CLASSICAL GUITAR ON TENOR (DGBE)

[arktrav]

Can one play classical guitar on a nylon string tenor tuned DGBE?

[Bax Burgess]

Standard steel-string strung with nylons? Put google to work - there must be compositions, Renaissance, for 4 course lutes, guitars, and then there's the mandolin.

[arktrav]

no, this is not a steel string guitar, it is a "classical" tenor guitar. Four string nylon guitar.

[smwink]

That's the same pitch relationship as the 4-course Renaissance guitar, so you can certainly play that music on it. Composers for the instrument include le Roy, Brayssing, Fuenllana, and Gorlier. You should be able to find facsimile and modern editions through online retailers. There isn't as much out there as you might find for instruments with more strings/courses from the same period, but a lot of it is still quite lovely.

[cdkrugjr]

The Renaissance guitar had three tunings:

dgbe' — Strings 1-4
'dgbe' — 4th string up an octave, like a ukulele
dd'gbe' — 4th string doubled at the octave

The 5th string came into existence in the Baroque era, so you should be good to go for any Early rep you might care to play on that tuning.

pdfminstrel has a number of transcriptions for "Baritone Ukulele" which is the same tuning, but some of the string/fret suggestions might be a bit dicey with 23" scale of a tenor vs 19" for a Bari Uke.

[smwink]

Out of curiosity, was this a custom build? I was also thinking baritone uke and wondering if that's what you have or if it's truly a custom nylon tenor with a longer scale.

[cdkrugjr]

Originally Posted by smwink

Out of curiosity, was this a custom build? I was also thinking baritone uke and wondering if that's what you have or if it's truly a custom nylon tenor with a longer scale.

The Pono Baritone Nui is technically a tenor with a wider neck and braced for nylon stringing.

They also make a steel strung version, though I'm not sure if that has a Classical neck or more of a standard Tenor neck

[arktrav]

Actually, it is a Pono BN 20D SB. I will receive it tomorrow and was going to try tuning it to GDAE, like an octave mandolin, but figuring out the string configuration seemed to difficult. So I thought I would pursue trying to find if such a guitar was ever used in classical music and if so where I might find tabs, etc. I appreciate all the comments. Thanks

[DownUpDave]

Originally Posted by arktrav

Actually, it is a Pono BN 20D SB. I will receive it tomorrow and was going to try tuning it to GDAE, like an octave mandolin, but figuring out the string configuration seemed to difficult. So I thought I would pursue trying to find if such a guitar was ever used in classical music and if so where I might find tabs, etc. I appreciate all the comments. Thanks

Google two websites, Humble Baritronics and Pdf- Minstral. Both have classical arrangements for baritone ukulele which is tuned DGBE the same as your Pono, I had the steel string version. Also go to Mandolin Cafe, they have a Tenor Guitar subform that will be very helpful on string advice for different tunings.

[arktrav]

Great resources! Thank you "DownUpDave"!!

[john bange]

did you get the one on Reverb? great buy...I have a friend who plays one and it is a great tenor guitar for a baritone uke player. They are lightly braced and loud. Nice thing is they come with a case...finding one to fit a nui can be an issue.

I have a custom nui, tuned DGBE and play it with ukulele groups a lot.

[arktrav]

Yes, I got the one that was on Reverb. I like it and hope it will like me over time. Now I'm trying to figure out what strings, etc. I learned on UU that Ohana baritone strings is what they are shipped out with. What strings do you use on yours? Blessings, J.C. Bryant

[cdkrugjr]

I got mine about a month ago.

She makes me want to play Spanish songs quietly in La Plaza drinking a glass of Sangre del Toro . . .

[arktrav]

what strings do you use on yours?