Do tenor guitars feature much in ITM? I have been playing the banjo for a while and would fancy having a pluck at something else too but the paired strings of the mandola/bozouki are a bit weird to play (for me at least!).
I came across a tenor guitar on the web the other day and it seemed like a perfect alternative. Do people use them much or is there some hidden pitfall that I am missing out on?
If you have been playing TENOR banjo, the mandola/bouzouki type instruments would be the most obvious choice although the tenor guitar would also be suitable as the standard tuning is CGDA and I'd imagine that it would be possible to tune this "Irish style" also. Have you seen this web site?
There's no real problem with double strings on instrument. Apart from a few fancy bluegrass gimmicks where you can "split strings" , they are both struck simultaneously like one string. The hardest part is keeping them all in tune.
If you have been playing the 5 string banjo, then maybe your choices might be different. Incidentally, you can now buy 6 string banjos in guitar tuning. I would imagine that these would be of most interest to flat picking guitarists etc
whilst the attraction of the tenor guitar for playing ITM is obvious (and i've sold a few to ITM players over the years - they "drop tune" fairly succesfully if they are reasonably sturdily constructed), the major drawback is lack of volume. even quite good quality tenor guitars, once "drop tuned", don't cut through very well. just about audible at fiddle and flute sessions but unhappy with boxes and pipes. several that i've sold have come back for pick-ups to be fitted but that isn't really an option for most session players. one alternative that i've come across is a resonator tenor guitar. pre-war national steel examples are now quite rare and expensive but modern reproduction versions are now becoming available at much more affordable prices. the sound isn't quite as mellow or pleasant as decent wooden tenor guitar but it's an interesting sound to add to a loud-ish session mix. look for brass bodied versions with a spun cone for least harsh sound - they are usually pear shaped in the body rather than guitar shaped.
How are you doin? - keep meaning to drop by (if dropping by can suitably describe the cross london marathon required for me to get to you!) I am still getting a lot of pleasure out of that Vegavox, I am just getting itchy fingers for something else to throw in the mix.
Definitely interested in the resonator guitars, although rather dangerously flash for a session (I would need to get my picking up to superfly standard before trying that!).
More and more people seem to be getting interested in the tenor guitar for ITM. Building on Andy's reply, you may wish to check out a superb album by Kevin MacLeod and Alec Finn (of De Danaan fame) which heavily features National tenor guitars. The album is called "Polbain to Oranmore" and is a lovely album of duets played by two master players. Lots of bouzouki and mandolin playing too of course. It's on the Greentrax label. Scottish repertoire.
There's also some lovely stuff on the john carty album "yeah, thats all it is.." Nice variation on the fiddleness of the rest of the album.... And
I vaguely remember seamus egan playing some on an earlier solas album (can't check up on this coz all my solas albums got nicked by an unscrupulous sound guy who woz using them for background music at a gig... grrr. Have we had a thread about the evil anti-musical force that is sound engineers?)
I was pretty blown away by John Carty's tenor guitar playing, so bought one this spring looks like it came out of a sears Roebuck catalogue in the 1920's, but it sounds great!), and love it for playing slower tunes, since you can get a more sustained, expressive sound on it than the mandolin or banjo....I was playing it at our session and a friend of mine who plays banjo tried it and liked it so much, looked around until he found a lovely hand-made one ......so it seems to me that they might be catching on a bit, at least in southern ontario!
Yes, that's gorgeous stuff on the John Carty album ('Yeh, that's all it is') - but it's Arty McGlynn playing it, not JC. Aoife, don't tell me JC plays the guitar as well as the fiddle, banjo and flute? Gah!
I also have Arty McGlynn's gorgeous album, 'McGlynn's Fancy' - look out for that one...
Helen - according to the liner notes, that was indeed John Carty playing tenor guitar on the album. I know your enthusiasm for A McG knows no bounds, but let's give Carty his due ....
Tenor guitars in ITM
Tenor guitars in ITM
Do tenor guitars feature much in ITM? I have been playing the banjo for a while and would fancy having a pluck at something else too but the paired strings of the mandola/bozouki are a bit weird to play (for me at least!).
I came across a tenor guitar on the web the other day and it seemed like a perfect alternative. Do people use them much or is there some hidden pitfall that I am missing out on?
Nick
# Posted on September 28th 2003 by nick b
Re: Tenor guitars in ITM
If you have been playing TENOR banjo, the mandola/bouzouki type instruments would be the most obvious choice although the tenor guitar would also be suitable as the standard tuning is CGDA and I'd imagine that it would be possible to tune this "Irish style" also. Have you seen this web site?
http://www.tenorguitar.com/index.html
There's no real problem with double strings on instrument. Apart from a few fancy bluegrass gimmicks where you can "split strings" , they are both struck simultaneously like one string. The hardest part is keeping them all in tune.
If you have been playing the 5 string banjo, then maybe your choices might be different. Incidentally, you can now buy 6 string banjos in guitar tuning. I would imagine that these would be of most interest to flat picking guitarists etc
# Posted on September 28th 2003 by John J.
Re: Tenor guitars in ITM
whilst the attraction of the tenor guitar for playing ITM is obvious (and i've sold a few to ITM players over the years - they "drop tune" fairly succesfully if they are reasonably sturdily constructed), the major drawback is lack of volume. even quite good quality tenor guitars, once "drop tuned", don't cut through very well. just about audible at fiddle and flute sessions but unhappy with boxes and pipes. several that i've sold have come back for pick-ups to be fitted but that isn't really an option for most session players. one alternative that i've come across is a resonator tenor guitar. pre-war national steel examples are now quite rare and expensive but modern reproduction versions are now becoming available at much more affordable prices. the sound isn't quite as mellow or pleasant as decent wooden tenor guitar but it's an interesting sound to add to a loud-ish session mix. look for brass bodied versions with a spun cone for least harsh sound - they are usually pear shaped in the body rather than guitar shaped.
# Posted on September 28th 2003 by teetotaller
Re: Tenor guitars in ITM
Hey Andy,
How are you doin? - keep meaning to drop by (if dropping by can suitably describe the cross london marathon required for me to get to you!) I am still getting a lot of pleasure out of that Vegavox, I am just getting itchy fingers for something else to throw in the mix.
Definitely interested in the resonator guitars, although rather dangerously flash for a session (I would need to get my picking up to superfly standard before trying that!).
For those that are interested there are some you can get through this link http://www.resocentre.co.uk/
Otherwise does anyone know of any modern manufacturers? The old ones are getting pretty expensive.
# Posted on September 28th 2003 by nick b
Re: Tenor guitars in ITM
Hi Nick,
More and more people seem to be getting interested in the tenor guitar for ITM. Building on Andy's reply, you may wish to check out a superb album by Kevin MacLeod and Alec Finn (of De Danaan fame) which heavily features National tenor guitars. The album is called "Polbain to Oranmore" and is a lovely album of duets played by two master players. Lots of bouzouki and mandolin playing too of course. It's on the Greentrax label. Scottish repertoire.
Greg
# Posted on September 29th 2003 by octogreg
Re: Tenor guitars in ITM
There's also some lovely stuff on the john carty album "yeah, thats all it is.." Nice variation on the fiddleness of the rest of the album.... And
I vaguely remember seamus egan playing some on an earlier solas album (can't check up on this coz all my solas albums got nicked by an unscrupulous sound guy who woz using them for background music at a gig... grrr. Have we had a thread about the evil anti-musical force that is sound engineers?)
# Posted on September 29th 2003 by SirNose
Re: Tenor guitars in ITM
I was pretty blown away by John Carty's tenor guitar playing, so bought one this spring looks like it came out of a sears Roebuck catalogue in the 1920's, but it sounds great!), and love it for playing slower tunes, since you can get a more sustained, expressive sound on it than the mandolin or banjo....I was playing it at our session and a friend of mine who plays banjo tried it and liked it so much, looked around until he found a lovely hand-made one ......so it seems to me that they might be catching on a bit, at least in southern ontario!
# Posted on September 29th 2003 by aoife
Re: Tenor guitars in ITM
Yes, that's gorgeous stuff on the John Carty album ('Yeh, that's all it is') - but it's Arty McGlynn playing it, not JC. Aoife, don't tell me JC plays the guitar as well as the fiddle, banjo and flute? Gah!
I also have Arty McGlynn's gorgeous album, 'McGlynn's Fancy' - look out for that one...
# Posted on September 29th 2003 by Nell
Buying a Tenor guitar
Could anybody tell me where I could buy a Tenor Guitar in Ireland, or if I could get one shipped over from somewhere?
Thanks!
# Posted on October 6th 2003 by mp3
Re: Tenor guitars in ITM
Helen - according to the liner notes, that was indeed John Carty playing tenor guitar on the album. I know your enthusiasm for A McG knows no bounds, but let's give Carty his due ....
# Posted on October 6th 2003 by nastyweegirl