View Full Version : Collings tenor guitar?
No, but close enough.
This is my new tenor guitar built by David Sundberg. He's one of Swedens premier guitar builders and has actually worked for Bill Collings at the factory in Austin. I'd say that the fit and finish, as well as the tone, is very similar to the Collings guitars I've tried. Very clear sounding notes, balanced across the strings and very punchy.
But I've only had it for a couple of days... I expect it to mature nicely over the coming weeks and months (and years).
It's a sitka top, with mahogany back and sides. Rosewood bindings. Based on a Gibson L-00 body shape (similar to the Collings C-10). 23" scale.
You can read more about David Sundberg here: sundbergguitars.com (http://sundbergguitars.com/)
Ken Sager
Apr-18-2009, 11:41am
Congrats! That's a beautiful piece of work. It's nice to see someone build a new quality tenor.
Best,
Ken
Jill McAuley
Apr-18-2009, 12:31pm
Lovely guitar, and that "Sundberg" inlay on the headstock is so elegant looking.
Cheers,
Jill
Man, now I'm getting TGAS, too...:crying:
Bernie Daniel
Apr-20-2009, 6:03am
Oggy: This is my new tenor guitar built by David Sundberg.
Beautiful! I hope you can post a sound clip or a video soon.
Tripp Johnson
Apr-20-2009, 5:57pm
Man oh man, that's nice!
Charles E.
Apr-26-2009, 6:44pm
It looks like a lovely tenor but like Gibson, he put a tenor neck on a fullsize body without thought to bridge placement. I dont mean to be negative but when Martin made tenor's they shortend the upper bout to keep the bridge in the correct place.
It looks like a lovely tenor but like Gibson, he put a tenor neck on a fullsize body without thought to bridge placement. I dont mean to be negative but when Martin made tenor's they shortend the upper bout to keep the bridge in the correct place.
Well Charles, I suppose you're equipped with X-ray vision? Or do you really believe one can judge a book by its cover?
The way I see it, bridge placement is only ONE of MANY factors that affect the sound. What about top thickness, wood selection, bracing and so on? A great builder have to balance all these factors to end up with a great product.
Is it even possible to say if a bridge is placed correctly without knowledge about the other factors involved?
And BTW, is there such a thing as a right or wrong tenor guitar sound?
Charles E.
Apr-27-2009, 6:04pm
Oggy, first let me say that is a beautiful tenor that David built for you, his workmanship looks first rate.
I have owned and played alot of tenor guitars and have always felt that the guitars that Gibson made where they put a tenor neck on a standard body never sounded as good as they might have. Gibson scale length is around24.75 - 25 inches so when you put a 23 inch on a standard body it puts the bridge too close to the sound hole and the waist ( narrowest point ) of the body. This affects how the bridge drives the top. If you go to Davids web site and compare his 6 string L-00 to his tenor L-00 you can see what I am talking about.
When Martin made tenor versions of its style-0 they shortened the upper bout to help keep the bridge in a more optimal placement. Judging from Davids work I am sure he put carefull thought to the bracing and how it is working with that bridge placement.
Charles E.
Apr-27-2009, 6:33pm
And BTW, is there such a thing as a right or wrong tenor guitar sound?[/QUOTE]
That is one of the things I love about tenor guitars, even with all the different models out there, because of the 23 inch scale and that they are tuned in 5th's (usually ) they sound like tenor guitars. The right sound is the one you connect with.
Oggy, first let me say that is a beautiful tenor that David built for you, his workmanship looks first rate. I have owned and played alot of tenor guitars and have always felt that the guitars that Gibson made where they put a tenor neck on a standard body never sounded as good as they might have... Judging from Davids work I am sure he put carefull thought to the bracing and how it is working with that bridge placement.
...there you nailed it Charles. Bridge placement alone doesn't make a great guitar, it's the combination of bracing and bridge placement (and other factors).
I can assure you, this is a GREAT sounding tenor guitar... even though it surely doesn't have that "typical" tenor sound. I'd say this tenor sounds more like a "normal" six-stringed guitar... but with less strings and tuned in fifths... which is EXACTLY how I wanted it.
Charles E.
Apr-28-2009, 6:09pm
Oggy, thats wonderfull. I have been playing tenor guitar a long time and am very passionate about them. I am glad to see someone like David making them and offering them with the rest of his line. I know ( personally ) only two people who make them and one, Steve Parks, is no longer taking orders due to health problems. I wish David the best and hope he sells his tenors, the world needs more tenor guitar players.
earnest
Apr-30-2009, 7:32am
I agree that its a beautiful guitar but the bridge is in the "wrong" place. The Gibson Co. was especially fond of the notion that a tenor guitar could be made by putting a tenor neck on a standard guitar body. If you look at their archtop tenors, you'll notice the bridge is consistently about an inch above the points of the f holes. Their flat top tenors also have the bridge very close to the soundhole and far from what most luthiers would consider optimum bridge placement. That said, I haven't heard many complaints about the sound of old gibson flat top tenors. In fact they seem to be even more highly desired than equivalent Martins. So go figure. That large expanse of soundboard below the bridge seems to resonate quite well, thank you. I don't think the gibson archtops fair so well. The 16" body does not respond well to CGDA tuning. The tops are thick and heavily braced, and the sound is usually thin and nasal. Epiphone seemed to understand the size and proportions of tenor guitars a little better and their tenor archtops are much more resonant and responsive. I have yet to build a flat top tenor, as most of my orders are for electrics, selmers, archtops and resonators, but it's on my to do list. Joel at Earnest Instruments
Thanks for your input Joel, but I'm still trying to figure out if it was a positive or negative remark though... ;)
Just wanted to add, for the curious ones, that I have the TG tuned GDAE like a mandolin, and I have quite heavy strings on it (47 - 35 - 23 - 13).
I've had it for over a month now, and it continous to amaze me. Surely has opened up quite a bit. I actually think of this tenor guitar more as a single stringed octave mandolin... the depth of tone is quite extraordinary compared to other tenors I've heard or played. I love it... and my Kimble suddenly has to spend more time in its case.
delsbrother
May-31-2009, 11:56am
Still not a Collings, though. An unfortunate thread title... (BOTH of them)
Still not a Collings, though. An unfortunate thread title... (BOTH of them)
I don't agree. I find the connection to Collings highly relevant.
Report the title to the moderators if you like, but please don't turn this thread into a debate about "how to write appropriate titles".
delsbrother
May-31-2009, 7:28pm
I would argue your title does a disservice to both makers.
JEStanek
May-31-2009, 7:43pm
I would tend to agree that the title does a disservice to Bill Collings and to David Sundberg. Granted the title is posed as a question and David worked at Collings. I'm guessing looking at his site he's using different building techniques than Colling's uses so they're pretty apples and I don't know what since Collings doesn't have a tenor guitar fruit in the bowl.
All that said, a search for either name will pull up this thread in this forum.
Jamie
delsbrother
May-31-2009, 7:44pm
Ah, you're right.
OK, let's argue about the tuning!
There is not a lot of high-end tenors being built nowadays. My point was to show that IT IS POSSIBLE to find a tenor guitar built with the same quality of workmanship and sound as Collings are famous for. Sure, it costs about 4.000 dollar, but for me it's definitely worth it. This is a pro-grade instrument, with all the dynamics and beauty you'd expect.
Bernie Daniel
Jun-01-2009, 6:36am
I'm inclined to think that life in the Northern Hemisphere will survive nicely even though the title of this thread might temprarily mislead the 0.01% of tenor guitar players (who make up circa 0.000001% of the human population) that just happen to stumble on to it -- so don't worry. :)
But I am confused about the comment that the Gibson L-00 was a "standard" guitar body. I tend to think of standard as something quite a bit larger like a 16 inch(lower bout) dreadnaught -- the L-00 had something like a 14.75 inch lower bout? I consider it on the "small" side.
BTW I tend to agree with Joel at Earnest insturments -- and being the owner of a 1935 TG-00 -- that there is nothing wrong with that package (i.e., bracing and bridge). They all sound wonderful --IMO.