Try the Harley Benton Custom Line CLT-20S NT Tenor : 21.7 inches scale length, solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, 189 € in Thomann online store. Sounds awesome.
You mentioned the Kala tenor guitar. It has a 21.5-inch scale length and a really sweet sound. My first tenor was an Encore with around a 23 to 23.5-inch scale length. It sounded OK with 10-16-24-36 strings in CGDA.
Excellent review with interesting history lesson. I have found the tenor guitar in general will give a more balanced sound by using 36-24-15-10 vice the standard string sets. The fatter strings really brought the mellow out for a fender squire I had modified to tenor neck with. I have found the extra tension on the lower strings from the fatter strings actually gives an even pull across the neck and stops the high pop. insofar as the Kmise is concerned, I own 2. One of which I have modified with a piezo with had mixed results, you have to play with the EQ. I have found that the Kmises sound okay for chords across the first 9 frets if you tune the D a trifle flat. The neck is way to thick for finger work and messes with my muscle memory if I play it too long.
Kala Tenor Guitar almost solved this issue with its 19 fret tenor guitar, but I'm on my second one this year, first one the fretboard developed a lump where the neck meets the body, and now it's replacement the neck has developed a crack where the neck meets the headstock. I'm again looking for a good, short scale tenor guitar on the cheap. Kmise maybe the answer.
I got a Kala because I wanted a small steel string instrument. I’m quite happy with the Kala. The body has a very small body, and now I’m getting interested in a larger body, but I will probably just stick with he Kala. I tune it DGBE and it works very well. The Kala is listed as a 21.5 inch scale.
Hi there I'd highly recommend a b&d silver bell tenor banjo and a prewar epiphone or martin tenor guitar (or epiphone recording b banjo) and/or a fender tenor tele.
Wondering how the Kala worked out for you. I just ordered the mahogany body version with solid spruce top. They are only 134 dollars on Kala's website currently. Looking forward to getting it. My dad played a Gibson tenor archtop. Listening to recordings of him playing, the A string doesn't seem overpowering. I do know he broke a lot of A strings however...
I never liked the dominant sound or the tension of the A string, like you mentioned. I got a baritone ukulele and out nylon strings on it and tuned it to CGDA, only to find the A string breaking all the time…..surprise…surprise…! I ended up getting another string and tuning it an octave lower than the original A. It was quite a different sound. I really liked it and have been playing the tenor guitar baritone ukulele for a few years now. Since then, I learned the US guitar manufacturer, who has been making electric tenor guitars for a while, now makes one they call a baritone tenor electric guitar and it’s tuned CGDA but an octave lower than the standard tenor guitar. Yes, the C string is lower than the E string on a regular 6 string guitar. Through some research, I found out the gauges of the strings and ordered a set for my acoustic Recording King tenor guitar. The first problem was the strings are not ball ends so I had to improvise somewhat. The next problem was the C and G strings sounded too twangy and a little floppy. So I decided to remove the C and G strings and replaced them with the normal C and G strings from a normal tenor guitar set. So now I had all 4 strings as wound copper strings. In actuality, the D and A strings are lower than the C and G strings. Talk about a mellow, 6 string guitar sound! It’s really different. I like it a lot. My next move is to do the same thing on my Kala tenor 21-1/2” tenor guitar. I’m guessing, the shorter scale will be even more unique of a sound.
Thanks for the informative video. Is the A-tension still a problem on electric (esp. semi-hollow body 23") tenors? I'd imagine the electronics would take stress off volume-projecting tension on acoustic tenors. But I really have no idea what I'm talking about.
Do you think it would work to use a baritone ukulele body with strings from the GCEA and DGBE sets to get the CDGA tuning? This would create a shorter scale instrument, but with nylon strings.
Just saw this comparison and thank you for it. I, too, tried the Kmise and did not like it. Found the Kala with its shorter scale great. My wonder is, if with a 23” scale the A is too stiff, what do you think of tuning it an octave lower? The reason I ask is because I took a baritone ukulele and tuned it to CGDA but found the A string breaking so I used one of the strings that came with the ukulele and tuned it to A but an octave lower. The sound is really unique. Your video is prompting me to try the same thing on my other tenor guitars, including the shorter neck Kala and my Recording King 23”. I might even try it on my 19 fret tenor banjo. I just need to figure what gauge of string would work. Got any suggestions?
Try the Harley Benton Custom Line CLT-20S NT Tenor : 21.7 inches scale length, solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, 189 € in Thomann online store. Sounds awesome.
Points I hadn't heard before. Thanks.
You mentioned the Kala tenor guitar. It has a 21.5-inch scale length and a really sweet sound. My first tenor was an Encore with around a 23 to 23.5-inch scale length. It sounded OK with 10-16-24-36 strings in CGDA.
I think you would like my 1930’s Regal tenor. 19 frets, 12 to the body. 21.25 scale length. 10” lower bout.
Excellent review with interesting history lesson. I have found the tenor guitar in general will give a more balanced sound by using 36-24-15-10 vice the standard string sets. The fatter strings really brought the mellow out for a fender squire I had modified to tenor neck with. I have found the extra tension on the lower strings from the fatter strings actually gives an even pull across the neck and stops the high pop. insofar as the Kmise is concerned, I own 2. One of which I have modified with a piezo with had mixed results, you have to play with the EQ. I have found that the Kmises sound okay for chords across the first 9 frets if you tune the D a trifle flat. The neck is way to thick for finger work and messes with my muscle memory if I play it too long.
Kala Tenor Guitar almost solved this issue with its 19 fret tenor guitar, but I'm on my second one this year, first one the fretboard developed a lump where the neck meets the body, and now it's replacement the neck has developed a crack where the neck meets the headstock. I'm again looking for a good, short scale tenor guitar on the cheap. Kmise maybe the answer.
I got a Kala because I wanted a small steel string instrument. I’m quite happy with the Kala. The body has a very small body, and now I’m getting interested in a larger body, but I will probably just stick with he Kala. I tune it DGBE and it works very well. The Kala is listed as a 21.5 inch scale.
Hi there I'd highly recommend a b&d silver bell tenor banjo and a prewar epiphone or martin tenor guitar (or epiphone recording b banjo) and/or a fender tenor tele.
Wondering how the Kala worked out for you. I just ordered the mahogany body version with solid spruce top. They are only 134 dollars on Kala's website currently. Looking forward to getting it. My dad played a Gibson tenor archtop. Listening to recordings of him playing, the A string doesn't seem overpowering. I do know he broke a lot of A strings however...
I wanted to explore the tuning but chose a mandola rather than tenor banjo or tenor guitar.
I never liked the dominant sound or the tension of the A string, like you mentioned. I got a baritone ukulele and out nylon strings on it and tuned it to CGDA, only to find the A string breaking all the time…..surprise…surprise…! I ended up getting another string and tuning it an octave lower than the original A. It was quite a different sound. I really liked it and have been playing the tenor guitar baritone ukulele for a few years now. Since then, I learned the US guitar manufacturer, who has been making electric tenor guitars for a while, now makes one they call a baritone tenor electric guitar and it’s tuned CGDA but an octave lower than the standard tenor guitar. Yes, the C string is lower than the E string on a regular 6 string guitar. Through some research, I found out the gauges of the strings and ordered a set for my acoustic Recording King tenor guitar. The first problem was the strings are not ball ends so I had to improvise somewhat. The next problem was the C and G strings sounded too twangy and a little floppy. So I decided to remove the C and G strings and replaced them with the normal C and G strings from a normal tenor guitar set. So now I had all 4 strings as wound copper strings. In actuality, the D and A strings are lower than the C and G strings. Talk about a mellow, 6 string guitar sound! It’s really different. I like it a lot. My next move is to do the same thing on my Kala tenor 21-1/2” tenor guitar. I’m guessing, the shorter scale will be even more unique of a sound.
Have you heard the 'Vintage Viaten? They don't seem to reach North America very often.
I have one and they are fantastic, I got mine from Hobgoblin in Manchester.
From England.
Thanks for the informative video. Is the A-tension still a problem on electric (esp. semi-hollow body 23") tenors? I'd imagine the electronics would take stress off volume-projecting tension on acoustic tenors. But I really have no idea what I'm talking about.
I like my Kmise. I play mine in GDAE. I originally wanted to tune it to CDDA, but don't see how it will tune that way. Great buy for the money.
Do you think it would work to use a baritone ukulele body with strings from the GCEA and DGBE sets to get the CDGA tuning? This would create a shorter scale instrument, but with nylon strings.
@nonfatmatt our boy nonfatmatt sure likes to chew the fat, etc. etc. etc.
Just saw this comparison and thank you for it. I, too, tried the Kmise and did not like it. Found the Kala with its shorter scale great. My wonder is, if with a 23” scale the A is too stiff, what do you think of tuning it an octave lower? The reason I ask is because I took a baritone ukulele and tuned it to CGDA but found the A string breaking so I used one of the strings that came with the ukulele and tuned it to A but an octave lower. The sound is really unique. Your video is prompting me to try the same thing on my other tenor guitars, including the shorter neck Kala and my Recording King 23”. I might even try it on my 19 fret tenor banjo. I just need to figure what gauge of string would work. Got any suggestions?
I like the sound of a .18 plain steel on the Blueridge, really mellows it out. However, it will probably be really weird on the banjo.
Would nylon strings work.on that tenor guitar?
Worth brown Bari Ukulele strings are ok
Use Chicago tuning.
Never
I wanted to let you all know that he plays 20's Jazz.