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#1
11-04-2015, 04:57 AM
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Help to EQ and compress a 12 strings guitar
Hello,
I am a Belgian genetic toxicologist (nobody’s perfect),, and live in a very small village in Italy near Parma. Therefore, I feel a little bit "alone and isolated" regarding music, gears and mixing information. Maybe, some of the community would be so kind as to provide me some little help and advice regarding the issue I have to face: I have bought an used non-traditionally (not X-braced like the Martin, but ladder-braced) 12 strings guitar which is a copy of the original « Stella" long scale (26 1/2"), that was famous for the « delta blues » in the 20-30th…like Leadbelly style.. This guitar has been made by a british luthier Ralph Bown that I’ve called and he explained to me that this guitar is intended to be tuned 1 or 2 tones below with high gauge strings (that I’ve ordered and waiting for.).. It is quite rare to find a good 12 strings for which the tone is not confused by frequencies that are overlapping in an unpleasant way.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2C6ZXB7f8g tuned below https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX9Qhqu13fw If, I recently have build a small but great recording Home studio dedicated to acoustic instruments and vocals. I am quite a newbie in the field of recording and especially in EQs. If I – more or less – can manage 6 strings acoustic guitar …I feel completely lost as regards to this 12 strings which has a lot of sustain I’ve tried hard to use my ears but..despite it, I can’t really have satisfactory results. Therefore, I would greatly appreciate if you could take a little of your time to give me some advices and tips to EQ correctly a 6 or 12 strings guitar. I obviously know that it depends of many factors but there should be some starting hot spots, to check as a starting point. I thank you for your kind attention and maybe your help Best regards Christian 
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#2
11-04-2015, 08:19 AM
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If recorded well (good mic position, good sounding/acoustically treated room) the only EQ needed is to make the sound sit well with the other instruments/vocals in the recording.
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Mike My music: https://mikebirchmusic.bandcamp.com 2020 Taylor 324ceBE 2017 Taylor 114ce-N 2012 Taylor 310ce 2011 Fender CD140SCE Ibanez 12 string a/e 73(?) Epiphone 6830E 6 string 72 Fender Telecaster Epiphone Dot Studio Epiphone LP Jr Chinese Strat clone Kala baritone ukulele Seagull 'Merlin' Washburn Mandolin Luna 'tatoo' a/e ukulele antique banjolin Squire J bass
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#4
11-04-2015, 09:22 AM
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In both the recordings you linked to the sustain of the guitar is not very long and the recorded sound is fine (first one better than the second one).
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Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above
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#5
11-04-2015, 09:51 AM
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Hi Chuchi…
First of all, Hello and Welcome to the Forum! Glad you posted this and jumped in with a thread… The first recording is great…not sure your point of the second link. I love the sound of the Brown (Stella copy), and think your recording was fine. I think the first recording is worth posting in the Show & Tell section of the forum (where we share our recordings with each other). Having only heard it in the context of your recording, I don't know how to interpret everything that I hear, but I didn't find any unpleasantness or conflicting harmonic overtones which would have warranted compression or EQ. I tend to record flat and without effects, and rarely add more than a bit of reverb after the fact (or delay). I'm very minimalist that way. Nice job…
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Baby #1.1 Baby #1.2 Baby #02 Baby #03 Baby #04 Baby #05 Larry's songs... …Just because you've argued someone into silence doesn't mean you have convinced them…
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#6
11-04-2015, 10:10 AM
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Thanks for the "welcome" I certainly be there since I just discovered the Forum...
thanks also so much for these kind words but, in the link it is not me playing, it has been displayed by the seller "the fellow of acoustic guitar" in The Netherlands...mine is here in my studio and I try hard to record it...but the Brown stella will probably shines more with higher gauge strings By the way, I am also minimalist and tend to let the vocal and tones floating in harmony...on a 12 strings which times of delay would you suggest... And, I totally agree...YES...there are many years that I was searching for such type of 12 strings ...usually (even in high ends ones...there is a little confusion in the frequencies overlapping...
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#7
11-04-2015, 11:46 AM
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Quote:
The second link is the same guitar than mine but with heavier gauge and tuned in one or 2 semitones lower..maybe D-D or C-C...
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#8
11-04-2015, 02:26 PM
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Post some recordings of you playing your guitars - there are no "do xxx" rules for EQing.
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Mike My music: https://mikebirchmusic.bandcamp.com 2020 Taylor 324ceBE 2017 Taylor 114ce-N 2012 Taylor 310ce 2011 Fender CD140SCE Ibanez 12 string a/e 73(?) Epiphone 6830E 6 string 72 Fender Telecaster Epiphone Dot Studio Epiphone LP Jr Chinese Strat clone Kala baritone ukulele Seagull 'Merlin' Washburn Mandolin Luna 'tatoo' a/e ukulele antique banjolin Squire J bass
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#10
11-05-2015, 07:57 AM
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I have owned a Harmony 12-string since 1965. I'm familiar with a lot of them because back then, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a Gibson, Martin, Guild or Harmony 12-string.
My friend, Neil Harpe, considered by many as "The Stella Guy" has always had one or two in his collection. I suspect Neil would happily talk about your or anyone else's 12-string. He and Tom Wentzel were up here last year with eleven 12-strings. They ranged widely in sound due to construction, string gauge and tuning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqrHrAfu6Ck Good luck with yours and be patient while tuning. Once you get one in tune, they're a lot of fun. Regards, Ty Ford
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#11
11-05-2015, 09:29 AM
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Woah...Ty thanks a lot, yes I already suspect that I will enjoy this peculiar guitar which shines already...I'll be hapy to talk with both of your friends and will be in touch later with you...I just have to go..bu wanted to thanks you so much...
Behind the tones there is always a story... Thanks Christian
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#12
11-05-2015, 11:40 AM
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Hi Christian,
congratulations on your fine Bown 12 string! I have had a Del'Arte long scale (26.5") Stella type guitar. I used heavy-ish gauge strings on it but never tuned it higher than C. I found that Newtone Strings (Malcolm Newton) was most helpful and made up custom sets for me. My sets were 32/64 to 14/14. I also foud that I could get an acceptable sound using Elixir nano web strings that wenmt from 35/56 to 13/13. Even though I had a "floating bridge", we managed to install a Fishman UST which worked extremely well due to the down force on it. I recorded it with a simple Rode Nt1 - with no EQ and it sounded ok ...to me. Hope that helps.
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
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