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! Tight or Wide ?


E-minor7

! Tight or Wide ?  

16 members have voted

  1. 1. W or T ?

    • Wide
      7
    • Tight
      9


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29 minutes ago, Salfromchatham said:

My two Gibsons.  Just curious.  Wide or tight?

You got "combo grain" there, boss. (on the TV).

Many guitar builders have that wider grain towards the outside, tighter towards the center- thing as something they aim to do.

 

And you still didn't share your observations on the Monels.

 

Edited by 62burst
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hey 62...   I think I must have missed a message.  Monels on the J45 - TV? I think I still have a pack. Happy to get them on next. I remember on prior guitars they sounded brash the first few days, then got real mellow - and easier to play. I like them well enough generally, but liked Daddario nickel bronze more, and Titaniums from Martin even more. The Titaniums just dont work for me despite how great they feel and play because I have a tendency to break the G and B strings. On that brand only.

 

I have broken three sets of strings in maybe 15 years. and they were all Marin Titaniums. 

 

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Maton, not Gibson sorry frothers, but the blurb when purchasing my Maton Messiah 808 size said the top is AAA Sitka Spruce. All looks nice and creamy but honest, I wouldn't know a AAA from a BBB or....but I have read that the rating is usually based on looks and availability at the time of rating (by the wood people).

NgvFwVrh.jpg

PalYWURh.jpg

 

My Martin Ds look like nice tops, no idea of rating but probably AA?

sRnv4n8h.jpg

 

My new Taylor 717e Builder's Edition has a nice top with a slash of bearclaw that I thought was a dent but it is in the grain. No idea what rating:

EOgrzLYh.jpg

 

1937 Gibson L-0 - no idea what it is:

b6cW0eKh.jpg

 

1959 Gibson LG3 - again, no idea and hope someone tells us!

ehLyZvXh.jpg

 

1993 Lowden:

Mgn50Hnh.jpg

 

Cedar top on my Lowden O22 but as mentioned earlier, the workmanship is just amazing - my photos may not show it enough but you can look at the top and try to find a seam...... it IS a 2 piece top!, back is 2 piece as well:

ZwqDLfqh.jpg

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xWOn9dNh.jpg

 

2007? Gibson Blues King L-00:

Fr6zqxXh.jpg

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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1 hour ago, BluesKing777 said:

BluesKing777.

The Maton and Taylor present what must be the something between severe silking and crossgrain. The Marts 18 too, but the HD28V is very straight forward where mine has significant zones of bearclaw. 

I actually like both, , , silking/crossgrain bein' somewhat sophisticated - bearclaw raw and dramatic. 

Lowden O22 cedar almost a block of cheddar, , , if you allow this daft first impression.  All in all grain from coast to coast in that herd. I guess the luckiest destiny for a piece cut wood is to end in an instrument and learn to vibe. .  

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1 hour ago, E-minor7 said:

The Maton and Taylor present what must be the something between severe silking and crossgrain. The Marts 18 too, but the HD28V is very straight forward where mine has significant zones of bearclaw. 

I actually like both, , , silking/crossgrain bein' somewhat sophisticated - bearclaw raw and dramatic. 

Lowden O22 cedar almost a block of cheddar, , , if you allow this daft first impression.  All in all grain from coast to coast in that herd. I guess the luckiest destiny for a piece cut wood is to end in an instrument and learn to vibe. .  

 

The Lowden stays in DADGAD tuning tuned down 2 steps...C bass .....that is pretty much what it is made for. The build quality is amazing and it is only a 'standard' Lowden in the scheme of things...all hand rubbed and polished  and hand rubbed and polished from a gloss to what it has become and..and..and.... it nearly drove a friend crazy looking for a join line or a fault...Made by the angels and music and guitar fairies in Ireland!

Now, I can sit down and play any of the guitars I posted and think: "Hmm, I'm really glad I bought...X  plus X " (mahogany plus sitka, say), or "I'm so glad I bought size ...X.." and most people could easily hear the difference.

But to hear the difference a bit of cross silking or a really fine grain versus a course grain guitar top? 😎

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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My SJ200 has a wide grain top, and my Maple AJ has a tight grain top. Both sound great, I think right grain gives a little sharper and more distinct top end, whereas wide grain is a little more subdued up top, but only to the degree that us cork sniffers would notice.

Personally, I believe that a day or two more/less age on a set of strings makes a lot more difference than grain width, but it is of course an ingredient in the casserole of tone.

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3 hours ago, Jinder said:

My SJ200 has a wide grain top, and my Maple AJ has a tight grain top. Both sound great, I think right grain gives a little sharper and more distinct top end, whereas wide grain is a little more subdued up top, but only to the degree that us cork sniffers would notice.

Personally, I believe that a day or two more/less age on a set of strings makes a lot more difference than grain width, but it is of course an ingredient in the casserole of tone.

Agree - there are so many factors to consider and it's a bit absurd to scan one out. 🙄

But still I haven't really figured the logic.

First,  the grain itself - it's the dark year-rings, right.

Second, what is more dense, the rings or the light wood. My guess is the rings.

Ergo = Tight grain means a stiffer top. But does a stiffer top vibrate more !? Thought we wanted flexibility to get the party goin'. 

😵

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6 hours ago, E-minor7 said:

Agree - there are so many factors to consider and it's a bit absurd to scan one out. 🙄

But still I haven't really figured the logic.

First,  the grain itself - it's the dark year-rings, right.

Second, what is more dense, the rings or the light wood. My guess is the rings.

Ergo = Tight grain means a stiffer top. But does a stiffer top vibrate more !? Thought we wanted flexibility to get the party goin'. 

😵

Here's a discussion. Be aware that he is coming at this from a northern hemisphere approach, where the end of the year is in the middle of winter. The opposite holds for the southern hemisphere, so you have to change the seasonally-based references to reflect that. Just remember that December is the middle of summer down under.

tree rings

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1 hour ago, j45nick said:

Here's a discussion. Be aware that he is coming at this from a northern hemisphere approach, where the end of the year is in the middle of winter. The opposite holds for the southern hemisphere, so you have to change the seasonally-based references to reflect that. Just remember that December is the middle of summer down under.

tree rings

 

Aust doesn't have any Sitka or similar. Closest in guitars that I know is Bunya Pine.

If you brought some  cash and want a little souvenir to take back from Aust, Nick - here is the (Evil One) in Australian Blackwood back and sides, Bunya Pine top (very wide grain), Desert Acacia fingerboard and bridge...I have never seen or played one:

808 (00 deep body):

https://www.acousticcentre.com.au/collections/maton-1/products/maton-ea808c-australian-acoustic-guitar

 

dread:

https://www.acousticcentre.com.au/collections/maton-1/products/ea80c-australian

 

BluesKing777.

 

P.S. the smart traveller probably bring 6 or 10 of the new Historic series Gibbie acoustics, if you can only bring one - LG2! plus the J45 banner reissue, then the.....>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>😁

Edited by BluesKing777
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31 minutes ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

 

P.S. the smart traveller probably bring 6 or 10 of the new Historic series Gibbie acoustics, if you can only bring one - LG2! plus the J45 banner reissue, then the.....>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>😁

I have no idea where I might find a willing customer for such a thing.

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51 minutes ago, j45nick said:

I have no idea where I might find a willing customer for such a thing.

 

Yeah, doesn't matter - the car is STILL at the mechanics, hope he is still alive - waiting to hear 'how much' before I get the J50 fixed....patience tested. Phoned, no answer - machine...works alone, could be there, could be not......

But if a new Historic, any type at all really Nick, turned up, well, he can keep the car!

Plus the Better Half still smokes and asks for a crate of US smokes, no ugly photos of gangrene mouths on the front of packets. Hers are now...gulp...$AU 46 per packet of 25 and Aust Customs only allow 2 packets through!!! So if any of your boat mates have any contacts...we could meet outside the Heads - just kidding of course.😳

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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41 minutes ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

Plus the Better Half still smokes and asks for a crate of US smokes, no ugly photos of gangrene mouths on the front of packets. Hers are now...gulp...$AU 46 per packet of 25 and Aust Customs only allow 2 packets through!!! So if any of your boat mates have any contacts...we could meet outside the Heads - just kidding of course.😳

 

BluesKing777.

That reminds me of when I had to bribe a Suez Canal pilot with two cartons of Marlboros to keep the pilot boat from ramming into my boat taking him off. Never been so glad to get out of a country in my life.

Your customs and immigration guys are some of the toughest in the world. They confiscated about $600 worth of New Zealand beef and lamb off my boat when we came into the country, plus a jar of NZ honey.

I wouldn't dream of trying to get a guitar past them. Losing that would be a lot worse than a losing a few hundred dollars of meat. Plus I'd probably end up in the slammer.

You don't mess with those guys.

Edited by j45nick
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2 hours ago, j45nick said:

Here's a discussion. Be aware that he is coming at this from a northern hemisphere approach, where the end of the year is in the middle of winter. The opposite holds for the southern hemisphere, so you have to change the seasonally-based references to reflect that. Just remember that December is the middle of summer down under.

tree rings

Thanx Nick ^ that link sent me directly further to The International Forestry Forum. I am now a newbie there. . 

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1 hour ago, j45nick said:

That reminds me of when I had to bribe a Suez Canal pilot with two cartons of Marlboros to keep the pilot boat from ramming into my boat taking him off. Never been so glad to get out of a country in my life.

 

 

You know the ways things are going here lately, it could be the same here except the fight will be over 1 carton of Marlboros.

An article in a newspaper recently said tobacco was to rise 12 1/2 % in September and that will make tobacco more expensive for an ounce than silver!

Even so, my old brand is now $50 a pack and I am so, so glad I gave them away somehow....they were about $7 or $8 a pack when I quit. But $50, revolutions have been started over less! A pack a day say, $350 a week! Wow. My old friend the piano player used to smoke only roll your owns, except when he wanted my nicer ones, but he was a cheapskate first class and lucky he is no longer around because he would be smoking  dried banana skins.

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

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3 minutes ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

You know the ways things are going here lately, it could be the same here except the fight will be over 1 carton of Marlboros.

An article in a newspaper recently said tobacco was to rise 12 1/2 % in September and that will make tobacco more expensive for an ounce than silver!

Even so, my old brand is now $50 a pack and I am so, so glad I gave them away somehow....they were about $7 or $8 a pack when I quit. But $50, revolutions have been started over less! A pack a day say, $350 a week! Wow. My old friend the piano player used to smoke only roll your owns, except when he wanted my nicer ones, but he was a cheapskate first class and lucky he is no longer around because he would be smoking  dried banana skins.

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Where legal, pot is cheaper in this country than those cigarette prices.

Hmmm......

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23 minutes ago, j45nick said:

Where legal, pot is cheaper in this country than those cigarette prices.

Hmmm......

 

Well, don't try to bring any of that!

As a matter of fact, as you are not bringing ciggies or Gibbies, what are you bringing?

 

BluesKing777.

 

Edited by BluesKing777
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