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Tenor Guitar
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:16 pm
by oldangelmidnight
Anyone here play tenor guitar? I got the Eastwood Warren Ellis tenor a couple of months ago and I love it. I've got it tuned in fifths, GDAE, and I get these great drone sounds out of it. I've been playing with a metal pick and I feel like I can get kind of mandolin stuff, kind of banjo stuff, kind of guitar stuff. Sounds great with all the fuzz. Makes me want to learn haunted british folk songs and play noisy versions.
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 1:10 am
by popvulture
I've thought rill hard about buying one of those... it's on my list (specifically the Ellis, not just a tenor in general).
I remember seeing Neko Case play years ago, and both she and her lead guitarist play electric tenors. Totally different music (I prefer the Bad Seeds), but definitely was my first indicator that there's something cool going on there. I'm very curious.
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 5:46 am
by ognoy
Really want a tenor, and specially a Warren Ellis-model.
I sometimes tune one of my guitars to fifths, and it is really fun to play. I usually tune mine like a cello, CGDA, and let the two lightest strings be drone/octave strings(usually tune A, unison/drone and C(octave).
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 8:27 am
by kralc
A couple of videos in, and I really want one now.
You find there's much "hand reprogramming" when it comes to playing normal stuff?
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 8:48 am
by friendship
kralc wrote:"hand reprogramming"
looks like I got a new masturbation euphemism
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 9:27 am
by fcknoise
^
I'm also very interested in the warren ellis thing. Looks so good and I tried one in a shop and it was really cool sounding
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 9:48 am
by kralc
friendship wrote:kralc wrote:"hand reprogramming"
looks like I got a new masturbation euphemism

I kinda set myself up for that with the quotation marks didn't I?
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 11:38 am
by coldbrightsunlight
I've wanted a Warren Ellis since I first saw him playing one, and like 8 years later or whatever still haven't tried it... maybe soon? Glad to hear you're enjoying it!

Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 12:00 pm
by friendship
kralc wrote:friendship wrote:kralc wrote:"hand reprogramming"
looks like I got a new masturbation euphemism

I kinda set myself up for that with the quotation marks didn't I?
I like the way Neko Case uses them.
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 4:04 pm
by oldangelmidnight
ognoy wrote:I sometimes tune one of my guitars to fifths, and it is really fun to play. I usually tune mine like a cello, CGDA, and let the two lightest strings be drone/octave strings(usually tune A, unison/drone and C(octave).
I like that idea. What strings do you use?
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 4:08 pm
by oldangelmidnight
kralc wrote:You find there's much "hand reprogramming" when it comes to playing normal stuff?
When I started playing mandolin, which uses the same tuning, it was pretty easy to relearn since the strings are just like the bottom four of a guitar but backwards. But on the tenor, I've mostly been improvising single note and drone stuff. That kind of thing has been more intuitive than it is on a guitar.
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 4:45 pm
by ognoy
oldangelmidnight wrote:ognoy wrote:I sometimes tune one of my guitars to fifths, and it is really fun to play. I usually tune mine like a cello, CGDA, and let the two lightest strings be drone/octave strings(usually tune A, unison/drone and C(octave).
I like that idea. What strings do you use?
I have a .012-.052 set on that guitar, usually tuned to standard E.
If I had it tuned in fifths all the time, I would maybe make a custom set to get more even tension, but a regular .012-.052 works just fine.
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 6:19 pm
by truth.hz
Love the sound of tenors. Another interesting instrument is the old Schecter celloblasters of the early 90's. 5 strings, tuned in fifths. Setup like a plectrum guitar, or baritone.
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 7:05 pm
by friendship
oh man yeah I wanted one of those Celloblasters when I wore Jncos. I still want one just for the sake of being forced to work with parallel fifths like that, and also because low notes are good notes imo
Re: Tenor Guitar
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 10:52 pm
by oldangelmidnight
I've got a Mustang bass I kind of want to set up this way, too.