# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > Tenor Guitars >  Are tenor guitars slightly evil?

## Lord of the Badgers

Click bait title... sorry

But who amongst you got so seduced by tenor guitar, like me, found yourselves playing mandolin family LESS? Almost to the point that Mando family instruments just dont get picked up when at home. 

I just find it speaks to me. I was always a fingerstyle player, and tenor gave me that perfect combo of playing in fifths but without needing a plectrum.

So.... is that your experience or not?

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## fox

I was happily strumming a six string when someone said a tenor banjo would suit me so being gullible I bought one and via a forum discovered there was a guitar version..... never looked back.

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## Lord of the Badgers

ooh fun. journey stories. 
don't think mine's that exciting. 

I do first recall seeing tenors at hobgoblin & thinking "what's the point in that sort of thing". I was knee deep in my mandolin crazy stage - determined to get every flavour of mando bar soprano & cello. 

But somewhere along the line i saw there was a buchanan tenor (not sure i should ever have sold it as i inevitably did) in scotland, and something appealed. 

My next tenor was my mcilroy. I'd heard some vintage Gibsons on tfoa in the Netherlands, and i was idly comparing one of those to the mcilroy they had for sale. 

I pinged my six string loving mate (he's obsessed by Brook Guitars) and said... which is best out of these. For some reason he opted for the Mcilroy. I guess it's the Lowden connection that made him think that. 

Compared to the Gibson it had a more polite sound, but it was a new one, so I knew it'd need to open up. 

Since picked up a Martin 0-18T, and my Manson electric. 

I'd DEARLY LOVE A TG50 or an ETG150 - I know the ETG isn't loud, but how cool they are... 

I honestly feel the limitations of the four strings is what makes it sing for me. I now find six strings overwhelming & somehow stifling musically. I've effectively stopped playing six string now.

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## ajh

I started off playing guitar horribly for ten years...picking it up at 40.  Then (long, strange story) picked up mandolin but always disliked the high e's as I did not play BG.  Finally cut off the e's and had my luthier/builder Steve Rossow retune and compensate my custom 2pt mando to dola tuning (he wasn't all that thrilled about it but humored me).  From there it was to tenor guitar.  I can hardly play with a pick anymore.  Finger picked tenor guitar just hits the right place for me.  A major influence has been Will Fly.  Main instruments now are an upper grade late 20's Regal.  A custom Jessen deep body 16" scale four string.  And my beater Kala tenors.   And my retuned Rossow.  The Passernig Dola at Fiddlers Green almost came home with me a couple of times.

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## Baron Collins-Hill

Guilty as charged, especially if you count up the number of mandolins I own compared to the number of tenor guitars!

Thanks,
Baron

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## Explorer

My oldest mando instrument is my Flatiron mandola. I'm not much into playing ITM or bluegrass, but basically used either it or guitar for melody rhythm and chord-melody. I do have some octaves and mandolins, but the mandolas get the most use.

I have had a few tenor guitars, but since the mandolas all have nice easy action, I can use them fingerstyle as well. That means it's easier to travel with something more compact in the same tuning. 

I do like that more tenors are available though, because I find CGDA tuning to be great for Freddie Green jazz comping, interpretation of medieval and Renaissance music, Gypsy jazz and further. I always like to hear where people go with it.

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BlackSwan

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## Dan Hulse

Not my experience exactly, but I find that my very inexpensive Goldtone tenor has become my inspiration machine and my go to, so...in essence yes, but I came from guitar originally so perhaps that could help explain.

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## urobouros

I just got my Pono yesterday but it’s _definitely_ getting a lot of playing time  :Grin:

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## Bertram Henze

I was under the impression that anything tuned to GDAE is mando family...  :Cool:

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DavidKOS

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## Lord of the Badgers

The other question is where next... as alluded to, I’ve always wanted a TG50 or ETG150 (the latter would kill stagewise), but also a National / Dobro (the latter I NEVER see in the UK!) 

Archtop or resonator. One choice. Aargh !

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## PTOEguy

yes - tenor guitars are slightly evil, but tenor banjos are really evil - at least according to the people who hear me practice.  

I think the big problem with tenor instruments is that there are too many options and I want to buy them all - I have a tenor banjo - but its an openback so I need a resonator instrument as well.  I have a hollow-body electric tenor guitar and I want an acoustic and a solid-body electric and after that maybe a resonator.  And once you learn some chords in a 5ths tuning then you need a mandolin, mandola and mandocello, and perhaps one of those Eastwood baritone tenors... 

I think tenor guitars are definitely evil, at least with respect to my budget and storage space.

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## Huck

> The other question is where next... Archtop or resonator. One choice. Aargh !


Rob, 
For me it was an archtop first, THEN a resonator.

Both exude a certain style or look that gives an added factor (flair) when you play.

Archtops are just crazy wicked cool and resonators are in a league of their own.

First got a Harmony H950T & then I got my Republic resophonic tenor. 

I'll probably pick up another Harmony (H1215T) at some point as well.

I'd imagine a Dobro will be several times the cost of the Gibson. Get the Gibson now and save for the Dobro of your dreams later. Don't forget to buy a second Gibson and several other tenors along the way!  :Smile:

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## JeffD

Slightly?

I think tenor guitars have a niche, and I sometimes wonder if it is a niche for those who play mandolin who did not come from a guitar background, and secretly or not so secretly want to play guitar, or at least play guitarishly.

Or not.   :Smile:

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## Lord of the Badgers

I caved. It was a bargain. How could I not?


1957, couple of repairs to check & get work on.. bizarrely the jack socket is under one’s chin....

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bbcee

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## Huck

Cheers Rob! Hope you get years of joy!

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## Lord of the Badgers

> Cheers Rob! Hope you get years of joy!


Thanks mate... now i really must eBay the Eastwoods....! No that’s not an ad. I haven’t done it yet!

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## chuck3

They must be evil, because their appeal induced me to buy my first one today!  A Gibson TG-25 or 25N (it's natural finish), made in 1965-67 (exact year not determinable because of some kind of overlap in Gibson serial numbers during those years).  It's had some work done and is in serious need of a string change and set-up, but it's basically in very good condition.  First time I've ever played a tenor and I liked it immediately.

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## chuck3

sorry - can't figure out how to rotate it on this site

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## mreidsma

Thats a beauty! Welcome to the madness.  :Smile:

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chuck3

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## djweiss

I gig more on tenor guitar than mandolin (country/western/swing), but mandolin is always my first love.  Given the price, it's easier to find "deals" on tenor guitars and end up with a collection  :Smile:

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chuck3, 

Lord of the Badgers

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## Lord of the Badgers

> I gig more on tenor guitar than mandolin (country/western/swing), but mandolin is always my first love.  Given the price, it's easier to find "deals" on tenor guitars and end up with a collection


That’s the spirit brother - welcome indeed to the dark side.
If you’re tuned CGDA just capo up and do the whole mandolin thing anyways!

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## djweiss

I use either FCGDA, FCGD, or GDAE....I prefer the guitar range of notes, with the transferable mandolin chords/scales.

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## Huck

> ooh fun. journey stories.


Okay Rob, here's another:

My first tenor guitar was a Harmony Stella H929TG. It was in fairly good condition - I paid $50 for it, then had some luthier work done for another $55. It came back to me with that bell-like sound quality of a solid Birch guitar.

I was quite the novice and the fretwire saddle scared me off. I sold it locally for a nice little profit and moved on to an Ibanez PFT2. 

I've sold many guitars over the years but that little Stella tenor is the only one I regret getting rid of.

Nothing I've played since has given me the same bell chime type of sound that the Stella did. 

Found one online cheap last week - a little battered. Came 3 days ago,. I let it acclimate and now I've been having oh the joy! My daughter was clapping at my playing, a first. Maybe it was the guitar maybe it's just the energy I'm feeling to be so happy to have this model back in my hands again. 

The action is low, and it came with a hard case. Under 120 quid.

It's not in nearly as good a condition as the one I sold but it sounds absolutely wonderful. If I ever find a higher-quality one maybe I would buy it but I don't know. This old Stella might start to be my new kick around guitar I think.

She's now evil #13 in my corral. 

1. Aria AF-10 
2. Blueridge BR-60T 
3. Eastwood Astrojet 
4. Fender Tenor Tele 
5. Gold Tone TG-10 
6. Harmony H950T (Archtop)
7. Harmony H1210T
8. Ibanez AVT1
9. Ibanez AVT2E
10. Ibanez PFT2
11. Kala KA-GTR
12. Martin O18-T
13. Republic Highway 49 Resonator 

Time to sell off the laminates.

Best wishes! 
Huck

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fox

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## Lord of the Badgers

Did you say 120 quid?? I’m assuming you & I are on different sides of the pond?  :Smile:  

Lovely little arsenal that. 

My regret is probably around my Forster guitar bouzouki, but that is a tale I don’t tell in public. 

Tenor guitars? Maybe I regretted the little Buchanan - I just never put the right strings on it methinks. I had it tuned GDAE but it was a short scale, and i think it would’ve liked being in CGDA.

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## Huck

> Did you say 120 quid?? Im assuming you & I are on different sides of the pond?  
> 
> Lovely little arsenal that.


Yes Rob, I'm in the Eastern US. 

It seems I'm able to find a few bargains on old Chicago made instruments. (Which I've recently taken an interest in.) $150 seemed like a good deal to me. A lot of these all solid wood guitars are being sold at a premium, with asking prices around $500.

Thanks for the compliment. 

Huck

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## Lord of the Badgers

Just seemed incongruous that you used the word ‘quid’ but maybe I just didn’t know that Americans use it too!

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## fox

He has English friends  :Smile:

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Huck

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## Huck

Ha! I've not been called incongruous before! 

No Rob, I don't have a pound sterling symbol on my keyboard. 

Americans don't usually say cheers either Rob. Unless of course we're clanking a few pints together. Hold on we typically don't refer to them as pints either. 

Our friends typically aren't our mates as well.

My friend fox must be influencing me!

Citizen of the world I am.  :Grin: 

All the best Rob,
Huck

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fox

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## Jim Roberts

Anyone have experience with Fletcher tenor guitars?  He seems to have quite a following.

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## Lord of the Badgers

> My friend fox must be influencing me!


Fox isn’t typically a fox either  :Smile:  
Ha ha 
*Cheers*  :Wink:

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fox

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## fox

I had the prowess of a vixen 40 years ago.

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## Denis Kearns

Tenors are just another instrument in the mandolin family (collect em all!). I was lucky last week and happened to look at Craigslist.  As a result, I am now the proud owner of a Steven Parks tenor guitar.  I purchased it off the son of the guy it was built for.  His dad passed away a few years ago.  He plays guitar and knows some of the same local Celtic musicians I know, but was happy to get it into the hands of someone who would appreciate it. Got it at a decent price and it’s a fun instrument.  Probably should now lighten my load and get rid of a few excess tenors: Harmony, Stella, and Regal. 
 with my couch guitar for scale (Guild D40).

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## Tim N

I think "seductive" is the key word here. I've had a stand-offish relationship with my Ozark tenor guitar for a few years, to the point that I tried to get rid of it at one point, but in Germany its hard to raise any interest whatsoever, and so it bounced back and hung patiently on the wall for a long time, just waiting for me to come around to its way of thinking. And recently its started seducing me again, and playing it feels somehow better than before - finger picking or otherwise. However, not to the expense of mandolin, which is presently my main go to instrument. As for my Martin 6 string, my daughter got that for her 21st birthday!
I sense that the Osark is not a popular choice of Tenor, but boy, the sound is sweet and mellow (I play CGDG and use Thomastik flatwounds). I never felt the same about the two Blueridges, neither of which I kept for very long.

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## meow-n-dolin

Yep. They are evil and destructive. And highly addictive, too.

My tenor seemed so intent on mass-destruction that I restrung it as an OM. This seemed to dampen its desire for world domination. 

Note: since acquiring an actual OM, I will restring it once again. But I make sure to keep it in it's own room. Under lock and key, of course.

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## CHASAX

Evil?   I certainly hope so.  :Smile:

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## john bange

I love my ukuleles...I really do...but, it's my tenor guitars that usually start my mornings

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## Frolicks

They surely are evil, indeed! And they have a tendency to flock together and gang up on you! Believe me, I know EXACTLY what I’m writing about… just about a year and a half ago, I got my first tenor guitar. Last time I counted, there were suddenly six of them! And they seem to have habit of attracting other fifths-tuned instruments, too, as suddenly there are two octave mandolins (one guitar-bodied) and a mandocello, as well. And a few days ago, I suddenly found a little mandolin in my music room, so I have to suspect, they even procreate… :Grin: 

So, they‘re definitely evil, at least tempting, I’d say. But I love every single one of it (although mostly my vintage Epiphone Olympic…). I also love all my ukuleles (from which I switched to TGs), which seem to have similar habits, btw. Although I mostly play the fifths-tuned things recently. Big fun, and definitely a less dangerous addiction than alcohol or drugs!

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