Question for acoustic guitar warriors...

[Smithfan]

Personal credentials: I am a lifelong aspiring bluegrass guitarist on the Martin dreadnought in I bought in early '69 after I got out of the Army (no, it's not for sale). Also love and play old-time country and some folk material and western swing, tho I always try to give it a country/bluegrass flavor. That said, the question:

Does anyone know much of anything about 4-string tenor guitars?

My interest was piqued a month or so back when I saw a very nice Gibson 4-string acoustic for sale in my favorite guitar emporium/gathering place.

I have to admit my first guitar was a 4-string Stella, a genuine POS, but what did I know? I bought it for $10 in a pawn shop and sold it about 2.5 years later for $12 to an unsuspecting victim.

However: I have seen 4-string tenor Martins, Gibsons and Harmonys (if anyone remembers the venerable old Harmony mid-price range guitar.)

I also have strummed a 4-string Harmony, about 41 years ago.

I have been told that in the old-time fiddling contests popular in Texas and Oklahoma,
that a fiddler will have a backup guitarist strictly playing rhythm on a 4-string guitar, in a secondary role. I have not seen this personally.

I also have been told that the various companies introduced 4-string tenor guitars in the 1920s to try to combat the popularity of tenor banjos and ukes.

Any thoughts or comments?

Just curious and trying to increase my knowledge of stringed insturments...

Bill

 

[Smithfan]

Personal credentials: I am a lifelong aspiring bluegrass guitarist on the Martin dreadnought in I bought in early '69 after I got out of the Army (no, it's not for sale). Also love and play old-time country and some folk material and western swing, tho I always try to give it a country/bluegrass flavor. That said, the question:

Does anyone know much of anything about 4-string tenor guitars?

My interest was piqued a month or so back when I saw a very nice Gibson 4-string acoustic for sale in my favorite guitar emporium/gathering place.

I have to admit my first guitar was a 4-string Stella, a genuine POS, but what did I know? I bought it for $10 in a pawn shop and sold it about 2.5 years later for $12 to an unsuspecting victim.

However: I have seen 4-string tenor Martins, Gibsons and Harmonys (if anyone remembers the venerable old Harmony mid-price range guitar.)

I also have strummed a 4-string Harmony, about 41 years ago.

I have been told that in the old-time fiddling contests popular in Texas and Oklahoma,
that a fiddler will have a backup guitarist strictly playing rhythm on a 4-string guitar, in a secondary role. I have not seen this personally.

I also have been told that the various companies introduced 4-string tenor guitars in the 1920s to try to combat the popularity of tenor banjos and ukes.

Any thoughts or comments?

Just curious and trying to increase my knowledge of stringed insturments...

Bill

 

[No30]

Check out the "Four-String Farmhouse" at www.umgf.com. There's much more information there than I can provide. I too am a BG player, mandolin and guitar. All I know about the tenor guitars is that they are tuned in 5ths and if you play mandolin or fiddle, you can adapt pretty easily. Also, because they are not so popular now, you can pick up great quality vintage instruments for a fraction of the price of a similar quality Dreadnaught.

Todd