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#1
07-02-2012, 07:20 PM
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Slot head or flat - what are the differences?
I would appreciate any thoughts at all about the difference: sound, ease of use in restringing, tradition, look, anything at all...
__________________
Martin 000-28ec Taylor 814ce (2014) "Nothing is more important than this day...." 
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#3
07-02-2012, 09:44 PM
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looks and restringing.
I have a '74 d-18, and a '95 HD-28s custom, both of which i play a lot. I love the traditional look of the slotted headstock on the HD-28s, but it does take longer to restring. I do wish it had square slots instead of rounded ones though. I can't say much on the sound issue, because I've never heard either guitar with a different headstock. I guess to me it's a looks thing. I think 14 fret guitars with slotted headstocks look a little weird. Same thing goes for 12 fretters with with solid ones. That probably doesn't help you much though.
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#5
07-03-2012, 12:46 AM
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Well I've had a couple dozen acoustic guitars over the years and the slot-head I currently own is the only one out of the bunch with that type of head. Some people claim that the string break angle beyond the nut is increased by this method and contributes to an improved sustain, volume, or whatever. I'm not sure about that. Here's what I do know about them: 1. they can look very cool on the right guitar. 2. they are, at least for me, more difficult to change strings on. It takes me about twice as long to change 6 strings on my Larrivee 000-50 slothead compared to any of my standard paddlehead style guitars. But it's not a big deal and wouldn't discourage me from getting another one someday.
I've noticed that more and more builders are including at least one model with slotted peghead. They seem to be "in style" right now.
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#6
07-03-2012, 12:54 AM
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with a paddle head, bugs can't fly through.
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#7
07-03-2012, 12:56 AM
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Stupid question - but what exactly is a 'slot head' .. ?
__________________
The Big Fat Lady 02' Gibson J-150 The Squares 11' Hummingbird TV, 08' Dove The Slopeys 11' Gibson SJ (Aaron Lewis) The Pickers 43' Gibson LG-2, 09' Furch OM 32SM (custom) , 02' Martin J-40 The Beater 99' Cort Earth 100 What we do on weekends: http://www.reverbnation.com/doubleshotprague
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#8
07-03-2012, 01:04 AM
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Quote:
 There are slots in it, dude.... Hope this helps. whm PS: I like the vintage look of slothead guitars, but find changing the strings on them to be just about a complete pain in the butt. I've owned several slothead guitars in the past, but currently own none. That's not by accident....
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#9
07-03-2012, 01:09 AM
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Right .... got it Wade !
Quote:
__________________
The Big Fat Lady 02' Gibson J-150 The Squares 11' Hummingbird TV, 08' Dove The Slopeys 11' Gibson SJ (Aaron Lewis) The Pickers 43' Gibson LG-2, 09' Furch OM 32SM (custom) , 02' Martin J-40 The Beater 99' Cort Earth 100 What we do on weekends: http://www.reverbnation.com/doubleshotprague
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#10
07-03-2012, 01:16 AM
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For steel string guitars, its about aesthetics!! It certainly isn't about the function!! On nylon you need the extra room to wind on the strings.
__________________
Guitars: Eastman AC710, Eastman E10P, Stonebridge GS23-CR, Gibson Chet Atkins CEC/CE, Sigma 000MC-1STE Retired and in search of a happy ending.. but not soon!!
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#11
07-03-2012, 02:03 AM
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I have a Collings 000H2, and I was skeptical at first. But then I found these instructions at www.nationalguitar.com/learn/Bench-Talk-7. I now find it just as easy as my other guitars.
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Craig
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#13
07-03-2012, 06:50 AM
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+1 on what Russ said.
The basic differences are the break angle of the strings over the nut, with the slotted head having a less severe break angle (and somewhat less sustain, as a result), and the ease or difficulty you have changing strings. Slot-headed steel strings may look cool, but I don't think they're worth the extra hassle when you have to change strings. Last edited by zabdart; 07-03-2012 at 03:05 PM.
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#14
07-03-2012, 07:24 AM
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Quote:
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98tEv7xtgkI
__________________
"Sometimes I play the guitar ... Sometimes the guitar plays me"
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#15
07-03-2012, 07:29 AM
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I'm not sure why folks think it's a pain changing strings on a slothead. The only thing I find you have to do extra is cut the string after the first complete wind or so, that way you dont have the excess whipping through the slot as you wind it up to full tension. Not that it probably makes much difference, but i like that there is less angle on the string as it runs through the nut on a slothead.
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Simple music is the hardest music to play and blues is simple music. - Albert Collins
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