# Octaves, Zouks, Citterns, Tenors and Electrics > Tenor Guitars >  Your thoughts on this old Kay?

## jesserules

Date, condition, suggested stringing - all thoughts welcome.
A little background - I own it; it's been sitting around in its (non-original) case for years; the cracks in back seem stable; any suggestions for restoring the pickguard to its original pearloidescence?.

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Verne Andru

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## jesserules

Looks like I'm going to set a record for Most Views Without A Reply. (856 so far.)
Hey wait, this one doesn't count!

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## mreidsma

Ill bite: 1920-1930s. (I know they brought back the Venetian shape for mandolins in the 1950s or 60s, but I dont think they did tenors that way again, or at least not with pearloid.) 

CGDA would be nice (its what it was built for). Id use light strings, 32, 20, 14, 9? Jake Wildwood has a page where he talks about the best gauges for various string lengths on wine guitars. I cant remember, is this a 21 or a 23 scale?

I dont have much experience with the pearloid stuff - you might have better luck with that question in the builders forum?

Cool guitar Though! Ive always liked that shape.

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jesserules

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## Jim Garber

I don't know what is going on with the pickguard but I would concentrate on getting the cracks fixed and the thing strung up and playable first. Unless the cellulid is about to explode, I would not worry about it. It has aged naturally.

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jesserules

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## mreidsma

One last question: are those nylon strings on it now?

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jesserules

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## jesserules

Venetian! I was blanking out on the term & it was driving me crazy. 

Light plain strings (all unwound) at the moment. I have a D'Addario EJ66 set I'm planning to use (80/20 bronze, 10-14-22w-32). That shouldn't stress it too much. The scale is 23".

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## 40bpm

I second the recommendation by Mr. Garber to attend to the back cracks and leave the pearloid pickguard as is. In fact, I kinda' like the patina. Very cool guitar. It's a design that appeals to me and is very different. 

All unwound strings? How does it sound?

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jesserules

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## MikeEdgerton

Hang on, didn't you people get the memo? We were just going to view this message not answer it. You had one job.  :Cool:

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40bpm

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## pheffernan

I like the old banjo headstock.

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jesserules

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## jesserules

> Hang on, didn't you people get the memo? We were just going to view this message not answer it. You had one job.


It's okay. I blew my attempt for the record by replying to myself.

Anyhow, I have to confess I prefer answers!

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## MandoHog

Oh I duno, but it looks "old-kay" to me....

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