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Thread: Are tenor guitars less high-maintenance than mandolins?

  1. #1

    Default Are tenor guitars less high-maintenance than mandolins?

    I love the mandolin dearly, but I'm having difficulties with its high-maintenance nature. Changing strings is a nightmare. The movable bridge on the mandolin baffles me -- I live in an area that has big temperature and humidity swings, so intonation is an issue, but my attempts to adjust the bridge usually make things worse. There is an excellent music shop in the next town over from me with a very experienced mandolin person, and so far I've relied on this guy for maintenance of the mandolin. But he's very busy (he's frequently booked 2-3 weeks out) and I sometimes feel like the mandolins spend more time in the shop than in my house.

    So -- I'm wondering if the tenor guitar is less high-maintenance? Can a klutzy amateur like me keep one in playing shape? I love the sound of them.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Are tenor guitars less high-maintenance than mandolins?

    Larger instruments are usually less finicky than smaller ones to temperature changes so it would definitely be a bit easier to take care of. I have an old bass guitar that just sits in the closet with no case for years but when I do pull it out it is pretty much in tune and playable. Low end costing acoustic instruments are a nightmare to take care of regardless of size though. If you can take care of a normal acoustic guitar then a tenor guitar won't be much different.

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  4. #3

    Default Re: Are tenor guitars less high-maintenance than mandolins?

    They are usually easier to tune...

    Stability depends on many things. It's hard to make accurate hard and fast statements about the stabilty of one instrument vs another. If you want to try a tenor, buy a cheap one first - there are loads out there. If you enjoy the music you make on it but get frustrated with the instrument, you can start to look at what is out there.

    Nigel
    http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/inst.../tenor-guitar/

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  6. #4

    Default Re: Are tenor guitars less high-maintenance than mandolins?

    That sounds gorgeous

  7. #5
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Are tenor guitars less high-maintenance than mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dacnis View Post
    Changing strings is a nightmare.
    It can be if you're doing it wrong, but there's so much advice on that here on the Cafe and elsewhere that this excuse is practically falling apart.

    The movable bridge on the mandolin baffles me -- I live in an area that has big temperature and humidity swings, so intonation is an issue, but my attempts to adjust the bridge usually make things worse.
    Humidity changes are typically countered with humidification devices, simple to sophisticated - lots of threads on that here as well. Mandolinists managed before adjustable bridges were even invented, after all.
    A totally different approach would be a carbon fiber instrument.
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  8. #6
    Bark first, Bite later Steve Zawacki's Avatar
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    Default Re: Are tenor guitars less high-maintenance than mandolins?

    Tenor guitars are fabulous. Went to TGs and tenor banjo from mandolins. In fact, traded an Eastman mando for my first TG.

    My two TGs spend their non-playing time on stands in thd "music room." String changes are rare. I keep one at CGDA and the other "CGDA capo'd to DAEB." The TB is also at CGDA.

    If help is ever needed there are usually a lot more experienced guitar techs nearby than mandolin techs.

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  10. #7

    Default Re: Are tenor guitars less high-maintenance than mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Zawacki View Post
    Tenor guitars are fabulous. Went to TGs and tenor banjo from mandolins. In fact, traded an Eastman mando for my first TG.

    My two TGs spend their non-playing time on stands in thd "music room." String changes are rare. I keep one at CGDA and the other "CGDA capo'd to DAEB." The TB is also at CGDA.

    If help is ever needed there are usually a lot more experienced guitar techs nearby than mandolin techs.
    Thanks -- that's really helpful. What would you recommend as a good tenor guitar that won't break the bank?

  11. #8
    Registered User fox's Avatar
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    Default Re: Are tenor guitars less high-maintenance than mandolins?

    The Blueridge BR 40T is very hard to beat for the US price, in the U.K. it is much more expensive!
    Last edited by fox; Apr-28-2018 at 1:10pm.

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  13. #9
    Bark first, Bite later Steve Zawacki's Avatar
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    Default Re: Are tenor guitars less high-maintenance than mandolins?

    Quote Originally Posted by fox View Post
    The Blueridge BR 40T is very hard to beat for the US price, in the U.K. it is much more expensive!
    Agree! My Blueridge 40T is the one I got in trade for the mando and still have it. It's one of the best bargains out there.
    ...Steve

    Current Stable: Two Tenor Guitars (Martin 515, Blueridge BR-40T), a Tenor Banjo (Deering GoodTime 17-Fret), a Mandolin (Burgess #7). two Banjo-Ukes and five Ukuleles..

    The inventory is always in some flux, but that's part of the fun.

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