Topic: New (New or Old) Guitars

[Rivers]

Re. Angelina, thanks fellars. We had a jam here last night (w/harp, guitar, 12 string, accordian, percussion) and everyone loved the sound and commented on how loud it was. Definitely needs fingerpicks to push it into the zone, once it's happening it seems to have a momentum to it that suggests new things to play. The sustain is amazing, rings forever.

I'll post pics when I've cleaned up all the grime, surface pick marks and replaced the ratty strings.

[Rivers]

[5 hours later...]

Hahaha! Mad cackle...

Dismantled, de-splooged, clearcoat polished, boiled strings (pending La Bella set from Todd), reassembled, here's Angelina, serial #2, rescued from oblivion:

[Richard]

Colin Brooks... are on the same wavelength or is it just me! I made that guitar in the pics!

[uncle bud]

Richard - it's you. I believe Colin was referring to the guitar in this post: http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=128&topic=148.msg34352#msg34352.

Obviously you have too many guitars to remember them and need to send a few my way. I'm learning lap!

[dj]

...here's Angelina, serial #2...

Wow.  I guess the 2 stands for "too cool".  Congratulations, Rivers.
   

[ayhcult]

[5 hours later...]

Hahaha! Mad cackle...

Dismantled, de-splooged, clearcoat polished, boiled strings (pending La Bella set from Todd), reassembled, here's Angelina, serial #2, rescued from oblivion:

That's cool,mine is # 3 ,I believe

[Rivers]

Yes, very cool. Todd's sure he's making better guitars these days but I'm real happy with #2. Has a certain whomp to it with the pick raked across the ladder brace, bass runs are pretty convincing and the trebles out of sight. That's all with old strings. I'm really happy, never played an oak b & s guitar before but it's perfect for this. 

Welcome to weenie campbell BTW, and belated thanks, I think you showed me a thing or two on guitar a while back.

[uncle bud]

Having recently spent 1 1/2 hours digging through my strings and restringing my 12 (alas, not a Fraulini of any number), I can sympathize with the boiled strings. I was able to change everything except the low 6th bridge cable. Maybe I'll boil her up. Can't imagine it doing much good! The stores here just look at me like I'm nuts when I ask for a .066. BTW, I find the lighter string on the bottom course - currently a .026 - flops around a bit much and has trouble staying in tune below C. I'm thinking of boosting it slightly. That may be my guitar though. What are the gauges in Todd's La Bella set? These?

course 1: .013/.013
course 2: .017/.017
course 3: .026/.026
course 4: .017/.038
course 5: .022/.048
course 6: .026/.066

[waxwing]

Yep, except that he puts a .012" for the octave string on the 3rd course and uses a .020 for the octave on the 5th course. I just changed over to a set of Todd's from my last set of the ones Harry Lewman (RIP) used to have La Bella make up, which were a point heavier in the plain strings and a point or two lighter in all the wounds. Hopefully the intonation won't be too far out.

All for now.
John C.

[Johnm]

That guitar you bought really is a beauty, Mark, and if it is anything like Phil's, which was the best brand new 12-string guitar I've ever seen when I first saw it, and which has continued to improve with age, you've got a lot of playing enjoyment ahead of you.
All best,
Johnm

[Cambio]

I'm glad that #2 has been brought back from the dead, desplooged, and is continuing to provide joy. 
I do have strings for sale if anyone is interested, custom sets from Labella in the following gauges:
course 1: .013/.013
course 2: .017/.017
course 3: .012/.026
course 4: .017/.038
course 5: .022/.048
course 6: .026/.066
I built off the set that Alvin uses and put an octave in the third course, figuring that most folks wanted to play McTell stuff.  If you want to play Leadbelly stuff, you can swap the .026 in the sixth course for the .012 in the third and get the unison course in the third and the double octave on the sixth, just like Huddie.  The sets are $15 while supplies last.  LaBella isn't super quick with their turnaround so you'll have to email me about availability.
I also know of another Fraulini 12 for sale and any interested parties can email me for the details.
Happy Inauguration Day,
Todd

[GhostRider]

Howdy:

I just got this back from the luthier. It's a 30's May Bell Style #7. Red mother of toilet-seat fingerboard, green pickguard and brown headstock veneer. Spruce top, birch back and sides. Thick baseball C-shaped neck. Ladder-braced (slanted).

Loud, bassy. Nice sounding guitar. I'm quite a fan of May Bell's, great value for the money.

And bling!

Alex

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[waxwing]

Just curious, Todd. How many sets do you have to order from La Bella to get them to give a discount on the order. I might want to go back to the Harry Lewman sets which were:

course 1: .014/.014
course 2: .018/.018
course 3: .014/.025
course 4: .016/.036
course 5: .019/.046
course 6: .025/.064

I also might want to try a set of 80/20 bronze. Having them (or anyone) make up individual sets gets a lot more expensive, tho'.

BTW, the three sets you sent me did have a .020 for the 5th course octave, but I'm glad 'cause it's closer to the .019 that I had been using. My luthier hear carved a snakelike saddle to get the intonation correct from string to string and making that big a change might start to show up. I guess I'll have to get the intonation redone eventually.

All for now.
John C.

[Blue in VT]

 

Ghost Rider!!! that is fantstic....what a sweet box!!!  How much work did she need to get her in playing condition?

Blue

[GhostRider]

  How much work did she need to get her in playing condition?
Blue

Blue:

Lots. The back was cracked in half. Neck reset. The area around the bridge was "clawed" had to be reinforced and an amateur refinish around the bridge removed and redone. Two top braces reglued.

But it turned out great.

Alex