I got the NEW editions. I still have my original, but I got three new Astrojets. Two are Chicago tuning, and two are Arkansas tuning. I'm still having difficulty due to the size of my hands and fingers, but I'm still gonna play it. (No, I'm NOT gonna get rid of my tenor guitars, in spite of what I originally posted.) I LOVE the update on the deluxe models with extra volume and tone PLUS P=90 pick ups!)
Maybe! It kind of depends on your overall goals with the guitar, but it was designed for banjo players to get them transitioned to guitars, so I bet it would have bridged a bit of a gap!
Despite the flaws of this one, I like the concept of it. I had no idea about tenor guitars. Right around the 7 minute mark I really loved the tone. Reminiscent of the "Mr. Blue Sky" solo sound.
Great video, Emily! It's a shame you didn't use the Bigsby though! I agree with you that a tenor will get you out of a creative rut - my new Eastwood Warren Ellis tenor arrived Tuesday, tuned to GDAE and once I'd got.my head around that I was off and running - I've written the basics of three new songs already and it's only Friday! 😊
I had the warren Ellis tenor. And I’m so stupid... because I sold it at guitar center. Thinking it was an instrument that I’d haven’t been playing. It was an amazing instrument and really miss that guitar. This SG shape is awesome! This was a fantastic topic. Also would recommend everyone to pick one up in any form, cause they rock. Those pickups sound great. Again the shape is killer. It is tricky to learn even with a little music theory being had, but I bought a book with the fretboard layout and was able to learn the CAGED system before it was gone. Thank you for doing this video!!
Here's my story: I bought the model demonstrated in this video just after they discontinued it. I had heard that Gibson put out a limited run of SG Tenor guitars in the 1960s, and, as an adventurous musician, I'm always looking for new ways to approach how to play an instrument, especially guitars. I had seen one or two videos of vintage guitar collectors with their tenor SGs and was intrigue, but good luck finding one, and if you do, you'll probably have to forego the kid's college fund. So when I saw the Astrojet, I investigated further. I watched a few demo videos and liked what I heard, but by the time I was ready to buy one, Eastwood had discontinued making this particular model. With due dilligance, I surfed the web, and found a music store that had one for about six. (Not including shipping charges and credit card interests, mind you) It was like brand new, came in factory packaging, and even had a gig bag and strap. Couldn't find any flaws on the body, machine heads, or fretboard. However two things went wrong: One I didn't like the fact that the front strap peg was on the top horn instead of behind the neck, so that alone made playing it awkward and uncomfortable, and second, the neck and fret board were W-A-A-A-Y too SKINNY for my hands and fingers! I had tuned it to "Chicago Style" tuning (E B G D) figuring that I could use it to practice scales and modes at the very least, but I have "Sausage" fingers, and would keep muffling the strings every time I tried to play it, or I would accidently play the wrong fret. This was very heartbreaking, because I LOVED the sound I got when I played it. Very much like a Gibson SG standard with humbuckers. I still have it, and it's safely in storage for now. Part of me wants to sell it to the right person, but another part of me tells me to hold on to it for you never know when something like this will come in handy. I think in the right hands, a person could do some serious damage with this neat little weapon, but, as I said my hands and fingers are too FAT to really play it effectively. They discontinued these quite some time ago, so if you find one, you might pay $800.00 minimum, and that's w/o the Bigsby tail piece and whammy bar, but, if you find one, have the money, think your hands and fingers are skinny enough, and you like the gentle purr, or roaring growl of an SG standard with humbuckers, I would highly recommend snatching it as soon as you can. What didn't work out for me could be a career launcher for you. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it1
Wow, thanks for sharing! It's interesting to me that your biggest issue with the guitar-the narrow nut width-is why I prefer the Astrojet over their other tenors, which have longer nut widths. Have you been able to play a Warren Ellis or something similar? I get being in love with the SG shape as it's what drew me to this particular tenor as well, but if the nut width doesn't work for you, and you don't see that changing, and if I were you, I'd try to trade it for a different tenor.
@@GetOffset I have not tried playing a Warren Ellis yet, but I'll do some investigating into the guitar, especially videos to hear how it sounds. If I like what I hear, I'll find one, kick the tires, and give it a test drive. Yes the shape did catch my eye, but, of all the demo videos I listened to and watched, I liked the sound just as much. I play an SG most of the time, and have quite a few in my collection. I've always loved the SG, not only for the shape, but for the comfort, (And yes, I can deal with the dreaded "Neck Dive" on most models) but also how they sound. A lot of my favorite bands play SGs as a mainstay guitar, or did for a brief period, (Some still do and swear by them) even though a lot of those bands switched to Les Pauls. (I have a few of those too but they tend to be a bit too heavy for my liking, even though I like the way they sound as well) 've toyed with the idea of going to a professional luthier, and finding out weather or not they might be able to put on a slightly wider neck, but that would also mean having to modify the body to fit said neck, and I also just don't have the money to do this, or the time. If a Warren Ellis has a slightly wider neck, and a better spaced fret board, and sounds like an Astrojet, and if they aren't too expensive, I might consider investing in one, but I'll have to do the research first before making any final decisions in that department. Thanks for responding, and have a great weekend.
Uffdah, you might try the pencil lead trick on the nut to fix the tuning problem. I actually have another Eastwood tenor model, and had to use that trick to fix a string that didn't want to be adjusted until its pitch changed too much. I keep mine in all-fifths tuning, btw. What is your other Eastwood tenor, and what tuning do you keep it in? I think Eastwood is a really cool company, as they seem to make a lot of odd-ball instruments at an affordable price. Tuners and pickups are an easy swap.
Totally agree that a wider fingerboard on a tenor spoils the fun... using 6-string hardware on the body is one thing but if you don’t have a 4-string *neck* on a tenor it’s basically coming off like a partially-strung 6-string guitar.
I really like that guitar. Quite a bit. Also, if you don't like the dots, I'd suggest slapping on some fret decals. I ordered from the same place as Nita Strauss and Steve Vai. I figure if they don't have a problem with 'em, then they'll be good enough for me. I have a set on one of my guitars and like the look and the feel is fine too.
Cool guitar, Em, lots of mojo. I'd start by checking the intonation at the saddles, and replace the tuners. Maybe a heavier spring in the Bigsby? Might benefit from heavier strings too, plain 1 & 2, wound 3 & 4. I have a '60s Silvertone/Harmony baritone ukulele that was rebuilt with a pin bridge for steel strings - when I'm in a creative rut, it always pulls me out!
@@GetOffset Reading that back, it sounded a little abrupt, sorry. It is a cool guitar. I've got one of their Warren Ellis signature tenors. I couldn't make it sound right until I took it to a luthier. Now it sings.
I didn't even know tenor guitars were a thing! What a cool guitar. Love the channel!
I got the NEW editions. I still have my original, but I got three new Astrojets. Two are Chicago tuning, and two are Arkansas tuning. I'm still having difficulty due to the size of my hands and fingers, but I'm still gonna play it. (No, I'm NOT gonna get rid of my tenor guitars, in spite of what I originally posted.) I LOVE the update on the deluxe models with extra volume and tone PLUS P=90 pick ups!)
What a funny little machine. I winder if my first go-around moving from cello to guitar would have gone better if i had started on a tenor.
Maybe! It kind of depends on your overall goals with the guitar, but it was designed for banjo players to get them transitioned to guitars, so I bet it would have bridged a bit of a gap!
Despite the flaws of this one, I like the concept of it. I had no idea about tenor guitars. Right around the 7 minute mark I really loved the tone. Reminiscent of the "Mr. Blue Sky" solo sound.
Great video, Emily! It's a shame you didn't use the Bigsby though! I agree with you that a tenor will get you out of a creative rut - my new Eastwood Warren Ellis tenor arrived Tuesday, tuned to GDAE and once I'd got.my head around that I was off and running - I've written the basics of three new songs already and it's only Friday! 😊
Next time!
I had the warren Ellis tenor. And I’m so stupid... because I sold it at guitar center. Thinking it was an instrument that I’d haven’t been playing. It was an amazing instrument and really miss that guitar. This SG shape is awesome!
This was a fantastic topic. Also would recommend everyone to pick one up in any form, cause they rock. Those pickups sound great. Again the shape is killer. It is tricky to learn even with a little music theory being had, but I bought a book with the fretboard layout and was able to learn the CAGED system before it was gone.
Thank you for doing this video!!
Here's my story: I bought the model demonstrated in this video just after they discontinued it. I had heard that Gibson put out a limited run of SG Tenor guitars in the 1960s, and, as an adventurous musician, I'm always looking for new ways to approach how to play an instrument, especially guitars. I had seen one or two videos of vintage guitar collectors with their tenor SGs and was intrigue, but good luck finding one, and if you do, you'll probably have to forego the kid's college fund. So when I saw the Astrojet, I investigated further. I watched a few demo videos and liked what I heard, but by the time I was ready to buy one, Eastwood had discontinued making this particular model. With due dilligance, I surfed the web, and found a music store that had one for about six. (Not including shipping charges and credit card interests, mind you) It was like brand new, came in factory packaging, and even had a gig bag and strap. Couldn't find any flaws on the body, machine heads, or fretboard. However two things went wrong: One I didn't like the fact that the front strap peg was on the top horn instead of behind the neck, so that alone made playing it awkward and uncomfortable, and second, the neck and fret board were W-A-A-A-Y too SKINNY for my hands and fingers! I had tuned it to "Chicago Style" tuning (E B G D) figuring that I could use it to practice scales and modes at the very least, but I have "Sausage" fingers, and would keep muffling the strings every time I tried to play it, or I would accidently play the wrong fret. This was very heartbreaking, because I LOVED the sound I got when I played it. Very much like a Gibson SG standard with humbuckers. I still have it, and it's safely in storage for now. Part of me wants to sell it to the right person, but another part of me tells me to hold on to it for you never know when something like this will come in handy. I think in the right hands, a person could do some serious damage with this neat little weapon, but, as I said my hands and fingers are too FAT to really play it effectively. They discontinued these quite some time ago, so if you find one, you might pay $800.00 minimum, and that's w/o the Bigsby tail piece and whammy bar, but, if you find one, have the money, think your hands and fingers are skinny enough, and you like the gentle purr, or roaring growl of an SG standard with humbuckers, I would highly recommend snatching it as soon as you can. What didn't work out for me could be a career launcher for you. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it1
Wow, thanks for sharing! It's interesting to me that your biggest issue with the guitar-the narrow nut width-is why I prefer the Astrojet over their other tenors, which have longer nut widths. Have you been able to play a Warren Ellis or something similar?
I get being in love with the SG shape as it's what drew me to this particular tenor as well, but if the nut width doesn't work for you, and you don't see that changing, and if I were you, I'd try to trade it for a different tenor.
@@GetOffset I have not tried playing a Warren Ellis yet, but I'll do some investigating into the guitar, especially videos to hear how it sounds. If I like what I hear, I'll find one, kick the tires, and give it a test drive.
Yes the shape did catch my eye, but, of all the demo videos I listened to and watched, I liked the sound just as much. I play an SG most of the time, and have quite a few in my collection. I've always loved the SG, not only for the shape, but for the comfort, (And yes, I can deal with the dreaded "Neck Dive" on most models) but also how they sound. A lot of my favorite bands play SGs as a mainstay guitar, or did for a brief period, (Some still do and swear by them) even though a lot of those bands switched to Les Pauls. (I have a few of those too but they tend to be a bit too heavy for my liking, even though I like the way they sound as well) 've toyed with the idea of going to a professional luthier, and finding out weather or not they might be able to put on a slightly wider neck, but that would also mean having to modify the body to fit said neck, and I also just don't have the money to do this, or the time. If a Warren Ellis has a slightly wider neck, and a better spaced fret board, and sounds like an Astrojet, and if they aren't too expensive, I might consider investing in one, but I'll have to do the research first before making any final decisions in that department.
Thanks for responding, and have a great weekend.
Uffdah, you might try the pencil lead trick on the nut to fix the tuning problem. I actually have another Eastwood tenor model, and had to use that trick to fix a string that didn't want to be adjusted until its pitch changed too much. I keep mine in all-fifths tuning, btw.
What is your other Eastwood tenor, and what tuning do you keep it in?
I think Eastwood is a really cool company, as they seem to make a lot of odd-ball instruments at an affordable price. Tuners and pickups are an easy swap.
Totally agree that a wider fingerboard on a tenor spoils the fun... using 6-string hardware on the body is one thing but if you don’t have a 4-string *neck* on a tenor it’s basically coming off like a partially-strung 6-string guitar.
luv your idea....buying a gift for yourself...you go girl!
Hahaha gotta tell myself "I love you" sometimes
I really like that guitar. Quite a bit.
Also, if you don't like the dots, I'd suggest slapping on some fret decals. I ordered from the same place as Nita Strauss and Steve Vai. I figure if they don't have a problem with 'em, then they'll be good enough for me. I have a set on one of my guitars and like the look and the feel is fine too.
Cool guitar, Em, lots of mojo. I'd start by checking the intonation at the saddles, and replace the tuners. Maybe a heavier spring in the Bigsby? Might benefit from heavier strings too, plain 1 & 2, wound 3 & 4.
I have a '60s Silvertone/Harmony baritone ukulele that was rebuilt with a pin bridge for steel strings - when I'm in a creative rut, it always pulls me out!
That's cool , I have a 60s astrojet which doesn't seem as offset a shape
Oh cool!
@@GetOffset this astrojet reminds me more of guild s100, which is not bad thing at all
I wonder if these would work out better for me with my tiny bassist mind. Four is the right number of strings.
it's a good number of strings!
Learning mandolin. Want an electric tenor.
Does it djent?
Really? REALLY? That comment went into hiding 5 years ago.
Is that a Swedish dala horse???
I’m just looking for one divine hammer
It disappears this year.
Love what your doing for the trans community 💛
What am I doing?
@@GetOffset I was wondering the same thing.
@@davannacarter I mean I love the trans community but I'm not sure what this video has to do with my love of the entire LGBT+ community?
Looks like Wes borland would use this
A tenor?
Sounds like you have serious intonation issues with that guitar. Also, some nut lube might help with your tuning issues.
Yeah maybe thanks for watching
@@GetOffset Reading that back, it sounded a little abrupt, sorry. It is a cool guitar. I've got one of their Warren Ellis signature tenors. I couldn't make it sound right until I took it to a luthier. Now it sings.
The tuning issue is the nut
probs
Cool, that looks like a uke on steroids