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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | If you see me going down a bad path throw a flag out and stop me.
I have every intention of putting a set of "heavy" gage strings on the 1615 and going down at least 2 frets. I'll experiment with more. From there I'll me using EADGBE and playing around with DGDGBD and DADGBD tunings until I know what I'm doing.Yes, it is a poor man's Baritone, but alas!
Any "been there, done thats" to share?
Also - I have used thumb and finger picks in the past (20years ago). What type are preferred today? |
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August 2003
Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | As far as the tunings, I can't help... but I do use fingerpicks exclusively.
I use a Medium National plastic thumb pick and 2 fingerpicks by Alaskapik try www.alaskapik.com
I use the Large and Medium Alaskapiks.
They are the only ones that allow me to "backstrum" just like using the fingernails...
tim |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Tim,
I think I'll give those a shot. What I've used in the past puts the action about a 1/4" away from where I would fingerpick empty handed. |
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January 2004
Posts: 1225
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | I have a Legend 12 string and I really like the coated D'Addario light strings (they are 10's, I think). I de-tune 1/2 step but that's to help get me through singing for 3 or 4 hours. I found that de-tuning any more than 1/2 step resulted in intonation and tuning problems.
I don't use finger picks myself because I just can't get used to them. I use my natural finger nails for fingerstyle and Jim Dunlop Tortex .60m flat picks. |
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August 2003
Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | I used to use only the fingernails until they were getting worn down and I was losing the sound and attack. Plus I was always worried about snagging and tearing a nail thus being out of action for a month!
The Alaskapiks slip over the finger and UNDER the nail (trim/file just like your fingernail). They allow for a forceful picking and full confident strumming... and... no more worn down nails! :D
tim |
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January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Go for it! I used to have an old Leadbelly-type Stella 12 that I put heavy strings on and tuned it down a whole step...sometimes a step and a half. If the gauges are right, your tuning and intonation problems shouldn't be that bad. Hell, that's what everybody used to do years ago anyway! |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | I did a little surfing and found some inspiration. One site was Roger McGuin and his 12 string Rickenbaucker. I will have to learn Turn, Turn, Turn the way it was meant to be played!
Another inspiration was Gordon Bok
I love the description of the strings used on one of his 12's.
If I make the effort I may just have to have one of them there Baritone 12 string Adamas I's. What good is this board if we all had what we asked for anyway. It's the craving and the hunger that gives you something to go for! It's the shock and awe of seeing a friend's most lovely instrument. It's the amazement of playing something exquisite.
I's the pleasure of sharing that love with others. ;) |
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Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | It's waiting for the $^%#@!@#$ Brown Truck!
/\/\/ |
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Posts: 1026
Location: Back in the Valley of the Sun Mesa Az. | Hey, the Alaska picks are great! You can custom trim them for each finger/thumb (as I have four thumbs it seems at times). I think they are the most comnfortable finger picks available, and leave your playing style very versatile without taking them off (strum, back strum, pick&strum together).
Norse(2cents worth)man1 |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | I picked up a set and they were usable from the start! I'm going to ditch the thumbpick and use a Alaska Pick on the thumb instead. I will take some time to "assimilate" and come out with some smoothness.
I got the heavy gage strings on my "One-Knobber Slothead" and it is tuned down three frets and in DGDGBD (AEAEF#A for the anal retentive!) for an open E. Now if I just knew how to play it!
After spending several hours restringing/playing/tuning/playing/tuning on 12 strings I went back to my LX and was just blown away by the responsiveness.
Put an LX Longneck on my wishlist! Like CWK2 says "the soooouuund"! |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | Update:
You don't really know how many strings are on a 12 string until you have to change them out!
Tried the Elixer Nanoweb heavy's. Got the sound down 3 frets but had trouble with capoing and first fret fingering. Since this would require modifying the nut and or neck I just played around with various tunings and finger pick (Alaskapiks) techniques and then put on a set of D'Addario Light 12s.
I was using the Kyser 12 capo and had troubles getting full pull on the low E octave string. Mid range sounded great but the low end never quite smoothed out.
Now to get my hands on a Longneck! :rolleyes: |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Woodster;
Try using a Shubb 12-string capo, they work REALLY well! (but I can't vouch on using 'em on low tunings)
After we left Kim's house on Saturday, we went to Stonge's house (GREAT house, btw!!) and jammed yet AGAIN! Stonge has an Ovation Longneck 12-string that was REALLY sweet. Didn't really get a chance to play it a lot, but it sounded really cool. A bit of a "departure" when you're used to those bright, "harpsichord-like" tones that I'm used to. Forgot to ask what it was tuned to. Maybe Al or Michael can remember. |
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Posts: 398
Location: So. Cal. | The 12 string at Stonge's house was an Adamas II long neck, tuned a whole step down (D). Cliff was right about the different tonal quality. I was actually playing a lot of low notes on the 6/5/4 strings instead of the usual ringing high strings. I think Al liked it as well as he didn't ask me to stop. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | I know I've got the bug. At this time it's an unfunded mandate. It was nice singing in my vocal range which is somewhere between tenor gravel. The Schubbs is the one, eh!
In the meantime I still need to learn how to play this thing!!!
When you guy's pick up a 12 string what are the first two songs that come to mind? |
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February 2004
Posts: 58
Location: Brighton,MI | Can you say......"THE BYRDS"......
Jim |
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August 2003
Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | Mwoody,
Try "The Boxer" by Paul Simon on the 12! Or The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald... hmmm am I dating myself? :confused:
tim |
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November 2002
Posts: 3611
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Hey, Tim, about as much as the rest of us, I would guess......Age isn't the issue: Gravity really reeks havoc, though!
I expect to appreciate this thread a great deal more after my 1115 is refurbished by The Mothership. In the meantime, I will enjoy the discussion! |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | I love this discussion, especially the mention of the "One Slobber Knothead", I thought my wife was the only one to call me that. I guess it happens to all of us 12 string lovers. My suggestion for finding 12 string music is to locate an old "Mr 12 String" album by the master, Glen Campbell.
Bailey |
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12 String Lo Down; Somebody Stop Me!
