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  #1  
Old 06-18-2021, 01:33 PM
LBrandt LBrandt is offline
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Default 6 hole tie block vs 12 hole tie block question

All of my guitars have 6 hole tie blocks, except my latest one, which has a 12 hole tie block.
Question: Do any of you who have guitars with 12 hole tie blocks treat them as 6 hole blocks and string them as a 6 hole tie block?
I'd prefer to do that, unless there is some reason why I shouldn't.
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  #2  
Old 06-18-2021, 02:06 PM
offkey offkey is offline
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I have 12 hole and like them. The only advantage that I know of is that the break angle of a string is steeper with the 12 hole. There is no pressure pulling the string angle up between the bridge holes and the saddle. I also really like the look of the 12 hole strings across the bridge plate.
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Old 06-18-2021, 02:17 PM
Mark M. Mark M. is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LBrandt View Post
All of my guitars have 6 hole tie blocks, except my latest one, which has a 12 hole tie block.
Question: Do any of you who have guitars with 12 hole tie blocks treat them as 6 hole blocks and string them as a 6 hole tie block?
I'd prefer to do that, unless there is some reason why I shouldn't.
I have done this and it worked fine. I don’t see any disadvantages.
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Old 06-18-2021, 02:34 PM
Gitfiddlemann Gitfiddlemann is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LBrandt View Post
All of my guitars have 6 hole tie blocks, except my latest one, which has a 12 hole tie block.
Question: Do any of you who have guitars with 12 hole tie blocks treat them as 6 hole blocks and string them as a 6 hole tie block?
I'd prefer to do that, unless there is some reason why I shouldn't.
I have a guitar with a 12 hole bridge, and I string it up using all 12. But only to use it the way it was designed. Not necessarily because I think it's detrimental to the guitar not to.
I don't think there is anything wrong with just using one of the holes, as long as it's the one that lines the strings up the straightest if you know what I mean.
On mine, one of each hole pair is slightly offset. I'd use the other, "straighter" one.
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Old 06-18-2021, 02:45 PM
LBrandt LBrandt is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AndreF View Post
I have a guitar with a 12 hole bridge, and I string it up using all 12. But only to use it the way it was designed. Not necessarily because I think it's detrimental to the guitar not to.
I don't think there is anything wrong with just using one of the holes, as long as it's the one that lines the strings up the straightest if you know what I mean.
On mine, one of each hole pair is slightly offset. I'd use the other, "straighter" one.
Thanks. Yes, I know what you mean, but I think that on a 12 hole tie block, no two holes on either side of the bridge "line up". At least that's the way mine are.
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Old 06-18-2021, 03:43 PM
Gitfiddlemann Gitfiddlemann is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LBrandt View Post
Thanks. Yes, I know what you mean, but I think that on a 12 hole tie block, no two holes on either side of the bridge "line up". At least that's the way mine are.
There must be different designs being used. Mine has a hole that's lined up so that it would be the one I would use were I to forego using both.
Here a couple of pics to highlight what I mean:

That's a little out of focus. Here's a better one:


The hole on the left is dead straight up the neck, as best as I can tell. The one on the right is not.
But I choose to use both slots. (I have them, why not? )
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Andre

Golf is pretty simple. It's just not that easy.
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Old 06-18-2021, 04:39 PM
j3ffr0 j3ffr0 is offline
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I wish I'd wrapped the hell out of it with my first experience with the 12 hole block. My Hill Heritage model has the 12 hole block. Came with nylon trebles. Dude I bought it from had done nothing special -- just one wrap.... Looked like how everyone else uses them, so I did the same without giving it any more thought when I went to install carbon trebles, but I got a nasty case of string whip on my top as a result. Some folks say you can burn the end of the the treble with a lighter to keep it from whipping as well, but of course I didn't think of any of it until after the fact.
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  #8  
Old 06-18-2021, 05:37 PM
LBrandt LBrandt is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AndreF View Post
There must be different designs being used. Mine has a hole that's lined up so that it would be the one I would use were I to forego using both.
Here a couple of pics to highlight what I mean:

That's a little out of focus. Here's a better one:


The hole on the left is dead straight up the neck, as best as I can tell. The one on the right is not.
But I choose to use both slots. (I have them, why not? )
On closer inspection, I guess that on mine, the left and right holes line up pretty well to use as a 6 hole block.
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  #9  
Old 06-18-2021, 08:58 PM
bendandsnap bendandsnap is offline
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12 hole tie block is the way to go. I prefer the look and I don’t have to worry about the trebles ever slipping and denting the soundboard.
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  #10  
Old 06-19-2021, 01:33 PM
Ceabeceabe Ceabeceabe is offline
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I have a 12 hole tie block and really like it. Seems easier or maybe less time consuming to string than my guitar with a 6.
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  #11  
Old 06-19-2021, 01:43 PM
Tom_B Tom_B is offline
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I turned my handmade classical guitar from a 6 hole to a 12 hole tie bridge to create a steeper string break angle. The sound did improved but only from the bass strings. The treble strings appeared to be the same.

I did the same thing on my factory cordoba GK guitar and there was no discernible difference.
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  #12  
Old 06-27-2021, 10:47 PM
Always Learning Always Learning is offline
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Default 12 hole ?

I guess it's not really necessary to use all 12 holes. Guess stringing it like a standard 6 will do. A lot of higher end guitars have the 12 hole because of...

1) buyers started requesting them from luthiers
2) less chance of slippage on the nylon E and B strings
3) The break-angle of the strings across the saddle

My two classical guitars have 6 holes. But that's ok. To keep the nylon E and B from slipping, I use guitar beads... using them also changes the break-angle
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  #13  
Old 06-28-2021, 07:32 AM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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There's some 6 vs. 12 vs. 18 hole discussion in the this topic in the custom shop forum:

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...=616874&page=2

I'm not sure if everyone uses a 12 hole bridge the same way, but all the examples I've seen make the tie look odd because the short section going over the tie block is crooked and offset.

Does anyone simply bring the end back in a straight line, run under the string, feed the end downward through the "side hole" and retain the string end under the tie block end loop?

If that makes no sense I could do a quick mock up photo...

I don't have a 12 hole bridge, but it just seems that it would make the tie block string connection look so much better. There would be very little force against the front section of string, so it should have little effect on the break angle which seems to be the big advantage to the 12 hole system.
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  #14  
Old 06-28-2021, 08:33 AM
Taylor814 Taylor814 is offline
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With a 12 hole you do have to pay attention to which of the two holes you need to run the string through first. In several You Tube videos I've watched it is indicated that the lower of the two (from the bass side) is the correct hole, but on my guitar it is clearly the upper hole. Usually the saddle can guide you if you are uncertain.
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  #15  
Old 07-03-2021, 12:38 PM
bmw2002 bmw2002 is offline
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I rely on this video from luthier Erez Perelman whenever I change strings on either of my two 12-hole bridge classicals. Very clear step-by-step guide.


https://youtu.be/Kt6mrDP5NGA
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