Best/cheap tenor with widest string spacing, tuned DGBE..

[The_Noseeums]

Im just going to go for the stella...

[The_Noseeums]

And you know... I have to say this, and im thinking about making a thread about it. Vintage or not.. Supply and demand, whatever. Tenor guitars are wayyyy overpriced... For people like me, who professionally play Tenor guitar as a main instrument, I can say that its kind of a pain in the ass to find just a well crafted tenor guitar on a budget... Im not a collector ,I dont want these guitars for parts, to put up on a wall and never play... I dont get it. Its kind of infuriating...

[fox]

The Blueridge BR 40T is very well made, it is quite expensive in the U.K. but not so much in the States.
As a builder of tenor guitars, I use my own Blueridge to judge against any new guitar I build, it will be a good build to out compete the Blueridge.

[The_Noseeums]

The Blueridge BR 40T is very well made, it is quite expensive in the U.K. but not so much in the States.
As a builder of tenor guitars, I use my own Blueridge to judge against any new guitar I build, it will be a good build to out compete the Blueridge.

its a bit pricey in the U.S. Still out of my budget. Music is all I do, not to say I dont work hard. But it is a struggling profession. despite the fact I gig weekly. Owning an instrument is about pragmatism for me. I dont want to buy it to show off to people, to have it sit in my home and never be played. And to be honest a lot of these vintage tenors, have poor action/intonation problems, among other things. and they are ridiculously priced. I just dont get it...

[AndyV]

I have a Kay jumbo with an open treble side back seam. The kerfed lining is missing so I won't glue it until I devise a way of replacing it through the soundhole, or I'll just take it into the shop. That thing BOOMS. When I got my hands on a mandocello a while ago the back seams were open both sides of the heal block as was one side of the top. It still had a good voice and projection. I can't honestly say that closing these seams made a difference because the post repair strings were much heavier than the pre-repair.

It shouldn't cost much at all to have this glued up if you don't have the confidence to do it yourself. If you need it in a hurry for a gig, I might suggest you glue it yourself, just to stabalize it. Use Titebond or carpenter's glue, then a pro can redo it later.

Check out Jack White's 'Did You Hear John Hurt?' for a sound sample.

[The_Noseeums]

I have a Kay jumbo with an open treble side back seam. The kerfed lining is missing so I won't glue it until I devise a way of replacing it through the soundhole, or I'll just take it into the shop. That thing BOOMS. When I got my hands on a mandocello a while ago the back seams were open both sides of the heal block as was one side of the top. It still had a good voice and projection. I can't honestly say that closing these seams made a difference because the post repair strings were much heavier than the pre-repair.

It shouldn't cost much at all to have this glued up if you don't have the confidence to do it yourself. If you need it in a hurry for a gig, I might suggest you glue it yourself, just to stabalize it. Use Titebond or carpenter's glue, then a pro can redo it later.

Check out Jack White's 'Did You Hear John Hurt?' for a sound sample.

Yah its a nice guitar...

However, after messaging him again, he told me the bridge needed to be replaced as well... At this stage its practically just a chunk of wood I suppose. This is what im saying. To pay 125$ for something thats unplayable? I just dont get it.. Im probably going to go for a cheap newer model online.

[AndyV]

The Blueridge BR 40T is very well made, it is quite expensive in the U.K. but not so much in the States.
As a builder of tenor guitars, I use my own Blueridge to judge against any new guitar I build, it will be a good build to out compete the Blueridge.

Fox, I've heard lots of good about the BR 40T. Great to hear you use it as a benchmark for your builds. That's a great endorsement - better (in a way) than a player saying, 'I really like this guitar.".

Thank you!

[AndyV]

" he told me the bridge needed to be replaced as well... At this stage its practically just a chunk of wood I suppose. This is what im saying. To pay 125$ for something thats unplayable? I just dont get it.. Im probably going to go for a cheap newer model online."

The ad states that the bridge needs to be raised. I would guess that aligning the back seams which would tip the neck upwards will correct this.

Not long ago I would have snapped this one up as an easy project, but the pendulum has swung the other way (I've told myself) and I'm moving instruments out, not in. Trying to be good.

[fox]

its a bit pricey in the U.S. Still out of my budget. Music is all I do, not to say I dont work hard. But it is a struggling profession. despite the fact I gig weekly. Owning an instrument is about pragmatism for me. I dont want to buy it to show off to people, to have it sit in my home and never be played. And to be honest a lot of these vintage tenors, have poor action/intonation problems, among other things. and they are ridiculously priced. I just dont get it...

In that case I don’t understand your logic in even considering a cheap vintage tenor guitar!
Mondern cheap tenors might have a high action but most are massively overbuilt and have a rock hard protective finish. Surly that would suit your needs better? A Chinese factory built tenor with a decent set up sounds like a better bet to me.
I was also wondering why you would use a tenor guitar tuned in fourths in favour of a six string, plenty of cheap six strings around?

[The_Noseeums]

In that case I don’t understand your logic in even considering a cheap vintage tenor guitar!
Mondern cheap tenors might have a high action but most are massively overbuilt and have a rock hard protective finish. Surly that would suit your needs better? A Chinese factory built tenor with a decent set up sounds like a better bet to me.
I was also wondering why you would use a tenor guitar tuned in fourths in favour of a six string, plenty of cheap six strings around?

"In that case I don’t understand your logic in even considering a cheap vintage tenor guitar!"

- Firstly, and don't take the following the wrong way, but never in the title or anywhere in the thread do I mention, Im looking specifically for a "vintage" tenor guitar. secondly, and more importantly, if you will have read what I wrote, my "logic" is so far demonstrating my aversion towards "even considering" purchasing a "cheap vintage guitar".

"Mondern cheap tenors might have a high action but most are massively overbuilt and have a rock hard protective finish. Surly that would suit your needs better?"

- Again, if you will have read what I wrote, I explained several times, that it is the old vintage guitars with wear and tear that have raised action, among other issues, and like most players, I imagine, I am strictly looking to avoid a scenario where playing the instrument is a struggle. I mean who wants high action? that's ridiculous, unless of course you're a slide player... And generally speaking "modern cheap tenors" fresh out of the factory, the store wherever, generally maintain their standard action.

"I was also wondering why you would use a tenor guitar tuned in fourths in favour of a six string, plenty of cheap six strings around".

- What are you asking here? Why i've chosen to play the Tenor Guitar? if I wanted to play a 6 string instrument, I would'nt have posted here. Thats like asking, Why would you play a mandolin when you can play a Viola? People play the instruments they choose to play for various reasons. I play on 4 strings for a reason. In that tuning FOR A REASON. Are you telling me because a guitar is in a similar tuning, that I should be playing another instrument

Anyways, this is with all do respect, and with trying to avoid any offense towards you. But I just found it a bit out of context, and worth replying to.

[The_Noseeums]

Anyways, so as not to drag the topic along any further, I will say i've made a decision and no longer need to consider what to purchase.

Thank you.

[fox]

Wow! Only trying to be helpful, it is very easy to miss read things on a forum...

[AndyV]

Wow! Only trying to be helpful, it is very easy to miss read things on a forum...

You got that right. No eye contact, body language, inflection....

I asked the same about using a six string (with capo for tenor scale length) back at #4 and got no reply. I was trying to be helpful, thinking this could be at least a short term solution and helpful in deciding if tenor was the way to go.

I was truly curious about the desire to play a tenor tuned DGBE. (I know it's a common tuning.)

[Harley Marty]

I was about to start on the mandolin, now I think I'll take up the viola instead