Let's talk about the history and music of the American Heartland

Visit our Sister Sites
CreekDontRise.com Home Page Visit our sister site, School of the Rock
Visit our Classic Train Songs Page
A page devoted to some of Paul's own music endeavors.
 

It is currently Fri Dec 06, 2024 12:42 am


To ask any question about the content on this site please use our Site Contact Page.

To sign up for this discussion forum, please use our Forum Signup Page.

Either way, we'll be very glad to hear from you - Paul Click to see Paul's music home page Click to contact Paul through this page. Click to see Paul's music page on Facebook Click to see Paul's music blog page Click to hear Paul's music on SoundCloud. Click to sign up for this discussion forum. Click to learn about our Momma Don't Low Newsletter. Click to see Paul's YouTube Channel. Click to see Paul's Twitter Page

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 2 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Stella Tenor questions
PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 3:20 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 15, 2014 3:39 pm
Posts: 1004
A reader writes:

Hello, a Stella tenor was given me, looks like was in an attic for 50 or 60 years, has three nylon strings on it, the action looks good. Is it possible the strings stretched over the years rather than pulling the neck up ? Can nylon strings be put on it, and what kind ? There are worn places on the fret board, am certain this instrument was played once upon a time.

-------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for getting in touch. Stella was an inexpensive brand along the lines of Kay but they made a few decent instruments. That said the neck didn't have an adjustment rod so if it started to warp there was no going back. Some of them had a v-shaped steel piece inserted in the neck to slow down any warping, but that wasn't that helpful. The main thing that kept the neck from warping was the fact that the necks were bulky. On some, it was like playing a 2x4. :-)

Chances are someone in the past wanted to learn tenor without his or her fingers hurting. The good thing about that is that nylon strings don't put nearly the strain on a guitar's neck that steel strings do.

That said, your guitar was made for steel strings, and if the neck is straight now a set of light steel strings shouldn't hurt it.

Do you play a stringed instrument already? That may determine what tuning you use, and consequently, what kind of strings you use.

Also, what is the distance from the nut to the 12th fret? Double that to get the "scale length." If your scale length is under 23" you might need to use heavier strings to get the same effect.

Now prepare to learn more than you ever wanted to know about tenor guitar. There are three common tunings, described in the following article.

https://creekdontrise.com/acoustic/teno ... guitar.htm

If you don't play guitar already, I might recommend going with an Irish Tenor tuning - it gives you low notes that the other tunings don't give you. If you play guitar already, you could try "Chicago tuning," which is just the highest four strings of a guitar.

Please keep me in touch on your journey and let me know how I can help you through the next steps.

Paul


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 3:21 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 15, 2014 3:39 pm
Posts: 1004
The reader replied:

Thanks for your reply.
From inside of the nut, measurement is 11 & 3/8 from outside the nut measurement is 11 & 9/16
Laid a steel rule on the neck and it is very straight. Think it will be a nice little instrument when fixed up. Might stay with nylon strings for the first set. Have another Stella tenor, for now I just sing and strum, have never had so much fun with an instrument. Have 5 string banjo, mostly play claw hammer and two finger. Have only used the C D G A , have never tried the Irish. I like the “ Joe Banes “ song. I welcome any advice, thank you.

-------------------------------------------

Nothing wrong with trying nylon strings. If the neck is straight, chances are they were put on initially to help a beginner get used to chording, before callouses built up.

Unless it has a slotted head, then it might have been set up to imitate a classical guitar.

Not sure sure I understand what you mean by CDGA tuning?

Counting from your toes upward, the most common 4-string guitar tunings are:

Tenor: ADGC (like a viola)
Chicago: EBGD (like the highest four strings of a 6-string guitar)
Irish: EADG (an octave lower than a mandolin)

That said, there's no reason at all you can't tune it like your 5-string. The first four-stringed "plectrum" banjos were tuned like standard banjos without the drone string (DBGC counting from your toes toward your chin).

Seriously, whatever "floats your boat." Best of luck with your guitars and your music!


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 2 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  




To ask any question about the content on this site please use our Site Contact Page.

To sign up for this discussion forum, please use our Forum Signup Page.


Paul Race playing a banjo. Click to go to Paul's music home page.Whatever else you get out of our pages, I hope you enjoy your music and figure out how to make enjoyable music for those around you as well.

And please stay in touch!

    - Paul Race Click to see Paul's music home page Click to contact Paul through this page. Click to see Paul's music page on Facebook Click to see Paul's music blog page Click to hear Paul's music on SoundCloud. Click to sign up for the Creek Don't Rise discussion forum. Click to learn about our Momma Don't Low Newsletter. Click to see Paul's Twitter Page Click to see Paul's YouTube Channel.



All material, illustrations, and content of this web site is copyrighted © 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006,
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 by Paul D. Race. All rights reserved.

Note: Creek Don't Rise (tm) is Paul Race's name for his resources supporting the history and
music of the North American Heartland as well as additional kinds of acoustic and traditional music.

Creek Dont' Rise(tm) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising
program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.



Visit related pages and affiliated sites:
- Music -
Heartland-inspired music, history, and acoustic instrument tips.
Best-loved railroad songs and the stories behind them.
Visit musings about music on our sister site, School of the Rock With a few tools and an hour or two of work, you can make your guitar, banjo, or mandolin much more responsive.  Instruments with movable bridges can have better-than-new intonation as well. The Independent Christian Musician. Check out our article on finding good used guitars.
Carols of many countries, including music, lyrics, and the story behind the songs. X and Y-generation Christians take Contemporary Christian music, including worship, for granted, but the first generation of Contemporary Christian musicians faced strong, and often bitter resistance. Different kinds of music call for different kinds of banjos.  Just trying to steer you in the right direction. New, used, or vintage - tips for whatever your needs and preferences. Wax recordings from the early 1900s, mostly collected by George Nelson.  Download them all for a 'period' album. Explains the various kinds of acoustic guitar and what to look for in each.
Look to Riverboat Music buyers' guide for descriptions of musical instruments by people who play musical instruments. Learn 5-string banjo at your own speed, with many examples and user-friendly explanations. Explains the various kinds of banjos and what each is good for. Learn more about our newsletter for roots-based and acoustic music. Folks with Bb or Eb instruments can contribute to worship services, but the WAY they do depends on the way the worship leader approaches the music. A page devoted to some of Paul's own music endeavors.
- Trains and Hobbies -
Free building projects for your vintage railroad or Christmas village.
Visit Lionel Trains. Click to see Thomas Kinkaded-inspired Holiday Trains and Villages. Big Christmas Train Primer: Choosing and using model trains with holiday themes Building temporary and permanent railroads with big model trains Click to see HO scale trains with your favorite team's colors.
- Christmas Memories and Collectibles -
Visit the FamilyChristmasOnline site. Visit Howard Lamey's glitterhouse gallery, with free project plans, graphics, and instructions. Click to return to the Old Christmas Tree Lights Table of Contents Page Click to sign up for Maria Cudequest's craft and collectibles blog.
Click to visit Fred's Noel-Kat store.
Visit the largest and most complete cardboard Christmas 'Putz' house resource on the Internet.
- Family Activities and Crafts -
Click to see reviews of our favorite family-friendly Christmas movies. Free, Family-Friendly Christmas Stories Decorate your tree the old-fashioned way with these kid-friendly projects. Free plans and instructions for starting a hobby building vintage-style cardboard Christmas houses. Click to find free, family-friendly Christmas poems and - in some cases - their stories. Traditional Home-Made Ornaments



Click to trains that commemorate your team!

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group