theflyingturtle Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 I just spent a few days in the California redwoods with my family. It was my daughter's first time visiting there and we had a great time. I took my beater 12 fret guitar for fun. On the last day we visited an enormous redwood grove. I sat on a burl/root thing and played my guitar and sang while my wife played in the creek with my daughter. It was lovely. On the drive back home I started thinking seriously about how much I like 12 fret guitars. I know there have been some 12 fret Gibsons. I think the Jackson Browne model is a 12 and I have seen AJs and J-45s in 12 frets but are there any vintage models with 12 frets? I think there was a "L" model that had 12 frets for a year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 12 fret southern jumbos. 12 fret J 200's 12 fret L00's JC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 I think my '31 12 fretter (pictured) is designated L0, but they have always been interchangeable with the L00. 30's era L1, L2 maybe as well. Body is identical to my 4 year older L00, but the lower soundhole positioning and all mahog parts gives it a different feel and sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theflyingturtle Posted July 21, 2017 Author Share Posted July 21, 2017 I think my '31 12 fretter (pictured) is designated L0, but they have always been interchangeable with the L00. 30's era L1, L2 maybe as well. Body is identical to my 4 year older L00, but the lower soundhole positioning and all mahog parts gives it a different feel and sound. So, this confuses me. Were these 12 fret guitars regular production models or custom requests that Gibson made available upon request? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 So, this confuses me. Were these 12 fret guitars regular production models or custom requests that Gibson made available upon request? They were all 12-fret until about 1933. After I think only the Hawaiian, classicals, and the mid-60s F models were until modern times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theflyingturtle Posted July 21, 2017 Author Share Posted July 21, 2017 Ahhh! So did any of these models NOT have a deep V neck? I can't play V necks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 The Jackson Browne model was disappointing to me, as the only thing (slightly) greater about it's neck profile was the nut width, 1.805". VERY soft v. It would probably work for you. The contemporary Stage Deluxe Rosewood model has a neck that is more substantial, but still quite manageable by modern standards. Bear in mind, however, a deeper body with very little taper. Edit: Sorry, re-read original post; you're mostly interested in the older stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Not vintage but here are some of my 12 fretters The NL and Stage Deluxe RW are my favorites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 L-series Keb Mo. L-- pro (hard to find), red spruce L00, LI and L2 variations. Jumbos: Smeck Radio Grande, AJs SJs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theflyingturtle Posted July 22, 2017 Author Share Posted July 22, 2017 The Jackson Browne model was disappointing to me, as the only thing (slightly) greater about it's neck profile was the nut width, 1.805". VERY soft v. It would probably work for you. The contemporary Stage Deluxe Rosewood model has a neck that is more substantial, but still quite manageable by modern standards. Bear in mind, however, a deeper body with very little taper. Edit: Sorry, re-read original post; you're mostly interested in the older stuff? No, thanks for sharing. I am glead to hear I'm not the only one that didn't care for the JB. On paper it was perfect on paper but in real life it just wasn't a flavor I liked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theflyingturtle Posted July 22, 2017 Author Share Posted July 22, 2017 Not vintage but here are some of my 12 fretters The NL and Stage Deluxe RW are my favorites. Gawd! No apologies necessary. What wonderful, dark bursts! Are 12 fretters your thing or those just part of the collection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 Gawd! No apologies necessary. What wonderful, dark bursts! Are 12 fretters your thing or those just part of the collection? Just part of the collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 After about 1933, most all of the golden era 12-fret flat tops were converted Hawaiian. Here are ours from that period. The Gibsons are a Roy Smeck Stage Deluxe, a Roy Smeck Radio Grande, a HG-00 and a HG-Century. The Martins are a 00-40H and three 00-18Hs. In this general pictures of our old Gibsons, in addition to the 14-fret and the Hawaiian conversions in the picture above, you can see a couple of early 12-fret flat tops -- a 1925 (far left) L-1 and a 1931 L-2 (2nd on the right). 12 frets was the rule before 1929 when Martin introduced the 14-fret OM. Here is a picture of three guitars I got from Norman Blake in 2005. In addition to the 34 00-40H Martin shown earlier, there is a 1895 Almctantz and a late 1920s Larson Brothers. Note that Almcrantz is a 12-fret dread sized guitar build 20 years before Martin did any such thing. Let's pick, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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