What's the deal with slope shoulder guitars?

[JackB1]

Are slope shoulder guitars like the Blueridge BG60 and 40 mainly bluegrass guitars?

[jdto]

Originally Posted by auggie242

JDTO- thanks!
Are they up now?

They are, thank you. Beautiful guitars.

Originally Posted by JackB1

Are slope shoulder guitars like the Blueridge BG60 and 40 mainly bluegrass guitars?

I wouldn’t say that. I have a “slope shoulder” guitar and I don’t play bluegrass. It took sounds great for a lot of different music.

[merlin666]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Are slope shoulder guitars like the Blueridge BG60 and 40 mainly bluegrass guitars?

It looks like the design of the Blueridges is more cosmetic to look like a Gibson than reflecting the body volume increase of a true 12 fret slope shoulder. The BG acronym may suggest they are designed for Bluegrass though.

[jdto]

Originally Posted by merlin666

It looks like the design of the Blueridges is more cosmetic to look like a Gibson than reflecting the v boy volume increase of a true 12 fret slope shoulder. The BG acronym may suggest they are designed for Bluegrass though.

I wouldn't read the BG designation as bluegrass. They make some Adi/Rosewood dreads that would seem to be targeted at the D28 aficionado which use BR in the model number. The six-string Jumbos also get BG names, while the 12 string ones get BR.

[JackB1]

Why do the slope shoulder guitars have less frets or a smaller scale neck?

[HHP]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Why do the slope shoulder guitars have less frets or a smaller scale neck?

They don't necessarily. Just depends on the model, nothing about the design requires it.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

....snip ...

Hey, Auggie, I was mostly referencing the slope dread offerings from Martin at the time I started playing, in the early seventies. Correct me if I'm wrong, Auggie, but I'm assuming at that early date that Martin was doing very few slopes and mostly focusing on their standard square-shouldered models. Please help me out here, since I have time to do the research.

Anyone, or Auggie: How involved was Martin in the seventies with making slope dread models?

..... snip ....

be well,
scott

Hi Scott,

Perhaps I can help you with the confusion betyweenthe original (or standard) dreadnought and the 14 fret version.

After the failure of the Oliver Ditson Company in (I think) 1929, which was one of Martin's best clients, Martin finally decided to try to sell the largest model - the "dreadnought" under their own name - in 1931.
They introduced:

The D1 - Mahogany B&S - total production numbers - 2.
The D2 - Rosewood B&S - total Production numbers - 7.

In 1932 - 1934 they decided to change the model number :
The D18 - total number produced - 29
The D28 - total number produced - 41

These were promoted as being a) "bass guitars" and b OM guitars.
Note: Earlier guitars (not sure whether this applies only to Ditson 111s but they were originally supplied with a removable Hawaiian nut).

Slow sales and the growing popularity of thin necked rhythm guitars prompted Martin to turn the dreadnought into a similar type of guitar with a similar narrow nut and 14 frets - 1934.

In 1954, the D28S (Standard) was introduced and 1789 were made until 1993.
In 1966 - 1993 - they produced 1831 D35-S guitars.
In 1967 the D18-S was introduced and they produced 1637 up until 1993.
In 1998 they introduced the HD28VS and in 1999 the D18-VS - both were 12 fret dreads but had a thinner 1 &3/4" nut width. I have no details of production numbers or whether they were officially discontinued.
Then they re-introduced the Martin-Ditson 111, then in limited numbers the 222 and 333, and of course the D28 1931 Authentic.

Note: As soon as the 14 fret versions came out the 12 fret was termed the "S" =Standard.

I hope that helps .. and is of ANY interest.

[CASD57]

Does this look like a slope/Rounds Shoulder?
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez/A...stic-Guitar.gc

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Are slope shoulder guitars like the Blueridge BG60 and 40 mainly bluegrass guitars?

No. The Traditional instrument for playing in a bluegrass situation would be the 14 fret Martin style dreadnought - like the D18 and/or the D28.

The Blueridges you mention are modeled after Gibson designs which rarely made the cut for bluegrass.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by CASD57

Does this look like a slope/Rounds Shoulder?
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez/A...stic-Guitar.gc

Hi, I couldn't really say - the shape doesn't actually follow any design closely but I suppose it looks more like the original Martin with the slotted headstock and 12 frets to body.

Can't find ANY detail about scale or fretboard width and there is little point in it if it still has a thin neck.

[grasser]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Are slope shoulder guitars like the Blueridge BG60 and 40 mainly bluegrass guitars?

The BR models are the Martin copy/bluegrass guitars.

[hat]

The initial question is actually somewhat vague. There are a lot of different guitars that can fall under the heading of 'slope shoulder' - everything from the 12 fret Martin dreads, to the Martin CEO7, and smaller 12 fret 00 and 000 guitars. I would interpret the original posters question as a comparison between the standard Martin dread, and the traditional Gibson J45. A lot of the recent 'pretenders' to the J45 style are really just rehashed dreadnoughts. The typical Gibson J45 is a short scale, with mahogany back and sides, and they have a very distinctive voice. Less bass, a more pronounced mid range, and IMO a bit more subtle attack than a comparable Martin dread.