Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.resohangout.com/archive/53378
aether - Posted - 04/30/2020: 07:39:37
I’m hoping to get some advice from owners of vintage National biscuit tenors. I have a 1930 National Triolian Tenor on the way that I want to use for a mix of slide and fretting in an open tuning - preferable DGBD, I’ve been doing a lot of googling and found various posts and web pages with recommendations for string sets to cover different tunings on tenor guitars in general. What I can’t seem to find are recommendations specific to old National resonators with regards to what you need to properly drive the cone without possible compromise of the neck - or risk the dreaded tailpiece snap.
Here’s one of the references that I found, but it’s a bit confusing to see the range of gauges suggested for the same string tuned to the same note amongst the various tunings.
rycooder.nl/pages/tenor_gauges.htm
So, I’m looking to survey what you folks are using. Even if you are using a different tuning, if you share the gauges that you are using, it’ll help me to understand what the optimal tension I should be shooting for.
Thanks!
Edited by - aether on 04/30/2020 11:36:54
MC5C - Posted - 05/01/2020: 07:11:49
What scale length is your tenor guitar? As a general rule of thumb, I look for around 25 lbs per string of tension as a starting point. Good balance between feel and tone. That will drive the cone fine.
Edited by - MC5C on 05/01/2020 07:13:41
wlgiii - Posted - 05/01/2020: 11:36:44
D'Addario makes a set for tenor guitar; I use it on my 30s Regal. It's for CGDA. I toyed with DGBD and moved 3 strings up one position, then added a D string from a regular guitar set.
By the way- I went back to regular guitar for open tuning; those lower strings are missed in tenor guitar G tuning. It takes some getting used to, but the CGDA tuning has a really neat old world modal sound and is worth checking out.
Wildeman - Posted - 05/04/2020: 03:48:06
My experience with old Nationals is that they are not frail old things and can handle anything within reason. For that tuning i would take the top four of a medium/light gauge guitar set and go from there. I've been playing the same '36 Duolian for 25 years and haven't managed to damage it yet.
aether - Posted - 05/05/2020: 05:46:21
Thanks for the input folks. It arrived and after using a tension calculator and going through my on-hand string sets, I put together a set of .27w, 23w, 15, 13 which should be about 18-20 lbs per string. I may experiment a bit more, but these seem to work fairly well.
Edited by - aether on 05/05/2020 05:48:23
'That's Earl' 19 hrs
'Bourbon Street Triolian' 11 days
