board also play. That starts to bleed into what can be sold in the classifieds and so on. This is certainly the best forum of it's kind and should remain that way. I guess the powers that be (Scott) will have to make that call and will probabally depend a lot on his vision for the cafe and its future. Also what kind of work load he is willing to take on. Although tenor banjos shouldn't add much traffic to the board, I think what precedent is being set has to be considered. Maybe you draw the line at instruments tuned in fifths or in fifths with a wooden sound board. I would love to see tenor banjos included but I can also see the flip side as well. Just thinking out loud. Interesting question.

[catmandu2]

Well, TB is part of my arsenal, as well. Would be nice to have it included here--then I wouldn't have to hop on the banjo hangout at all. Although I also play other banjos, i rarely visit over there unless I have TB-related issues.

[Griffis]

This is certainly the best forum of it's kind and should remain that way.
Hear hear!

I love this place. I do not in any way want to diminish it by having it go off in too many directions. And I see your point of the "slippery slope"-- the operators are already kind enough to have a section for electrics as well as the CBOM forum.

Ken Sager is correct too in that many people play both the tenor guitar and banjo but tune them differently.

I haven't had a tenor guitar or a tenor banjo for very long, but I did a lot of experimenting with both before I decided to settle on GDAE with them.

Anyway, as I said, I am very grateful for this place and the friendly, knowledgeable, helpful folks on it. I don't wanna rock the boat I'm riding in!

[Scott Tichenor]

I don't mind if tenor banjos are discussed within this space, but I'd have to say I wouldn't be comfortable labeling this as a tenor banjo sub-area along with tenor guitars. I appreciate the expressions of support that realize this is a mandolin site first, as that's always been what guides my actions. I don't think there's any danger of a few tenor guitar discussions turning this into a guitar site or I wouldn't have added it. To me it's just a logical extension of the mandolin family due to the tuning.

As far as forums, tenorguitar.com (http://www.tenorguitar.com/) is a marvelous site and runs discussions via a Yahoo Group linked from their site. I have no desire to compete with what they're doing, and I won't be adding tenor guitars to the builders and Eye Candy sections or other places, although they're OK on the classifieds. Probably the only difference is that this forum supports the posting of images and personal communication. My experience with Yahoo Groups is limited but I've not seen that offered.

Hope this makes sense.

[Ken Olmstead]

Thanks Scott. I think you are right on target. An occaisional tenor banjo thread within this sub-heading would not cause too much trouble and facilitate conversations with mandolin players that also play mandolas with a mylar soundboard! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[lucho]

thanks Scott.... I agree.... the tenor register is fine for getting info but indeed photo are not in their mailing exchanges at the yahoo discussion group.... .... So, those with MAS like myself that collect and play almost anything in fifths or with alternative tunings started one day on a mandolin and along the way has discovered CBOMs and of course, tenor guitars and banjos..... I know, there are differents beasts but tunings and scale lengths relate them to the mandolin.... so tenor subject should be clear enough.... Don´t you think so?

[catmandu2]

IMO, the forum should be named, simply "Tenors," or "Tenors-other." Seems a better descriptor of the myriad instruments that will be discussed there.

Thanks!