Now this is an interesting Martin offering...

[62burst]

Recently ended on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261139124138?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

Interesting specifications & slope design in a 12-fret slot head. Hilarious tone description. Can't imagine why it didn't sell.

 

Even though it has the long scale length, I'd love to have it in hand to compare with a Gibson Jackson Browne 12- fretter .

[merseybeat1963]

Honest listing.. : ) discribing sound.

[tpbiii]

Those 1995 Martins were basically copies (in EIRW) of the first of the Martin RW dreads, the D-2. Here is one from 1932

 

 

They did appear about the same time as the Gibson Roy Smecks that Jackson Browne loves so much.

 

The first ones, the first 12-fret Martin dread with forward shifted scalloped since 1934, was a special "sing out" edition HD-28SO in 1995 -- 45 were made. It was so popular, Martin made it a "standard custom design," the custom 15. That is what the ebay guitar is. Here is a HD-28SO

 

For comparison, here are our (over exposed) 1930s Smecks

 

 

and a pair of 60s Martin 12-fret dreads

 

 

I have also gotten to play a walnut JB quite a bit last summer.

 

I guess my comment is there are some wonderful guitars in this bunch, but they don't really sound alike at all.

 

Let's pick,

 

-Tom

[j45nick]

 

I have also gotten to play a walnut JB quite a bit last summer.

 

I guess my comment is there are some wonderful guitars in this bunch, but they don't really sound alike at all.

 

Let's pick,

 

-Tom

 

 

Tom,

Whats's the 12-fretter with the 35-style back and the 45-style front?

[Rambler]

They have their fans. Peter Yarrow jumps to mind. Norman Blake. Their was a guy in a folk trio called Stone Soup (back in school days) that played one. Typical Martin thing (deep lows, bright top, sustain) in a package that accents the low/sustain part without as much top. I played rw and hog version side by side back in the early 00s. The rose didnt have much cut. COuld tell the difference right away when I grabbed a Collings D2H...

[tpbiii]

They have their fans. Peter Yarrow jumps to mind. Norman Blake. Their was a guy in a folk trio called Stone Soup (back in school days) that played one. Typical Martin thing (deep lows, bright top, sustain) in a package that accents the low/sustain part without as much top. I played rw and hog version side by side back in the early 00s. The rose didnt have much cut. COuld tell the difference right away when I grabbed a Collings D2H...

 

This is an interesting topic for me because I started out as a folkie in the early 60s and went over to the dark side (bluegrass) in the mid 70s. My wife and I now play mostly bluegrass, but we sneak out occasionally and play folk revival music and some actual folk music too.

 

I agree in a general way to Rambler's comments. The Martin 12-frets have an even bigger mid-range and stronger bass than their contemporary 14-fret Martin models, which to my ear moves them out of the bluegrass/flatpicking class. There is also a huge difference between the 60s and later guitars and the vintage 1930s examples -- this iconic 1930s guitar used by Norman Blake was featured by Kenny Smith on his last album, and he sings its praises far and wide. The other guitar is a John Arnold copy.

 

 

We spend a lot of time comparing guitars, but my bias has gotten in the way here. I so think of the big 12-fret 60s Martins as "folk guitars," historical competitors for the Gibson Birds, that I have never even recorded them being flatpicked. My wife however loves them for her simple bare finger folk styles she developed in the 60s.

 

Thar\t can certainly not be said of the old 12-fret Gibson Smecks -- they are killer flatpicked guitars.

 

So as bad as it is, here is the best comparisons I have on-line.

 

Wife and me on '67 D-35S

Wife on '68 D-35S

David Dugas on Roy Smeck Stage Deluxe

David Dugas on Roy Smeck Radio Grande

 

If you are by any chance interested in old 60s guitars being used in simple folk revival style music, we have some other stuff here and if you are interested in comparing old large Gibsons and Martins, there is some stuff here.

 

Let's pick,

 

-Tom

[62burst]

Tom-

Thanks for sharing your observations about the 12-frets, both Martin & Gibson. Certainly a body style I've been interested in lately. Also enjoyed the demo's. Tiled both of Dave D's Smeck video's (thx for having him play the same selection on both)on the computer screen & played through the demo a/b'ing various bits. The strings on the Radio Grande looked/sounded newer, or was that the bound neck(optical illusion)/rosewood talking?

 

Very helpful, thx.

[tpbiii]

Tom-

Thanks for sharing your observations about the 12-frets, both Martin & Gibson. Certainly a body style I've been interested in lately. Also enjoyed the demo's. Tiled both of Dave D's Smeck video's (thx for having him play the same selection on both)on the computer screen & played through the demo a/b'ing various bits. The strings on the Radio Grande looked/sounded newer, or was that the bound neck(optical illusion)/rosewood talking?

 

Very helpful, thx.

 

My pleasure for sure.

 

I think the radio grande does have a more complex sound than the SD, so you are hearing mostly the guitar. It is pretty unique in my experience -- not really "like" any other model I have experienced.

 

Tom,

Whats's the 12-fretter with the 35-style back and the 45-style front?

 

Sorry I missed the question.

 

That is an oddity from the past. That guitar started life as a 1968 D-12-35. Through the years, it was worked on (and often owned) by a series of well know luthiers -- Randy Wood, John Arnold, David Morris and Jay Rhyne -- in which it was converted to a fancy six string. A lot of stuff was done that is not visible -- here are the braces

 

 

Obviously a hot rod, albeit built by experts. Not too valuable, but a fine player. My wife's "go to" guitar for the simple finger style folk revival stuff of her youth.

 

Happy holidays to all,

 

-Tom