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  #1  
Old 07-13-2016, 09:21 AM
untalented untalented is offline
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Default Convert 6 string resonator guitar to 4 string

I'm considering buying a second-hand or cheap new resonator guitar and converting it to a tenor guitar strung DGBE. Any advice?

I fancy the Goldtone tenor resonator guitar, but it is too expensive, plus I can't find anywhere local (Kent, UK) to try one.

Really I am a baritone ukulele strummer of 2+ years who cannot cope with 6 strings with sausages instead of fingers. I really like the sound of a resonator instrument, but cannot find a resonator baritone ukulele, only the concert size, which is too small for my fat fingers.

I figure for my conversion, I need to change the nut and tailpiece, and re-use the 4 highest pitch strings.

I'm considering this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alden-Delt...-/182198030739

and
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HIGH-QUALI...-/151226626755

Do I need a luthier to supply and fit the nut? Is it just glued in place?

Thanks in advance
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Old 07-13-2016, 11:48 AM
MC5C MC5C is offline
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If you are happy with the neck width (presuming it's a round neck instrument) all you need to do is fit a new nut. You can probably get away with re-grooving the bridge saddle inserts, and just use four of the six holes in the tail piece, no need for a new one. It's possible the neck truss rod would need adjusting for the lesser tension, everything else will be fine. The nut should come out with a tap or two, it is usually very lightly glued in place.
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Old 07-14-2016, 07:09 PM
blue blue is offline
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Republic makes a cutaway tenor called the highway 49. It was going for around $750 last I checked. Not super cheap, but purpose built.
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Old 07-15-2016, 02:23 AM
tdq tdq is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blue View Post
Republic makes a cutaway tenor called the highway 49. It was going for around $750 last I checked. Not super cheap, but purpose built.
I'd go for this - a string string neck would be way too wide for a tenor, which have much narrow necks.
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Old 08-26-2016, 08:32 PM
fingerstile fingerstile is offline
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That might involve more than you bargained for. That kind of modification sounds like its likely to change the downward pressure on the biscuit/spider bridge, and that's generally bad news in a reso. You might want to talk to a luthier before you spend the $$.
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Old 10-29-2016, 03:58 PM
Grandpa G Grandpa G is offline
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Are the Republic Highway 49 tenors available for sale anywhere?
As to conversion I have converted a Oscar Schmidt OGHS kids guitar into a 4 string. This guitar has a 20" scale and a 1.5" nut width. I tune low G - C tuning using .024w, .018, .013, .010 steel. This guitar has a truss rod also and sounds surprisingly good. It might be a good candidate for a resonator.
Also a 4 string cigarbox resonator guitar may be an affordable option to consider.
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