I'm curious if anyone has both (or has tried both) the Blueridge 40T and the Eastwood Classic tenor. What are your thoughts on comparing these two tenor guitars in construction and playability? Thanks!
I'm curious if anyone has both (or has tried both) the Blueridge 40T and the Eastwood Classic tenor. What are your thoughts on comparing these two tenor guitars in construction and playability? Thanks!
Be true to your teeth, or they'll be false to you!
Haven't tried either, but I've played a lot of Blueridge 6 string acoustics and a handful of Eastwood acoustics. In my opinion, the Blueridges are better. I own a BR40 which is solid top and laminated hog back and sides - it's very, very loud with superb note articulation and clarity. Lots of punch and sparkle. It will NOT beat a Martin D18, but is a great guitar for the money.
Sorry I can't help with the tenor side of things.
The Blueridge is a great buy, lots of reviews on here, virtually everyone positive!
The Eastwood is obviously a very different instrument... you can read a bit here http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...guitar-project
I have wanted a electric tenor for a while. The need to plug it in and get something breakup from an amp is there. But I never played one. I have the br40t. I like it. When set up well, it's a great player with decent volume. Although the body on the blue ridge is smaller than a acoustic, it still feels like a acoustic guitar on your lap. I assume the thinner Eastwood would feel like an electric guitar. I have been eyeing the used section for one of the SG shaped tenors. They have a slim neck like the blue ridge , as opposed to the warren Ellis tenor that has wider string spacing.
Over all, they are different beast. One is acoustic the other meant to be plugged in. Try and play them first is possible. I know that's not easy, where I live, no store carries either, so I bought the blue ridge on faith. On a positive note for Eastwood, I have a mandocaster that rocks and owned a bass vi for a while. Both for the price were well built.
Its not a backwards guitar.
Thanks for the responses .... the Eastwood seems intriguing since I like that body shape on a guitar. Can anyone comment on it's sound when it's not plugged in? Also, I'm assuming the body is thinner on the Eastwood. I'm a smaller female, so it's sometimes hard on my shoulder when playing an acoustic guitar (ie- hard to hold thicker instruments).
Be true to your teeth, or they'll be false to you!
Not much info on the Eastwood and I've not been able to find one in person either. As far your a questions - generally speaking semi-hollow and hollow-body electric instruments are much lighter than a full solid body build but heavier than an acoustic.
A semi-hollow has a center block down the middle that adds a bit of weight and stifles the amount of vibration the body can produce, the latter necessary to help reduce feedback when playing in a band situation. A full hollow body is lighter but much more prone to feedback at loud volumes - some say it has an "airier" sound.
Neither semi of full hollow body electric builds are going to produce any meaningful acoustic tone. That said, I find they have enough volume for practice, which is where you'll probably be spending most of your time anyway.
I'm unclear if the Eastwood is a semi-hollow or complete hollow-body build. When they were crowd-funding the specs said semi-hollow yet from the reviews it appears they delivered a hollow-body. Best to check with Eastwood to be sure.
While I don't like that Eastwood used 6-string parts on a 4 string tenor, I do like the fact they used standard pickups as this allows a much wider range of after-market options than if the situation were contrary.
I can tell you about the Eastwood Classic Tenor next week. I ordered one this week so I'll have the guitar Monday or Tuesday.
That Eastwood classic is a sweet looking guitar. I'd love to hear a few notes of it if you can Micky. I have too many tenors now, and trying to sell one actually, but I'd be all over that one if I were in the market. I love that style guitar. Can't wait to hear your review.
David
I've got the Eastwood Mandocaster too. It's great. A bit more bass sounding which I like. I bought a cheap Chinese made Musoo Mandocaster, which was fine but a bit tinny.
So the guitar came today.
Nice case. Decent set-up out of the box. I'm a tinkerer but I haven't done anything with it yet. I'm sure I'll change things tomorrow when I've got more time. I tuned it to DGBD (hey, I'm a bluegrass banjo player ) and plugged it into a Fender Mustang amp I picked up at a pawn shop for $50. I tried to get a clean sound out of it for a bit. Finally got all the settings where I wanted them.
It sounds good. I played with a few different picks, including my banjo thumb pick. Also played it with bare fingers. It sounded best with just a touch of reverb and both pickups on. Right over the bridge pickup was very twangy (almost banjo like). Obviously much warmer over the neck pickup. I'm not sure if any problems I had finger picking were because of string spacing or because I'm used to having picks on the ends of my fingers. Spacing on the neck felt fine. I'll probably measure it tomorrow.
I played it unplugged for a bit. It doesn't have great volume that way. It's only two inches deep and it isn't built to be an acoustic guitar. Still, you can hear it just fine and clear without the amp. You can certainly practice with it unplugged. But I don't think it was built to be an electric/acoustic.
That's really the difference between the Blueridge and the Eastwood Classic. One is an acoustic and the other is an electric. It isn't a vintage arch top electric style. It be nice if someone made one of those in a tenor.
I'll see if I can post some sound files tomorrow.
Certainly a nice looking instrument, how much do they cost?
Looks great
I'm planning on getting one and tuning it to DGBD as well. hoping to learn some jazz stuff. East wood has a demo video on YouTube too.
Great looking guitar Micky, looking forward to hearing a clip. Does it have a truss rod in the neck?
David
Thanks Micky. Could you peek inside the f-holes and let us know if it is a full hollow body, or semi - a semi hollow has a solid block running from the neck to the tail that pickups are mounted into.
I didn't put that in last night? Sorry. The Blackhawks were in overtime (it was a short overtime) and then the musical "Chicago" came on. So I was distracted.
There's a block under the bridge and the blocks at the neck and the tailpiece. Pickups are mounted to the top. Other than that, it's all hollow. Though Eastwood calls it semi-hollowbody on the website.
Yes, it has an adjustable truss rod in the neck.
We got new windows this morning so I just got a chance to plug-in and play a bit. I'm thinking I might go with a little bit heavier strings. It's currently 32-22-14-09. I'd like to get a little more bass and a little less twang. String spacing is .30 in. at the nut and .45 in. at the bridge.
The price on the website is $599, including the case. But Eastwood will offer coupons to people who follow them on Facebook or Twitter and take 15% to 20% off. Delivery cost was very reasonable.
It is the same body as the Eastwood Classic 6 (and the Classic Bass and the Classic 12) with a different neck. But that doesn't bother me. I'm not playing all that hard and I'm liking the tone I'm getting so far. I'll tinker and try for something different and see if I like it.
I know I'm posting in an old thread but I thought it might be more appropriate than starting a new one:
I'd love to hear a demo of the Eastwood Classic unplugged. I know it's not going to be loud like a proper acoustic but I'm interested in using that way for practicing / songwriting / quite sing alongs etc. Would it work OK for that?
I concur with Micky's views.
Micky do you have earthing issues with yours? I need to send mine in but have not had a moment to do so
My name is Rob, and I am Lord of All Badgers
Tenor Guitars: Acoustic: Mcilroy ASP10T, ‘59 Martin 0-18t. Electric: ‘57 Gibson ETG-150, ‘80s Manson Kestrel
Mandolins: Davidson f5, A5 "Badgerlin".
Bouzouki: Paul Shippey Axe
My band's website
Sonny. It just sounds like a loud unplugged electric guitar acoustically. But that's not the same as even a modest acoustic. Way quieter! And thinner tone wise.
I have two acoustic tenors and the classic. It's night and day sound wise, unplugged.
Nowhere near loud enough.
OK for practice but for that I've my yamaha THR10c and headphones
If you want best of both worlds it's not going to be that instrument.
A magnetic pickup on a blueridge maybe... Allmuse might help with that.
Or buy a blueridge and later an electric bodied guitar
My name is Rob, and I am Lord of All Badgers
Tenor Guitars: Acoustic: Mcilroy ASP10T, ‘59 Martin 0-18t. Electric: ‘57 Gibson ETG-150, ‘80s Manson Kestrel
Mandolins: Davidson f5, A5 "Badgerlin".
Bouzouki: Paul Shippey Axe
My band's website
I had a feeling you might say something like this. Bit of bummer and the search continues.
Thanks for the response oh Lord.
PS my name isn't Sonny. You probably knew that already, but then again maybe the reference is a little too cryptic.
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