Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Hi Folks, a bit new here but thought I would post some work I've been doing.. Here are a couple of Tenor Guitars, the bigger is Indian Rosewood and Engleman Spruce and a Narra Neck with a 23.75" scale tuned to CGDA. The smaller is 20.8' scale tuned GDAE as an octave mandolin.. It's Koa and Engleman Spruce with a Spanish Cedar neck

The little guy is still changing a bit as it has only been strung up a few days the bigger has A real nice tone (say the maker .

I've also included a link to a photo with an OM I made for size comparison.. 4 Strings suit my playing skill level well


Been enjoying reading here so thought I should post something.







https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-TXaqX ... sp=sharing


Kerry

http://klwstrings.blogspot.ca/

Hi Kerry, and welcome to the ANZLF. It is great when a "read-only" forum user jumps in and posts - especially 3 bits of their own work at once! The tenors look great. I am really interested in them because I am building one for a friend at the moment (although interrupted by temporary loss of my workshop during a renovation )
Your two both have really different and interesting characters, at least by appearance. I am sure the sounds are distinctive also. The one with the tailpiece looks super funky, and the larger one is just classic and very nicely executed. Have you been building long?

You could give me some details to help my tenor build - are you working off any specific plans? What nut width? What sort of bracing did you use, and any thoughts about how heavy to brace tenors compared with sixers? Finally, what strings did you use?

Thanks, and welcome again
Mark

They look great. Been thinking of doing a tenor guitar for a while now. Just need to find time to put it in the schedule.

Have you found a case that will fit?

Nice work Kerry
Welcome to the forum
Regards Steve

Great looking tenors, Kerry, thanks for showing off.
I like that body shape which reminds me of some 19th century guitars.

Cheers,

Thanks for the comments, the CGDA (larger tenor) was built more or less following these plans and is X braced and has a zero fret which is not in the plan..

http://www.elderly.com/books/items/113-55.htm

The little tenor, what I call a Celtic tenor is sort of following these plans, but I changed the size of the bracing and moved things around a bit but it is still ladder braced.. I was aiming for a mandolin like sound which i think I got.

http://www.elderly.com/books/items/113-35.htm

The larger tenor was my first guitar them the OM and then the little guy.. I had built a couple of Mountain Dulcimers before this..

I've got to much work to do this summer but plan to start a Mandocello in the fall (northern hemisphere).. well and truly addicted and have plans for several other instruments.

So far I'm making due with a soft case...

The Small one is d'Addario Mandola strings the larger I'll have to look up - but I think was a d'Addario tenor guitar set..

The small has a good Mandolin sound and the larger is nice and mellow in my totally biased opinion

Kerry

What part of the wet coast of Canada are you from Kerry?

Allen wrote:What part of the wet coast of Canada are you from Kerry?

British Columbia, Vancouver Area... land of nice Spruce, Cedar and Maple

Kerry

Grew up further up the coast in Powell River.

You're a bit far from home spent a fair bit of time up that way scuba diving over the years...

BTW really like your work!

Kerry

Allen wrote:Grew up further up the coast in Powell River.

Welcome to the forum Kerry and what a great way to introduce yourself. I love the little fella in the second lot of pics What were the timber combinations?

Nick wrote:Welcome to the forum Kerry and what a great way to introduce yourself. I love the little fella in the second lot of pics What were the timber combinations?

That one is Koa back & sides, Englemann Spruce top, Spanish cedar neck with Ebony stripe and Ebony fingerboard, bindings, end wedge etc and koa in the rosette as well.

It's turning out to be quite fun to play especially since I don't have the biggest hands...

Kerry