On Sep 11, 2023 at 2:28:08 AM PDT, "Ottavio Caruso"
Post by Ottavio CarusoPost by gtrOn Sep 9, 2023 at 1:23:34 AM PDT, "Ottavio Caruso"
Post by Ottavio CarusoPost by gtrOn Sep 8, 2023 at 1:52:28 AM PDT, "Ottavio Caruso"
Post by Ottavio CarusoPost by gtrOn Aug 23, 2023 at 1:32:11 AM PDT, "Ottavio Caruso"
Post by Ottavio CarusoHi, I've just ordered a cheap tenor guitar that I will collect shortly.
As the banjo newsgroup (alt.banjo) is basically dead and this one is
slightly less dead, would it be appropriate to talk about tenor guitars,
tuned in all 5ths like a tenor banjo, here?
Yes I know there is a web forum for that, but I like newsgroups more.
Thanks.
So you got one and for a good price. How's it working out for you?
The strings came out from factory extremely worn out. The "quality
control" tag (if we can say so for a product made in China) apparently
was signed in 2011. So this piece must have been rotting in a warehouse
for 12 years.
The action is a bit high but I am not planning to do much about it. The
neck is ok. It is a new planet for me. All chords are more difficult to
play as you have to stretch your fingers more, due to the guitar being
tuned in 5ths.
All in all, you pay for the fact that it is a niche instrument. For the
same price, one would get a better 6 strings guitar.
But I would have to put new strings to give a better and fairer assessment.
I am also thinking of putting nylon strings, but the experts on the
mandolin cafe forum have advised against it.
What's your rationale for trying nylon strings (I do would recommend agains).
Low tension to emulate a banjo.
Post by gtrWhat setting/format do you intend to play this in?
I don't understand your question.
Will you be playing it with others? If so, what size group and what style(s)
of music do you intend? If not, what will you be doing with solo, in
recording, or other?
Ah ok I've got it now.
This is a long term and/or retirement plan. I'm in my mid 50s and I give
myself 5 years (not an unreasonable time stretch of time) to be able to
play (and hopefully one day also sing along) trad jazz/dixieland solo,
a-la R.I.P. Eddy Davis (obviously not remotely as good as).
My retirement plan is to move away from the UK and move to, ideally
Italy, and have occasional gigs at restaurant, pubs, etc, not full
fledged concert, just background music, which was the original spirit of
New Orleans Jazz. I also have other plans which I am trying to juggle
along together.
Re: Eddy Davis. He occasionally played a "viola uke" in CGDA, presumably
with nylon strings.
http://youtu.be/RZH64K45Zms
With a modicum of effort over 5 years, developing a reportoire of 50 or 60
song seems most reasonable. Doing this kind of thing without vocals (your or
another0 would diminishe marketability dramatically.
If this kind of music (dixie/Chicago/trad) is your focus I'm suprised you
don't go straight for guitar or banjo, they have so much larger a musical
footprint and scope, and are capable of so much more diversity in a solo
setting. Both are capable of instrumental solo performance, whereas (at last
in my thinking) tenor guitar (mandolin or ukes) are so diminished.
I encourage you, of course, to pursue whatever draws you. I'm just surprised
that it's kind of an abstract. I've not heard Davis before and imagine there's
a bigger footprint with tenor guitar with (assume) a pick.