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Old 10-16-2022, 05:34 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
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Default Silk & Steel on Cedar

I'm enjoying the opportunity John has afforded me to "break-in" his experimental build, although if age counts for anything, this thing is well on its way to being broken-in because it was built in 1991 from a 4"x4" cedar fence post, including the original neck. If you've ever handled cedar you know that it is, at times, incredibly strong or incredibly weak depending on the grain direction. That turned out to be the case with the heel of the neck, so it now sports a maple neck.

It's a mere 15.25" wide with a 26" scale, and I assume John did a bunch of glue-ups to get the top & back wide enough, but I can NOT see the glue joints. Whatever the case, though, I'm enjoying finding the responses to different tunings, and in this video I'm in open C.

I'm playing an edited version of "Rumble Strut" here, and 'floppy' doesn't begin to describe a .047 silk & steel 6th string tuned down to C! Rubber-bandy, yes, but for the moment that's the story until some silk & bronze sets arrive tomorrow with higher tension. To paraphrase Richard Pryor: I believe the boy's got potential, and this old man will try to find the best voice this guitar has to offer!



Best,
Howard Emerson
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Last edited by Howard Emerson; 10-16-2022 at 05:56 AM.
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Old 10-16-2022, 10:18 AM
DanR DanR is offline
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It sounded good to me. And nice playing!
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Old 10-16-2022, 07:13 PM
RLetson RLetson is offline
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I would think a silk and bronze "medium" set (the GHS with the .054 sixth string) would flop a bit less--though even with a long scale, I would think that tuning down to C is going to feel rubbery.

Nevertheless, that guitar's voice is pretty interesting--some growl down at the bottom. And your playing, of course, finds the guitar's voice even with tension-challenged strings.
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Old 10-17-2022, 03:34 AM
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Bob Womack Bob Womack is offline
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Nice guitar and playing!

Bob
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Old 10-17-2022, 04:16 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RLetson View Post
I would think a silk and bronze "medium" set (the GHS with the .054 sixth string) would flop a bit less--though even with a long scale, I would think that tuning down to C is going to feel rubbery.

Nevertheless, that guitar's voice is pretty interesting--some growl down at the bottom. And your playing, of course, finds the guitar's voice even with tension-challenged strings.
Hey Russell,
Good guess:-)

I have 2 sets being delivered today, and as best I can guesstimate it give +/-4lbs more per wound string, and the plains are .01 larger.

It’s a balance of course: Too much load chokes the top, and too little flops around.

Between my 1930 Gibson L-5 and John’s typical archtop build I’m very spoiled, but being intuitive/curious outweighs everything.

I’ve ALWAYS believed that every guitar has a useable voice if one takes the time to have a two-way conversation with it.

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Howard Emerson
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