It's not just about the manufacturer or the wood. How the "12-fret joint" changes a guitar's sound
Introduction
Hello!
This is Nakagawa from Dolphin Guitars Tokyo.
When choosing a guitar, we tend to focus on the differences in sound caused by the manufacturer or the wood, but
actually, the "guitar's construction" can also create a huge difference in sound!
In this article, I will explain the acoustic guitar with a "12-fret joint," which can be considered a prime example of this.
What is the structure of a 12-fret joint?
I am sometimes asked, "Does a 12-fret joint mean the scale (the length from the nut to the saddle) is shorter than a 14-fret joint?" but that is actually not the case.
Although there are exceptions, many 12-fret joint guitars have a structure where the neck and bridge positions are shifted two frets lower toward the bottom of the body compared to 14-fret joint guitars.
When you line them up, you can see that the bridge positions are different.
Because of this change in structure, 14-fret joints and 12-fret joints produce completely different sounds!
The joint difference makes such a big change in sound
The main factors for the change in sound due to the difference in joint position are considered to be the bridge and the bracing.
In a 14-fret joint, the bridge is located near the top of the center of the lower bout (the bulge on the lower part of the body), whereas in a 12-fret joint, it is located near the center.
Just as the center of a trampoline is the most bouncy, it is said that in a guitar, having the string vibration transmitted from the center of the lower bout results in a richer, thicker sound.
Also, the bracing is often designed differently from a 14-fret joint to optimize strength and sound for the 12-fret joint structure, and this difference in bracing design also brings about a major change in sound.
12-fret joints used to be the mainstream
Nowadays, when people think of acoustic guitars, they almost always think of 14-fret joints, but if you trace history, 12-fret joints were the mainstream until the 1930s.
However, when Martin developed a new model that joined the body at the 14th fret in response to player requests, it became a huge hit among guitarists. Since then, 14-fret joint acoustic guitars have become the mainstream.
Even so, with the exception of some models, 12-fret joints are still used in classical guitars, and in acoustic guitars, 12-fret joints have been adopted in some models to reproduce pre-1930s models or to seek a different sound, and this has been passed down to the present day.
Recommended 12-fret joint guitars
From here on, I will introduce two 12-fret joint guitars that you can actually try out at our store!
SWITCH SL-3 Bee
Based on the 1920s vintage L-0 style and arranged in a modern style, this short-scale Switch Custom Guitars SL-3 Bee
is a reliable "Hand Made in Japan" model that features rich resonance thanks to its all-solid construction and ultra-thin lacquer finish. Despite being a 12-fret joint, it features a cutaway, so playing in high positions is not a problem.
The first thing that surprises you when you actually pick it up is its size and lightness. A cutaway specification is extremely rare for this size, and it effectively overcomes the difficulty of accessing high frets, which is often a weak point of 12-fret joints. And above all, the sound is incredibly loud, far more than you would imagine from such a compact body! Every customer who has tried it out is amazed by the gap between its light weight and its sound. I truly feel that this is the richness of resonance that only a 12-fret joint can provide.
LARRIVEE C-10 Custom 12 Fret (Angel Inlay)
Larrivée is a leading Canadian handmade guitar manufacturer. This is a model we custom-ordered with the same specifications as the C-10 Custom 12 Fret Angel, which is also favored by Tommy Emmanuel. With the angel on the headstock and the torch & wing inlay on the fingerboard, it is a beautiful finish that makes you sigh no matter what angle you look at it from. The transparency common to Larrivée guitars is further polished by the 12-fret joint, delivering a rich, sweet, and resonant sound with sparkling highs.
Rosewood is used for the sides and back, and it pairs perfectly with the glossy, alluring sound characteristic of Larrivée. As staff, this is one guitar we would actively recommend to customers who choose their instruments based on sound quality.
Conclusion
What did you think?
The "12-fret joint" specification has a major impact on the sound, and when you actually play it, you can see that the difference in tone is clearer than you might imagine. It is the fascinating nature of acoustic guitars that not only the manufacturer and the wood, but also the construction itself, plays a leading role in creating the sound!
Hmm, it's so deep!
You can also try out the SWITCH SL-3 Bee and LARRIVEE C-10 Custom 12 Fret introduced here at our store. Please come and experience the difference in their sound for yourself!
We look forward to your visit.