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Curtis
Aloha
17 Posts |
 Posted - 04/04/2012 : 3:43:44 PM
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I will echo what I've found at least one other person in the thread saying so far. With Recording Kings, I think you need to check them out before purchase, or at least make sure whomever you buy the guitar from has a good return policy.
I have played a few smaller bodied Recording Kings. While some are like playing dead wood others have a nice tone. The difference is more marked than with other brands. I have a Recording King tricone resophonic that sounds really nice, but it is being replaced because of a bad neck angle.
Curtis
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MauiBuilt
Aloha
12 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2012 : 07:40:15 AM
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******UPDATE********
Thanks for all the advice guys! I was leaning towards the Seagull, but then a deal on a used RO-26 popped up that I couldn't pass on. I LOVE the recording king so far! The smaller body is a lot more comfortable, and it has a great sound. (Being somewhat new to guitars, it's amazing how different it sounds compared to my yamaha dread. The solid wood makes it surprisingly heavier than the larger dread too.)
It also has lightweight strings which are interesting... My yamaha must have mediums because the strings on the RK by comparison feel much more "squishy". I like them so far, though I'm wondering about switching to medium lows in the future (the lows sometimes sound a little "tinny"?). I'll leave it for now though to get used to it first.
I can see how buying guitars can be addicting. It's a lot of fun to switch between the two! (Who knows, a Seagull may find still find its way in to my possession if a good deal pops up on craigslist... :p ) |
www.mediocremusician.com |
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TerryLiberty
Lokahi
USA
207 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2012 : 08:14:19 AM
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MauiBuilt:
Congratulations on the new box!!! Glad to hear it's sounding and feeling good to you. That's the final test, regardless of everyone elses' opinions.
I concur on the solid wood sound. When shopping for my instrument I hung the four final candidates up on the music store wall and strummed an open G chord on each to compare. The soild wood instrument just sang. It was an easy decision after that.
Have fun! |
Terry
Olympia, WA
Forever a haumana |
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GuitarVlog
Akahai
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - 04/11/2012 : 6:08:27 PM
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Congratulations on your new guitar! May it bring you much happiness and satisfaction!
quote:
Originally posted by MauiBuilt
It also has lightweight strings which are interesting... My yamaha must have mediums because the strings on the RK by comparison feel much more "squishy". I like them so far, though I'm wondering about switching to medium lows in the future (the lows sometimes sound a little "tinny"?).
I have a Johnson Carolina II JO-27. This was the predecessor of the Recording King RO-27 which is the rosewood version of the RO-26 (which uses mahogany for the back and sides).
The lighter tension that you feel on the strings of the RO-26 may partly be due to the shorter scale of this guitar which is 24.9". Your Yamaha should have a scale of 25.56". Eric Schoenberg sold me my JO-27 and he advised me against using medium tension strings on it even with drop tunings. He did say I could use a medium tension 6th string if I were to keep the guitar in "Orkney" tuning (CGDGCD).
The Johnson Carolina II series was built to be very responsive and my understanding was that the tops were rather thin. Owners who used medium tension strings soon saw their guitars "bellying" as the bridge was pulled up by the tension. I don't know if the tops were thickened with the Recording King versions or the Silver Creek versions. Eric himself said that he preferred the JO-27 to the RO-27. We enlisted the aid of a professional guitarist and teacher to do a shoot-out between the JO-27 and two RO-27s. The former won and it is now mine.
Every guitar is different and I wouldn't be able to know if your RO-26 really sounds "tinny" or just sounds different compared to the tone of your Yamaha FG700S. You're comparing a smaller and shallower OM body to a dread body.
FWIW, I feel that my JO-27 has a strong bass, a lot of volume, and an evenness across all 6 strings. However, the guitar doesn't have the kind of tonal color and reverberations that I found in a Yamaha FG730S that I once owned. Much as I also liked the tone of my FG730S, I sold it because I developed a strong preference for guitars that have wider nut widths.
The 12th fret action on my JO-27 is 0.100" on the 6th and 0.090" on the 1st; higher than the average of 0.090" and 0.060" (aka 6/64" and 4/64" ... or "6-and-4 out the door" as techs call it). Eric and James recommended that action because I told them that I would be playing pieces in dropped tunings. I have dropped the tuning as low as BbFCFAC with no problems. |
- Keo |
Edited by - GuitarVlog on 04/11/2012 6:11:34 PM |
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MauiBuilt
Aloha
12 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2012 : 08:48:47 AM
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Wow, thanks for the info, GuitarVlog (this forum continues to impress!).
I'll definitely stick with light gauge strings on the RK. Like, you said, I think my fingers and ears are still getting used to the difference from the Yamaha. (I'm really loving the sound of the RK.)
How can I the scale length?--when I compare the yamaha and the RK face to face, they seem to be the same length, from nut to saddle. (What are the benefits of short scale vs. long(?) scale, particularly when it comes to slack key?)
Thanks again for all the advice.
BTW, in case anyone was interested, here's some quick pics:
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www.mediocremusician.com |
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GuitarVlog
Akahai
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - 04/13/2012 : 2:08:02 PM
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Scale length is the distance from the lower point of the nut to the contact point at the saddle. On a slanted saddle, I don't know if you use the shortest, longest or middle point for measurement.
From what I recall, the advantage of a shorter scale is lower string tension which makes fretting easier. I've heard players assert that shorter scales are more prone to intonation problems but that has not been my experience. I'd sooner blame a bad batch of strings.
Of course, if your hand can't stretch across the frets that well, a shorter scale will help with that. That's why some opt for shorter scale guitars.
Theoretically, longer scale lengths will result in higher string tension which also should produce more volume. However, I believe that the responsiveness of the guitar top and its construction are bigger contributors to volume than string tension. One luthier I know said that higher string tension can theoretically lower the volume of a guitar if the increased tension inhibits soundboard movement.
In the end, I recommend that you NOT get yourself bogged down in these kinds of details unless you have a good reason. Just play the instrument. If it speaks to you and it feels right, then it's the right one. |
- Keo |
Edited by - GuitarVlog on 04/13/2012 2:10:36 PM |
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Ambrosius
Lokahi
132 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2012 : 01:19:24 AM
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quote:
On a slanted saddle, I don't know if you use the shortest, longest or middle point for measurement
Distance from nut to 12th fret x 2 is the best and most accurate way to measure the scale. |
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GuitarVlog
Akahai
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2012 : 2:02:39 PM
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quote:
Distance from nut to 12th fret x 2 is the best and most accurate way to measure the scale.
Should have thought of that! |
- Keo |
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Ambrosius
Lokahi
132 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 07:32:10 AM
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quote:
Should have thought of that
Keo, I have to admit I'm more and more fascinated by the creation of fine instruments, so I hang out and lurks around a few of the luthiers forums.
Picks up a few things now and then  |
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Anyone play a Recording King RO-10?
