The Hots for A Tenor Guitar

[dulcillini]

Good Evening:

I have the hots for that Breedlove Tenor Guitar, either the rosewood or the mahogany one. Anyone have any experience with these instruments? I assume they are tuned just like an octave mandolin. I can see some real possibilities with this instrument. Any opinions highly appreciated. I play mandolin and mountain dulcimer.

Mike

[allenhopkins]

I assume they are tuned just like an octave mandolin.

Yes, Breedlove says they're to be tuned GDAE. I guess this makes them "Irish tenor guitars?"

Beautiful instruments, though a bit pricey IMHO.

[Bernie Daniel]

Hi dulcillini!

You mentioned opinons? You are in luck -- I have an endless supply. :)

Never owned a Breedlove their styling is typically in a different direction then I want to be -- but all of them that I have played have been very nicely made and sounded great.

I bought a "baby" tenor guitar (21 inch scale) a year or so ago and I have strung and tuned it like a mandola --CGDA -- down a fith from the mandolin.

Maybe your idea to go down one octave -- GDAE -- is a better idea.

But I'm wondering what your main purpose is? It sounds like you might want an insturment that you can play and chord like a mandolin but is pitched lower for better singing? Perhaps?

My thought might be -- why not just go with an octave mandolin instead?

I say this because I think the first thing you will notice is that the 4 string tenor guitar will not give nearly the projection or volume you are expecting -- or that you would get with the 8 string octave mandolin.

On the other hand that is not all bad -- the little tenor guitar I have is quiet and mellow and I can play it without waking the dead.

[acousticphd]

Mike,

I have heard and briefly played a custom model belonging to Tim May - scroll down to the thread in this section entitled "breedlove" for more comments (and opinions).

My opinion of the Breedlove I played was that it was a killer-sounding guitar, that happened to have 4 strings and be designed for GDAE. Just as strong and sweet as a high-end 6 string; no shortage of projection. But they are quite a pricey 4-string, in the $2K range.

[dulcillini]

Hi Folks:

Well, I got over the "hots" . All of you are right. They probably are a bit pricey for what I get. I could pick up a real nice octave mandolin for probably less.

Thanks again