View Full Version : Considering Buying a Guitar.
Howdy Y'all
Im considering buying an authentic guitar but do not know where to get one or how much it woulde cost for one. also I dont know what ther supposed to look like. and woulde oldtime bluegrass fit in with this type of musick or is ther a different style of playing guitar? any help would be well appreciated
thanks in advance.
Ken Balos
Hardtack Herring
10-01-2008, 08:15 PM
Blue Grass...... I do not think so.
Use the search function. The Guitar issue was discussed about a month or two ago. You will find your answers in that thread.
Danny
10-02-2008, 02:58 PM
Howdy Y'all Im considering buying an authentic guitar but do not know where to get one or how much it woulde cost for one. also I dont know what ther supposed to look like. and woulde oldtime bluegrass fit in with this type of musick or is ther a different style of playing guitar? any help would be well appreciated thanks in advance. Ken Balos
Ken -
What Paul said is the way to go: use the search word 'guitar' in this forum and you will get more than you ever dreamed of on the topic of what guitar to buy and what style to use.
You should know first that most folks who have studied American music will tell you that Old-time and Bluegrass are two different styles. Bluegrass began only after 1925 or so, and Old-time began after 1880 or so. Before those it was just standard guitar style and classical guitar style, which weren't all that different except for the sheet music they used.
During Civil War times they didn't use a flat pick but only finger-style, and played on gut and wound silk strings only, no steel strings, and on the smallest guitars you've ever seen. That's the hardest part for those of us who have played Old-style or Bluegrass music on a big steel-string guitar using a flat pick -- to learn all over again in the old standard guitar style of the Civil War without a flat pick and without steel strings.
Good luck, I hope it's an easy change for you to make.
Dan Wykes
p.s. I'm from Michigan myself and they don't use "Y'all" up there - are you originally from somewhere else?
To Danny,
No Im from Michigan, I just travell quit a bit down south and thats how I picked the word y'all. Now when you talk of finger style do you mean like a chet atkins guitar style or is it more like a claw hamer bonjoy style of playing?
I guess I shoulde have asked does anyone know of guitar makers out theer that builde authntic guitars for less than $100?
WoodenNutmeg
10-02-2008, 05:08 PM
I guess I shoulde have asked does anyone know of guitar makers out theer that builde authntic guitars for less than $100?
That's a big NO on that one, pard!
ok how much do guitars go for in the reenacting world
ElizabethClark
10-02-2008, 07:35 PM
Quick Moderator Note:
KAB, you need to remember to sign every post and response with your name. If you need help configuring your signature block, please let me or another moderator know. Otherwise, your posts are going to be removed for non-compliance with the main rule around here.
Moderator Bonnet Off.
The key here is, you're not looking for a guitar "in the hobby." You're looking for a repro of an antique-styled instrument, and you can expect to spent a good amount of money for something so singular. They're not generally dirt cheap. (Heck, my "dirt cheap" cello was $600.)
With a slim budget, it might be more affordable to look at a different period instrument, rather than compromise on the quality of something like a guitar. (A well trained voice is extremely portable and handy, for instance! :) )
Here's an interesting "guitar family tree" image:
http://www.cinellimusic.com/GuitarFamilyTree_large.jpg
Some information on an 1830s guitar at the top here:
http://www.cinellimusic.com/cinelli_instruments.asp
From the same site, an interesting audio file of a piece played on an 1830s guitar:
http://www.cinellimusic.com/cinelli_music.asp
Danny
10-02-2008, 10:04 PM
...Now when you talk of finger style do you mean like a chet atkins guitar style or is it more like a claw hamer bonjoy style of playing?
I guess I shoulde have asked does anyone know of guitar makers out theer that builde authntic guitars for less than $100?
OK, Ken -
Don't take this the wrong way, but you're using names and words that have something to do with guitar, but it seems you might not really know what those names and words really mean. If you are a player already, you must know that any kind of guitar that's not a toy should cost more than $100. Respectfully, I would suggest you take a breather and first learn some basic facts about guitars in general before you confuse yourself anymore about what Civil War guitar is all about. Your local Library or music store are better places to start.
Right off the bat: forget about Chet Atkins, Bluegrass, Old time, clawhammer etc. because all those names and words came along well after the Civil War. They are not appropriate in this forum.
Also, and please don't be offended, but consider having someone in your household check your spelling before you post. It's actually hard to pick out what you're asking at times.
Elizabeth - thanks for the guitar links, but that sound file is not an example of the popular style of guitar used in CW times. It's a classical piece from the period that not many plain folks, common soldiers, in the CW would have heard or appreciated.
Dan Wykes
btw if you're the 'Ken' that I know, you'll have to get up a little earlier in the morning to make this one believable :) .
ElizabethClark
10-03-2008, 03:37 AM
Good to know! I'm rather fond of the classical stuff... I'd anticipate coming across that if associating with those having a more "classical" background, then? I found the sound itself interesting; my brother is a modern musician, and has only one instrument strung with gut strings--it's a very different sound than what I tend to think of as "modern" guitar, that's for sure!
eric marten
10-04-2008, 06:30 PM
Dan:
You're being so patient with your answers; however, I suspect that the original inquiry (and follow up questions) might be some kind of joke.
Sorry no joke I honestly dont have a clue as to what it woulde cost for a reenacting guitar but I have some sort of idea now.
I woulde like to thank all of you for your patience as I am very new to this forum and reenacting.so I dont intend for this to be a joke at all!
Kenny Balos
mehrsam
10-04-2008, 11:24 PM
"It's a classical piece from the period that not many plain folks, common soldiers, in the CW would have heard or appreciated."
Sorry, I'm not buying this broad-brush statement. These "plain folk, common soldiers" were probably more culturally aware than you give them credit for. They read Shakespeare, Cicero, Plato, Dickens and Thoreau (according to previous threads on the AC) as well as the dime-store novels. You won't convince me they did not appreciate classical music, be it written for piano, harpsichord, guitar, lute, harp or full orchestration. I would think that even the most untrained musician of the time would not pass up an opportunity to attend a performance of Bach, Corelli or Sor.
But that is just my not-so-humble opinion...
eric marten
10-05-2008, 08:54 AM
Mark: I agree with you. My point of reference is with fiddlers/violinists, and many of them (though obviously not all) were familiar with classical as well as folk (popular) music, and playing styles, as well documented by the Mount brothers of Stony Brook, L.I. during the period leading right up to the war.
Ken: Ok, I accept that your inquiry was not a joke - I guess I just got distracted by your many references to modern country music, such as Chet Atkins, Bluegrass, etc. (and bonjoy - what is that?)
does anybody know where i can get a cd on the guitar styles of the period. I play guitar by ear so sheet music woulde not really be a help to me, but if I hear a song I can pick it up pretty easy.
eric-sorry about bonjo pard, I meant to say banjo. country and bluegrass is the only music I know, I don't want to cause any problems when I am referring to this kind of music so if you feel I am out of place when referring to this kind of music pleas feel free to let me know or send me a p.m. the last thing I want is to cause problems!
So just what do you call the guitar style of playing during the civil war ?
do you call it folk music????????????????????????????????
Ken Balos
Elizabeth Clark-thank you for the links I really appreciate that.
Dan - could you tell me where I would have met you ? I cant recall your name. this doesn't mean I don't know you but just cant think of where I would have met you
Danny
10-05-2008, 09:11 PM
Sorry, I'm not buying this broad-brush statement. These "plain folk, common soldiers" were probably more culturally aware than you give them credit for. They read Shakespeare, Cicero, Plato, Dickens and Thoreau (according to previous threads on the AC) as well as the dime-store novels. You won't convince me they did not appreciate classical music, be it written for piano, harpsichord, guitar, lute, harp or full orchestration. I would think that even the most untrained musician of the time would not pass up an opportunity to attend a performance of Bach, Corelli or Sor...
Mark: I agree with you. My point of reference is with fiddlers/violinists, and many of them (though obviously not all) were familiar with classical as well as folk (popular) music, and playing styles...
Mark, Eric -
Literacy among the troops was an issue, let alone reading music required of a classical musician. It is more of a stretch to suppose the average soldier was appreciative of classical music, particularly as orchestras were a rarity in this country, and non-existent in the rural areas. There were violinists and pianists trained in the classical manner that did tour the country, Gottshalk et. al. But not so much classical guitarists.
As for the several accounts of classical performance and musicians, keep in mind it was only the literate and trained musicians that were capable of writing of such things. I suspect a better measure of what was common and popular would be the playbills, and the sheet music that droves of folks spent their hard-earned cash on. According to sources I've found the popular music of the time was more Minstrel than classical, more low-brow more than high-brow, more circus or medicine show than concert hall.
That's the basis of my prior statement, anyway.
Dan Wykes
Mr. Dan where are you from in MI.
Also thank you for all your help. Am I doing OK with this post, its my first one and I would just like to know how I'm doing, any suggestions on how I could improve would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Ken Balos
Danny
10-05-2008, 10:57 PM
Mr. Dan where are you from in MI
St. Clair, Tecumseh, Jackson, Albion, Monroe, East Lansing are all places I've lived.
Back to topic though, on your last question - none of the CW guitar styles were what we call 'folk' music today.
Good luck with that guitar, but I suspect banjo is more your instrument.
Dan Wykes
Dan-thanks
speaking of Jakson MI.
are you going to come to the 25th anniversary?
as for banjo I dont know a thing aboute it, I have been a guitar player for about 7-8 years now.
mehrsam
10-06-2008, 04:30 PM
Mark, Eric -
Literacy among the troops was an issue, let alone reading music required of a classical musician. It is more of a stretch to suppose the average soldier was appreciative of classical music, particularly as orchestras were a rarity in this country, and non-existent in the rural areas. There were violinists and pianists trained in the classical manner that did tour the country, Gottshalk et. al. But not so much classical guitarists.
As for the several accounts of classical performance and musicians, keep in mind it was only the literate and trained musicians that were capable of writing of such things. I suspect a better measure of what was common and popular would be the playbills, and the sheet music that droves of folks spent their hard-earned cash on. According to sources I've found the popular music of the time was more Minstrel than classical, more low-brow more than high-brow, more circus or medicine show than concert hall.
That's the basis of my prior statement, anyway.
Dan Wykes
Dan,
I see your point regarding the literacy of the average soldier, and I suspect if you could ask the question of 10 soldiers (now where's that darned time machine...) you would get 10 different responses regarding the level of knowledge of classical music.
My point was that I couldn't completely dismiss the existence of at least one or two classical pieces in some guitarists' repertoire. I agree with your statement regarding the type of music that was popular - minstrel, ballads, traditional "folk" tunes passed down from player to player, etc.
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