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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 271
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | Copied from an earlier post on Slotheads I wrote:
I had a long conversation with Dave "Standing Ovation", the other day... I was thinking of buying an older 12 string... I had taken the time to list every 12 string EVER made in production, with all the specs for each... that way when something came up for sale I would look at my chart and know in 5 seconds what the specs were for THAT guitar... We went over my list and Dave told me the older slot head guitars, were all 12 fret models:
1115 Pacemaker, 1118 Glen Cambell, 1158 Custom Legend, 1315 Ultra 12 (evidently one of the few made in Korea... The rest of the 12 frets are all US made), 1615 Pacemaker, 1618 Glen Cambell, 1658 Custom Legend...
1) The 12 in "12 fret" is the number of frets "over" the neck, as apposed to the sound board or body. There are only 18 frets total... (Today’s "14 fret" guitars have 20 in the normal scale).
2) There is a minimum of metal in the neck (no Kaman Bar), less metal means MORE WOOD with traditional truss rod, all have 5 pc necks of that era, to help stabilize the neck, from twisting, etc... because they didn't use the Kaman Bar on those guitars to stabilize it...
3) I know from other instruments I have played and tweaked that the Slothead design, also LOWERS the angle of attack the strings have at the nut, coming off the tuners… This will max out the potential tone, all else being equal...
I noticed the angle of Today’s 12 string 6751 Std. Balladeer, is flatter than my C026 Celebrity !!! I KNOW CUZ I BOUGHT ONE... A brand new one as an early Xmas present, with the blessing of my wife... What a sound, more like a piano and harpsachord than a guitar !!!
Anyway the reason for this post:
It looks like they chose to NOT laminate the head of this 12 string, with the flat portion UNDER the peghead, to allow the head of the guitar to angle away from the nut at a steeper angle... (The neck is still 2 pc, glued down the middle).
They add this pc. under the headstock, on the Celebrity to save money AND allow the steeper angle...
The way the Std. Balladeer is constructed,
DECREASES the angle... Are ALL 12 strings made this way or do they go the extra mile on the Legends and use a larger blank for a steeper angle ???
The Slothead, dersign would be advantageous and INCREASE the angle of the strings above the nut!!!
Now I'll continue on with the discussion of the 12 fret vs 14 fret guitars, which I thought would spark some additional discussion...
4) Also contributing to the 12 fret sound, was DEEP Bowls... ALL were Deep of that era...
IMOP (and others) it is for the above reasons that most believe the older 12 fret guitars, had found a "sweet spot" an delivered an acoustic "voice" that is unique, (superior ???) certainly "VINTAGE" in those 12 fret guitars... The same search is on for that “PRE WAR SOUND” in other types of stringed instruments… Especially in the… dare I say banjo world…
The same ANGLE rule applies at the other end, at the saddle, steeper angles, (to a point) define a better voice... I believe 13-14 degrees is optimum, coming off the saddle to the bridge. This rule is pretty universal on ALL stringed instruments...
The only ones with steeper angles are the viola family, they have a support under he bridge to allow a steeper angle, creating MORE force, hence the reason for the support.
Another trick for maxing tone is an ANGLED Saddle... This is currently at around 11 degrees, and helps the saddle push more directly and focused on the bridge and pickup...
AB | |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | AB,
You got the fever! You got the fever that only a 12 string can cure! More 12 string Baby!
Don't let your attention miss out on the Adamas versions that are available as well. Several sub variety of Adamas I and II, Melissa Ethridge model, Melissa Etheridge II with the single bout epaulet (a mini LX Adamas?).
Theres a handfull of Baritone Adamas 12s in closets as well.
30th Anniversary Adamas...
Does it never end?
Get something soon and plot the aquisition of the next flavor! | |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 271
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | This 12 string will keep me busy, for quite some time...
My next will be a Folklore with LX pkg...
AB | |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 63
Location: Miami, FL | Hello AB,
I see you are in Ft. Lauderdale. I am just south of you in the Miami Lakes area. Interesting conversation.
I am a huge fan of the slothead 12 string as many of us here are. Theories aside I like the overall sound and feel of these guitars and have read many of the theories on the headstock angle, etc. Bottom line, is they are great 12 strings.
John | |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 271
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | I opted for the NEW Std Blladeer for many reasons... I have plans to take the traditonal head on my Celebrity and make it into a slothead by routing a channel between the 3 holes on each side of the headstock to make a slothead... Should look somewhat like the Adamas modern slothead only with a slightly steeper angle... If that works out, I will go after the 12 string Balladeer...
AB | |
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Head Stock Angle Shallower on 12 String Std Balladeer ???