Tenor Guitar

[glauber]

The cello should be easy, it uses tenor-guitar tuning!

(octave lower)

[arbarnhart]

I just lowballed a tenor guitar also; if my cello bid doesn't hold up I will probably jack up that bid some. Best case is I get both with low bids (my wife may have a different opinion )

I actually plan to pluck the cello as a miniature bass of sorts, just for porch picking and for the kids to try. I may try getting a heavier string, shifting the others and doing GDAE two octaves below mando. But I will play it in normal tuning first and I do plan to learn to bow also. But all my plans may be just a daydream since the auction isn't over...

[glauber]

I know a guy who bought a child-size cello and turned it into an "octave fiddle" (there used to be pictures there, but they're gone - but the description is still there).

[Ted Eschliman]

G, at my music stores, we've hazed new employees by calling in and pretending to ask for a cello chinrest; with this information now, the joke isn't as funny...
We also ask them for left-handed drumsticks, 2/3 size violins, and trombone cork grease (everything short of "Prince Albert in the can...").

[arbarnhart]

I got sniped on the cello; not suprprised as I would have been getting a good deal acoording to my limited research. It was an oddball "practice cello" made in England around 1960 with a rectangular body, but according to the seller and some other info I found elsewhere, these things are made of carved solid wood and sound great. But they look weird and can sell low. Would have been a nice "porch bass". Oh well...

But I am back in the running for a tenor; I bid on an Emperador that is playable but still needs a little TLC (minor seam issue and bridge lifting at one end). Elderly had one for $125 a while back, which is the closest thing I have faound as a comp for pricing (plus they had a little info about materials that sounded reasonable). Anyone have any experience with an Emperador?

Oh, for the curious:
Here is the cello I didn't get.
Here is the tenor I am trying to get now. I figure anyone who wants to bid against me would find it without my help.

[arbarnhart]

<EDIT - the auction referenced below was ended by a BIN>

It figures - I decide to chase the Emperador again and this shows up:

Harmony archtop on eBay

It's kind of a project (broken bridge, no strings) and he makes no promises about playability other than saying it just has age stress. I bet it disppears within the day (BIN $95 and the shipping calculator said $7 for me).

[jim simpson]

arbanhart,
I'm pretty sure the Emperador's are laminate tops. I think the Harmony's archtops are generally pressed into shape but are solid. I would think intonation correction would be more easily adjusted with the floating bridge. I've only had my Harmony tenor for about a week. It came with a guitar bridge that should work but it needs to be thinned down to lower action. I think I need to do a little fret dressing too.
It's funny to see the Emperador name as my first acoustic guitar was that brand. I didn't keep it too long. I more recently picked up a triple o sized one that I didn't realize had a laminate top. It sounds good as long as the strings are fairly fresh.

[arbarnhart]

The pics are gone at Elderly, but here is the description of one they had:

EMPERADOR TENOR GUITAR
VG-EC except neck slightly under-set and truss rod is backed off completely with neck dead straight and needs some work (restring, cleanup, etc. - sold AS-IS), inexpensive import, 14-3/4" lower bout, 23-1/8" scale, mahogany sides and back, spruce top, with SSC
80U-1729... - No longer available - $125.00

[glauber]

Here is the tenor I am trying to get now.

I saw that. What worries me there is the bridge that's coming unglued. I'm not sure what to do, other than waiting for it to pop off and then regluing. There's some breakage in the bottom too, which should be easier to glue.

[arbarnhart]

I think a hair dryer and putty knife will hasten the process on the bridge - go ahead and remove it and then glue it back. If it comes off while strung up it might tear out some of the top. The bottom seam really doesn't worry me much. But it is still a little early to be making plans. I do like seeing a truss rod in that bridge shot.

[arbarnhart]

Now I guess I can make plans for the Emperador - I won! I got pushed pretty close to what I thought it was worth but if it turns out to be a reasonable player (and I think it will) I will be happy.

[racuda]

And I just won the Martin.

You guys are killing me!

[arbarnhart]

Wow - nice! Trade ya; I'll even fix the bridge first

(mine is obviously much more desirable since it got 12 bids and yours only got 2, but I like you, so today only...)