Pros & Cons of a 12-fret guitar?

[ripdotcom]

Pros

1: Slotted Headstock (yeah its better)
2: All the Low end you can use
3: tremendous Volume and clarity for the size
4: will almost always have the proper spacing for fingerstyle

Cons

1: anything over a 00 12 fret is too big.

[rnjguitar]

Originally Posted by Cool555

Thanks for the more detailed explanation! Yes, I never noticed 13-fret guitars! Are they custom-made guitars?

Recording King Greenwich Village guitars are 13 fret

[Silly Moustache]

The thing about the development of the flat top guitar (mainly but by no means exclusive to the USA, is aboot "change of use".

Gibson developed mandolin family instruments built like the violin family. Hence the A and F model mandolins. (The F-5 model has become the basic weapon of choice for bluegrass).

Mandolins orchestras looked/sounded like this
(Skip to 3.00 for the music and some history)

There was often one guitar, usually fingerpicked.

Later Gibson transferred the build method to guitars with the ultimate being the Gibson L-5 which was "instrumental" in starting the change of use for the guitar. It was primarily for a "plectrum" style, but had a far more percussive and projecting style.



Martin was slower to adapt to rhythm guitars, and the OM (1929) and the redesigned dreadnought of 1934 were most definitely "plectrum" or rhythm guitars whereas the 12 fret guitars retained their even tonal balance across the strings and the wider fretboards, and that's why I like 'em.

[ctvolfan]

Originally Posted by ripdotcom

Pros

1: Slotted Headstock (yeah its better)
2: All the Low end you can use
3: tremendous Volume and clarity for the size
4: will almost always have the proper spacing for fingerstyle

Cons

1: anything over a 00 12 fret is too big.

You mentioned tremendous volume. So if I were to look at a Taylor 812ce 12 fret that has the grand symphony size. How does the volume compare to the grand auditorium size? I am considering a 12 fret for ergonomics but the smaller size turns me off from the fear of it sounding weak. I do like the thought of more bass from them. Is the added volume actually being construed as coming from the additional bass?

[hairpuller]

Originally Posted by Cool555

Is this a rap...yoyo!

Classic!
scott