NGD - parlor guitar (Martin Style #5)
 

I picked up a little beauty on my recent Montana vacation. A Parlor guitar styled after the Martin Style #5 tuned up a minor third. Solid koa back and sides, Engleman spruce (from the Montana Bitterroot Valley) top, cocobolo fingerboard and bridge, bone saddle, end pins, and nut, Grover tuners, and rosewood binding. She was made by a luthier in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley – Bittersweet Guitar Company - and plays like a dream.

I have experimented in both the tuning up a third and down in standard and with some very heavy strumming in standard there is a bit of buzz, I discussed this with the luthier and he thought perhaps some lights or mediums might take the buzz away – it is currently strung with extra lights (which are very, very nice to play).

Ken (the luthier) gave me a tour of his shop and spent a couple of hours going over guitar building and just discussing guitars in general. He patiently answered all of my questions and then some. I am so jazzed with this little guitar, Ken really put a lot of work into this and it looks and plays beautiful.

I did a search here on parlors and learned alot, however, do owners keep them in the higher tuning or tuned down to standard?

The luthier who built mine called it a "terz" guitar designed to be tuned up a minor third from standard. E,A,D,G,B,e becomes G,C,F,A#,D,g (I think I transposed it right - up three 1/2 steps or one could capo standard guitar at 3rd fret). Apparently this compensates for the lower string tension based on the shorter scale.

Right now have it tuned to standard. I went to see his acoustic trio play and he pulled out a second one he currently has built with walnut and began playing with the higher tuning - I actually think it was tuned in Nashville tuning and it really sounded sweet next to the regular acoustic and the bass guitars.

Not sure if I'm going to restring or leave it in the higher tuning or even go to the Nashville tuning. I think if I leave it in standard it will be more useful for my musical repetoire but up a third would make me learn more theory and such - I do play the ukulele which of course it up a 5th from the guitar so between all of them I may finally learn the guitar fretboard....LOL

I just love this little guitar. When we walked in the store and I saw it I said "oh yeah" and my husband went "uh-oh" and the rest is history.

I don't have a web photo site but I did post some pics here: http://www.unofficialtaylorguitarfor...p?topic=1950.0

Love parlour's, hope you get a lifetime of joy from it... all the best.

Hi TP516,

Congratulations on that new parlor guitar!

- Glenn

That sounds like a great wood combination, would love to here it sing. Enjoy!

Obviously, you can call it whatever you want but calling it a Terz is more accurate than parlor (in my book). They were designed to be tuned higher and to be played as part of a guitar group. Technically, they are different from guitars in the same way a violin is different from a viola. Played much the same, but occupying a different part of the spectrum than (though overlapping with) a guitar.

That said, you can play it and call t whatever you want. (grin). I'd love to see pics.

Ed

I love it!!! Congrats on the Parlor and Enjoy Taylorplayer.