vacamartin Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Welp. been through a mess of Gibbys and a few low end NL L-00 and such. Thought I'd see what the H&D boys have got. Bought me a 2012 *CrossRoads* standard. Wonder if any one else has strayed from the Gibson L-00 line-up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliasphobias Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 That should be a real dandy! I have only had the opportunity to play one H&D and it was impressive. I have tried the Waterloo/Collings offering which is based on the Kalamazoo KG14 (basically L00 depending on bracing scheme)and thought they were done well but not what I was looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacamartin Posted January 20, 2018 Author Share Posted January 20, 2018 That should be a real dandy! I have only had the opportunity to play one H&D and it was impressive. I have tried the Waterloo/Collings offering which is based on the Kalamazoo KG14 (basically L00 depending on bracing scheme)and thought they were done well but not what I was looking for. This L'ill H&D is something else. My last L-00 was a Blues King, well made but tone wise lacking when played with older L-00's. This H&D (2012) can hold its own. I read where another Crossroads owner told Mark Dalton that his CrossRoads was made for old time pickin', but when playing other genres it had a *banjo* bright sound that the owner did not like. Daltons reply....then we're doing something right 'cause that's the tone we're striving to emulate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mking Posted January 26, 2018 Share Posted January 26, 2018 This L'ill H&D is something else. My last L-00 was a Blues King, well made but tone wise lacking when played with older L-00's. This H&D (2012) can hold its own. I read where another Crossroads owner told Mark Dalton that his CrossRoads was made for old time pickin', but when playing other genres it had a *banjo* bright sound that the owner did not like. Daltons reply....then we're doing something right 'cause that's the tone we're striving to emulate Looks a bit like my Gibson L-00. Very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMELEYE Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 Have one in the house right now. A friend asked me to sell his for him and that gave me the opportunity to try one out for however long it takes to sell. I've owned Gibson L-00s in the past, both oldies and newer ones so it's been fun giving this one a shot. Bottom line, though I no longer own or play L-00 guitars, I quite like it. Plays well, has that dry, reverby old time sound. H&D have created a pretty nice version of this size/body shape with its own unique tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 I have never seen or heard a H&D Crossroads here in southern Victoria, Australia.....and I probably won’t as nobody imports them...but it looks good. How would you compare it to your old BK? My first Gibson acoustic was my Blues King, approx made about 2007, bubinga back and sides, sitka top. It really is the size and shape guitar I like playing, so I bought the 37 L-0 and had it fixed; then I bought the Martin CEO7 which had everyone in a fever about at the time...but it is great: a Gibson L-00 that sounds like a Martin with adi top and mahogany b/s and the wonderful and feared Mod V neck and 1 3/4” nut. Then I had my Cargill custom made : Nick Lucas deep body style but with African ebony with Italian spruce top and a Mod V neck with specs from my OM18V! ...and none of them sound anything alike or even like an old L-00 I imagined. Resonator day here today - we had a massive summer storm the other night and the humidity is awful, about 90% as I write...and all the light build guitars are complaining. Resonator don’t care. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 I have a couple L00 This 1932 L00 RI A friend Luthier built this L00 for me. But I'm liking the NL the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacamartin Posted January 27, 2018 Author Share Posted January 27, 2018 I have never seen or heard a H&D Crossroads here in southern Victoria, Australia.....and I probably won't as nobody imports them...but it looks good. How would you compare it to your old BK? My first Gibson acoustic was my Blues King, approx made about 2007, bubinga back and sides, sitka top. BluesKing777. BK....The H&D is very close size wise to my 09' sitka/bubinga. That is where the comparison ends! The H&D has a AAA Sitka top-tight grained and straight radiused top the back and sides straight and tight grained hog. Tonal characteristics are night and day...12/54 ,80-20 bronze . is just perfect. I know I'm in the *honeymoon* phase, but this is an experience I've never had. Playing rag and finger style blues is a pleasure that won't quit. It is excellent for voice, and can grab the lead when needed. Where the Blues King had the ubiquitous under saddle quack machine, the H&D came with an after sale K&K mini...so much better! I can go on about neck shape, etc....but I'll cut myself off for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 I've got an L-00 built by master luthier and world renowned repair man Dave King. It is an exceptional instrument built with hide glue, extremely light weight and with a very biting and bluesy tone: Its arguably not as versatile as the H&D you bought (wonderful guitar congrats) but i wasn't looking for a 'jack of all trades' with this purchase. Love my H&D and Gibson as well of course!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacamartin Posted January 30, 2018 Author Share Posted January 30, 2018 I've got an L-00 built by master luthier and world renowned repair man Dave King. It is an exceptional instrument built with hide glue, extremely light weight and with a very biting and bluesy tone: Its arguably not as versatile as the H&D you bought (wonderful guitar congrats) but i wasn't looking for a 'jack of all trades' with this purchase. Love my H&D and Gibson as well of course!!! Sure would like to play one. Are the specs complete 30's Gibson? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 Sure would like to play one. Are the specs complete 30's Gibson? According to Dave king yes: http://www.daveking-acoustics.com/guitar_model/l-00/ The only difference is that they are sprayed in two pieces. A rare thread about them appeared on the Martin guitar forum: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/theunofficialmartinguitarforum/my-new-dave-king-l-00-clone-t115147.html Great guitars and well worth the £2900 price tag IMHO (just over $4100). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayoubengal1954 Posted January 30, 2018 Share Posted January 30, 2018 In 2016 I ordered an NL-00 build (13 fretter) from Ed Bond with Halcyon Guitars out of Vancouver, Canada. The top is Lutz and the back and sides are Walnut. If you are looking for a small builder to build to your specs (within reason) that won't break the bank, I highly recommend Ed. It plays great and has a tone a bit more balanced than a Gibson NL IMO, but still has a nice little roar to it. I added the small black pickguard later as a throw back to the NL that Zimmerman kid used to play. https://i.imgur.com/D1H5t5c.jpg[/img]"] https://i.imgur.com/2MLwhhu.jpg[/img]"] https://i.imgur.com/Bgfr4ko.jpg[/img]"] https://i.imgur.com/zAhqPpU.jpg[/img]"] https://i.imgur.com/lWv5O1i.jpg[/img]"] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacamartin Posted January 31, 2018 Author Share Posted January 31, 2018 That Halcyon is one stubby little beauty. How do you like 13 frets and walnut b/s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayoubengal1954 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 That Halcyon is one stubby little beauty. How do you like 13 frets and walnut b/s? I dig it. Ed felt that tonally it sits between rosewood and mahogany. That seems a bit right to me. Not as much of a lush overtone as rosewood (but still some) and it stills has a bit of the mahogany dry, direct sound. But that is just me. The lutz top has a bit of a creamy tone (I don't know where I come up with this 😃). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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