Gibson 18-string?
m...@ftn-assoc.com
an 18-string Gibson guitar. No, it was not a harp guitar, either. The photo
dated from the early to mid 60's and the guitar looked like a normal Gibson
except for the fact that there were 18 (9 on a side) tuners on the elongated
headstock. Believe me, I counted the tuners several times and I'm sure there
were 18. In most respects, the guitar looked exactly like a normal Gibson
12-string (I'm not sure if it would have been like a B-25 or J-25 - I don't
know that much about Gibson model numbers and body styles). I will say that
the body was dreadnought-sized with kind of sloping shoulders. It had a
trapeeze tailpiece and and and extremely wide bridge. I'm assuming it was
similar to a 12-string, except with 3 strings in each grouping instead of 2.
Anybody have any information about such a beast?
Mark H.
-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum
DickSchnei
>OK, here's an odd one for all you guitar gurus. I recently saw a picture of
>an 18-string Gibson guitar. No, it was not a harp guitar, either. The photo
>dated from the early to mid 60's and the guitar looked like a normal Gibson
>except for the fact that there were 18 (9 on a side) tuners on the elongated
>headstock. Believe me, I counted the tuners several times and I'm sure there
>were 18. In most respects, the guitar looked exactly like a normal Gibson
>12-string (I'm not sure if it would have been like a B-25 or J-25 - I don't
>know that much about Gibson model numbers and body styles). I will say that
>the body was dreadnought-sized with kind of sloping shoulders. It had
a
>trapeeze tailpiece and and and extremely wide bridge. I'm assuming it was
>similar to a 12-string, except with 3 strings in each grouping instead of 2.
>Anybody have any information about such a beast?
>
>Mark H.
>
Mark,
There were a variety of 18-string guitars back in the '60's and '70's. I have
a small picture in a song book of John Denver holding what is clearly an
18-string guitar. I never could find out who made his, but they certainly did
exist. I got a response from someone that said a guy in Wichita, KS made them
in the 1960's.
They were played and tuned like a 12-string, with tripled strings instead of
doubled I don't know whether they had 2 strings an octave up or one for each
group of three, but I suspect the former. Of course, the first two sets of
strings had 3 strings that were the same.
Dick Schneiders
Harvey Gerst
>In article <6treb3$960$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>, m...@ftn-assoc.com writes:
>>OK, here's an odd one for all you guitar gurus. I recently saw a picture of
>>an 18-string Gibson guitar. Anybody have any information about such a beast?
>>Mark H.
>There were a variety of 18-string guitars back in the '60's and '70's. I have
>a small picture in a song book of John Denver holding what is clearly an
>18-string guitar. I never could find out who made his, but they certainly did
>exist. I got a response from someone that said a guy in Wichita, KS made them
>in the 1960's.
>
>They were played and tuned like a 12-string, with tripled strings instead of
>doubled I don't know whether they had 2 strings an octave up or one for each
>group of three, but I suspect the former. Of course, the first two sets of
>strings had 3 strings that were the same.
>Dick Schneiders
Dick,
I played bass for John Denver several times during that period, and I remember
the guitar very well. It was a Gibson. Randy Sparks was managing John at the
time and it was a gift (or on loan) from Randy.
The first two high strings (E and B) were triplets as you stated, all identical.
The four remaining strings had an octave string on either side of the low
strings.
Assume the lowercase letters below are the high octave strings, and the capital
letters are the main strings, it was strung like this:
eee bbb gGg dDd aAa eEe
Harvey Gerst
Indian Trail Recording Studio
http://www.ITRstudio.com/
Hojo2X
Discussing an oddball Gibson 18 string played at one time by John Denver,
Harvey Gerst wrote:>The first two high strings (E and B) were triplets as you
stated, all>identical.
>The four remaining strings had an octave string on either side of the
low>strings.
Leaving two burning questions unanswered, Harvey: how hard was it to get in
tune, and how much did the damn peghead weigh?
I mean, did it require a construction crane to hold it in place while John
noodled away on "Poems, Prayers and Promises?"
Wade Hampton "Six is almost too many for me" Miller
George C. Kaschner
Hojo2X wrote:
> Discussing an oddball Gibson 18 string played at one time by John Denver...
> Leaving two burning questions unanswered, Harvey: how hard was it to get in
> tune, and how much did the damn peghead weigh?
'Tis a matter of Balance, Wade. Doesn't matter if the peghead is heavy as long
as you have a well-calibrated compensating endpin. Try some depleted uranium if
you don't care for lead.
When all else fails, Go for the tone.
George
Hojo2X
George wrote:>'Tis a matter of Balance, Wade. Doesn't matter if the peghead is
heavy as>long>as you have a well-calibrated compensating endpin.
Yeah, well, I think if I had to play an 18 string guitar that I'd switch to
tuba! With that many strings, you might as well try to fret a hammered
dulcimer.......
Wade Hampton Miller
rho...@flash.net
order, but the original idea came from guitars made by Ralph G. Smith
in Witchita KS from '68 to '72. If you can find a back issue of the
August '88 Guitar Player magazine, you'll find an article about them.
On 17 Sep 1998 17:19:51 GMT, dicks...@aol.com (DickSchnei) wrote:
>In article <6treb3$960$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>, m...@ftn-assoc.com writes:
>
>>OK, here's an odd one for all you guitar gurus. I recently saw a picture of
>>an 18-string Gibson guitar. No, it was not a harp guitar, either. The photo
>>dated from the early to mid 60's and the guitar looked like a normal Gibson
>>except for the fact that there were 18 (9 on a side) tuners on the elongated
>>headstock. Believe me, I counted the tuners several times and I'm sure there
>>were 18. In most respects, the guitar looked exactly like a normal Gibson
>>12-string (I'm not sure if it would have been like a B-25 or J-25 - I don't
>>know that much about Gibson model numbers and body styles). I will say that
>>the body was dreadnought-sized with kind of sloping shoulders. It had
>a
>>trapeeze tailpiece and and and extremely wide bridge. I'm assuming it was
>>similar to a 12-string, except with 3 strings in each grouping instead of 2.
>>Anybody have any information about such a beast?
>>
>>Mark H.
>>
>
>Mark,
Harvey Gerst
>The one John Denver had may have been made by Gibson as a custom
>order, but the original idea came from guitars made by Ralph G. Smith
>in Witchita KS from '68 to '72. If you can find a back issue of the
>August '88 Guitar Player magazine, you'll find an article about them.
Ummmm,
I think I was playing bass for John around 1963 (or '64 at the latest), so that
kinda explodes that theory. As I posted earlier, the guitar was originally owned
by Randy Sparks (of the New Christy Minstrels) who was managing John at the
time. I don't know if Randy gave it to John or loaned it to him. It was
definitely a Gibson - like a large J-45 in their dark, reddish-brown sunburst.
Luke Faulkenberry
I played an 18 string guitar at a guitar exhibition in Houston. It was
made by a company, whose name I can't recall, and I believe they said the
maker was from Kansas. Any way it had a very good, unique, sound. It was
a bit headstock heavy, but it was surprisingly easy to play. It was only a
tiny bit harder to fret than a typical well set up 12 string. I really
liked the guitar, but I did not like it $3000 worth.
Luke
Hojo2X <hoj...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19980917170620...@ng108.aol.com>...
Richard
save that story for later.
Harvey Gerst
>So how did it sound? Did I ever tell you about my one string guitar, I'll
>save that story for later.
Since I'm not a big Gibson acoustic fan, it sounded like most Gibsons to me
(kinda thumpy), but it did ring nicely.
Michael Blanton
I just happened across an 18-string guitar pictured in the Chinery Collection.
It was manufactured in 1995 by Ralph G. Smith of Wichita, Kansas. It states
that he made 3 of those "head-heavy" rascals.
Michael B.
Michael Blanton
I just happened across an 18-string guitar pictured in the
Chinery Collection.
Bob Lusk
I was in touch with a woman in Miami who had several guitars made by a
luthier named Miguel. He made some 12 string and 18 string guitars for her
back in the 60's and early 70's. He also made classical guitars for Jose
Feliciano. I never saw them, but heard her play it over the phone. It was
hard to tell the tone - definatley harplike. The 18 string guitars were
rosewood, and reputedly gorgeous. They were triple strung, (like a 12, - 1
low, 2 octave higher(same octave!), ) supposedly easy action. Fred Neil was a
Miguel guitar player. .
Bob Lusk
61 Wurts Street
Kingston, New York, 12401
(914) 338-8587
bob...@aol.com
m...@ftn-assoc.com
informative than I thought it would be when I posed the initial question. The
guitar I referred to in the original post was indeed the Gibson 18-string that
is pictured in a John Denver songbook. I never thought that I would get a
response from someone with first-hand knowledge of that particular guitar
(thanks Harvey). Until now, none of the "experts" I had mentioned it to would
even acknowledge the possibility of the existence of 18-string guitar. Now I
know all about it. Thanks for all the replies.
Gail Gillespie
: rho...@flash.net wrote:
: I think I was playing bass for John around 1963 (or '64 at the latest), so that
: kinda explodes that theory. As I posted earlier, the guitar was originally owned
: by Randy Sparks (of the New Christy Minstrels) who was managing John at the
: time. I don't know if Randy gave it to John or loaned it to him. It was
: definitely a Gibson - like a large J-45 in their dark, reddish-brown sunburst.
: Harvey Gerst
: Indian Trail Recording Studio
: http://www.ITRstudio.com/
Hey, I knew that guitar. John's father, Col. Deutchendorf, was a friend of
my Dad's (Air Force) and I used to play/sing with him at parties at Eglin
AFB in 64 and 65. I also seem to
rememember that it was a Gibson, custom made and that it was
dreadnaught/J45 shaped - or maybe Hummingbird would be the equivalent
Gibson shape. The thing was impossible to play full chords on - John just
held down the strings as he needed them.
-Gail
Harvey Gerst
>Hey, I knew that guitar. John's father, Col. Deutchendorf, was a friend of
>my Dad's (Air Force) and I used to play/sing with him at parties at Eglin
>AFB in 64 and 65. I also seem to
>rememember that it was a Gibson, custom made and that it was
>dreadnaught/J45 shaped - or maybe Hummingbird would be the equivalent
>Gibson shape. The thing was impossible to play full chords on - John just
>held down the strings as he needed them.
Gail,
You may be right about the hummingbird or dove style - I think there was
something on the pickguard, now that you mention it.
Harvey Gerst
Indian Trail Recording Studio
Ken Pontes
I saw a picture of Alex De Grassi just this evening (promo for a recent
concert), holding one of those babies. All you could see was the headstock,
and a bit of the neck, but there were definitely 18 strings. Wild!
Ken
--
"Don't play what's there, play what's not there."
- Miles Davis
( ke...@prodigy.net )