Finally played a gold tone tenor gtr

[steve V. johnson]

I've wondered about the Gold Tone tenor guitars for a while, looked at them
on line, but I'd never been in a room with one until Saturday, when we found
one on the rack (used, for a very nice price) in Music Folk in St. Louis.

The strings were pretty old and, in the views of some better-informed folks than I, a bit light for the instrument, esp. the G string.

The instrument had a tone that reminded me of a Martin guitar, with that thick
midrange 'thunk' to it. I was really impressed. The highs were eloquent and
it was fun to chord. I don't do single-note melodies very well, but when better players than I did that stuff on it, it really had a lovely range.

So my conclusion is that these, like the little Gold Tone Irish Tenor Banjos, are a terrific value.

*sigh* ... another one on the wish list... I think I'll wish to be a better player
first, tho. ;-)

stv

[Mike Buesseler]

Thanks for the review, Steve. I played a Gold Tone TG in Bozeman a few weeks ago--just briefly. It was in some weird tuning I could not figure out (NOT fifths!). I wish I'd spent more time with it now. It did, indeed, seem like a very decent instrument. The one I saw was around $700, IIRC. That seem about right?

While we are at it, what's to keep someone from pulling one string off each pair of an octave mando? Would that be much different than a TG?

[MDW]

I tried that with a TC Octave. It sounds okay but the limiting factor is the top and bracing. An octave is generally built heavier/thicker to accomodate the increased string tension load. Therefore, the 4 strings have a harder time driving the octave top than they would on a more lightly built tenor.

[Brandon Flynn]

The instrument had a tone that reminded me of a Martin guitar, with that thick
midrange 'thunk' to it. #I was really impressed. #The highs were eloquent and
it was fun to chord. #I don't do single-note melodies very well, but when better players than I did that stuff on it, it really had a lovely range.

What tuning did it have?

[Don Christy]

OK, who bought it? I played it once about a week ago. Went back today to buy it and it had walked out the door.

DOn