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OKMike
Apr-28-2009, 9:36pm
Anybody seen one of these? A copy of the Martin OT 18T. May very well buy one and tune it as an OM.

Mike

SincereCorgi
Apr-29-2009, 11:51am
Where did you see this? I looked through the Blueridge stuff at the Saga site and didn't find it.

KanMando
Apr-29-2009, 12:08pm
I saw it in the New 2009 Gear section of Acoustic Guitar Magazine, June edition. Page 59. List price $650.

Solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, 14-fret mahogany neck. Designed to be tuned A D G C or D G B E. This is how it's printed in the article. I'm assuming the first tuning is high to low like a tenor banjo, and the second tuning is low to high, like the first four strings of a guitar. Looks cool.

Bob

OKMike
Apr-29-2009, 12:31pm
That's where I saw it too, hope they hit dealers soon. I've really got the urge to acquire one and tune it like an octave mandolin.

Mike

SincereCorgi
Apr-29-2009, 12:53pm
I've got a Blueridge 6-string (which I sadly neglect) and it's a very nice instrument. These sound like a great idea- maybe Regal will put out a decent tenor resonator soon?

OKMike
Aug-10-2009, 3:11pm
Just found one at elderly, on order, expected delivery 9-21. Then hopefully 9-24 at my house. Can't wait.

Mike

Eric Hanson
Jan-03-2010, 8:21pm
Can you give us a review of the tenor? I too find it very interesting, but am hesitant to buy as yet.
:whistling:

mikeyes
Jan-05-2010, 4:17pm
Eric,

I have had one for several months now (I managed to get one from Elderly just as it came in, I suspect) and am really enjoying it. The instrument is very well made, has great silking on the spruce top, and is quite playable. It sounds fine with a fair amount of "presence" (my term for resonating the whole instrument.) It is loud enough for a small group and I have even played it in an Irish session although it tends to get lost among the fiddles and boxes.

I have owned or played several Gibsons and Martins. This tenor guitar has its own voice, but it is quality and for the less than $400 that I paid a great value. I don't think you can go wrong with this instrument. It rivals some of the Martins I have played (it is a Martin copy) in the same way that the other Blueridge instruments rival Martins. If an O-18T is going to cost me $1600 on the street, the BR40T should cost me $1000, it is that good.

Construction shows a lot of hand work (the X bracing has cloth on it like the high end Martins), the neck is adjustable and the wood is top quality. I found one drip of glue on an interior brace, thats all. It seems to be getting better with playing and it does not top out when I hit it hard. All the qualities of a good guitar.

It came with D'Addario strings but I have LaBellas on it now. They are a little lighter. I decided to keep it in cgda tuning even though I play a lot of Irish music. I am learning to play some jazz and swing on it now. Eventually I will put a pickup in it.

It's cute, too.

mando.player
Jan-08-2010, 4:34pm
Scale Length?

JMH
Jan-09-2010, 1:28pm
Scale Length?

22 7/8" per Saga Music. Mine is in the Feb '10 batch from Elderly so I'm giving you the literature value.

Baron Collins-Hill
Jan-09-2010, 2:18pm
i have played one of these a couple times at a local store, and i must say i am very impressed. talking with the owner of the store, however, he mentioned having intonation problems when stringing it gdae because the saddle would have less tension and would be farther back ever so slightly from the factory strung cgda. has anyone had any experience with such things. could one theoretically match the tensions to bring the saddle to the same place?

hope this make sense,

thanks,
baron

Baron Collins-Hill
Jan-09-2010, 2:18pm
also, elderly claims a bone nut and saddle, but the pictures seem to not convince me of that fact. any more information on that front?

thanks,
baron

mikeyes
Jan-12-2010, 1:06pm
I think that the first batch may have had a bone saddle and nut, mine seems to be micarta. NO problem getting them changed out.

The site also said there was a truss rod. I can't find mine. I suspect that the originals did have one, however.

Mike Keyes

acousticphd
Jan-13-2010, 7:42pm
i have played one of these a couple times at a local store, and i must say i am very impressed. talking with the owner of the store, however, he mentioned having intonation problems when stringing it gdae because the saddle would have less tension and would be farther back ever so slightly from the factory strung cgda. has anyone had any experience with such things. could one theoretically match the tensions to bring the saddle to the same place?


The saddle position wouldn't be changed by different strings. What I think the dealer meant is that a saddle should be compensated differently for CGDA tuning (two wound and two plain steel strings) vs. GDAE (usually 3 wound and one plain steel).
But a replacement saddle is pretty easy, and by using different string gauges for either tuning the tension does not have to change much.

Earl Gamage
Jan-19-2010, 6:36pm
Does anyone know what strings would be needed for GDAE tuning?

And what would you ask for in ordering a replacement saddle?

Charles E.
Jan-19-2010, 9:33pm
Does anyone know what strings would be needed for GDAE tuning?

And what would you ask for in ordering a replacement saddle?

String guages for octave GDAE - .042-.032-.022-.012
To have the intonation properly set you would have to have the existing slot filled and have it re-routed and a new saddle installed for the larger string guages.

Meadowview
Jan-19-2010, 9:55pm
http://www.sagamusic.com/catalog/details.asp?ProductID=BR-40T

Product: BLUERIDGE TENOR GUITAR
Item Number: BR-40T

Blueridge has re-introduced the classic O-sized tenor guitar and has perfectly reproduced this popular model down to the last detail. An entire new generation of musicians will thrill to the bright, ringing sound of the tenor guitar and it will surely be in the forefront of new styles of folk music yet to be invented!
Select, solid Sitka spruce top with hand-carved parabolic braces in the authentic X-pattern
Mahogany back and sides
Natural high-gloss finish
Multi-ply tortoise body binding
(T/W/T/W/T/W)
Carved mahogany, low profile
neck with dot position
markers
East Indian rosewood fingerboard
and bridge
Dovetail neck/body joint
Blueridge logo in m-o-p with ornate m-o-p and abalone peghead inlay
Bone nut and saddle
Black pickguard
Vintage-style, 14:1 ratio, nickel-plated open-back tuners with butterbean-style
buttons
Nut width: 1 9/32"
Scale length: 22 7/8"
Shop Adjusted
Suggested Retail Price: $495.00