Orpheum 12 frets

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I just joined the forum to exchange information on my Guild and other guitars. I currently have a F512 & two Orpheum 12 frets. Both 12 frets are rosewood, a 000 and a 12 string. The 000 was recently purchased and it has very little playing time on it. I've been playing it for about two weeks and hoping it will begin to open up a little more. Has anyone else had experience with these guitars sounding tight initially?

Thanks,

12fretman
 

Stuball48

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12fret:
Cannot answer your question but wanted to say welcome.
Someone will come along with an opinion or their experience with these Guilds. Nice guitars!
 

ClydeTower

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I just joined the forum to exchange information on my Guild and other guitars. I currently have a F512 & two Orpheum 12 frets. Both 12 frets are rosewood, a 000 and a 12 string. The 000 was recently purchased and it has very little playing time on it. I've been playing it for about two weeks and hoping it will begin to open up a little more. Has anyone else had experience with these guitars sounding tight initially?

Thanks,

12fretman

Welcome 12fret! Don't have an Orpheum, but had a similar experience with my 2012 D55. Was a closet queen with little play time when I got her last year. Felt a bit tight in the beginning. I gave her a 1 week Tonerite treatment and left her out of her case for at least 8 months. Played her extensively and I can say that she's opened up quite a bit since then.

Doesn't the Orpheum have an Adi top? For what its worth, I've heard that these are stiffer and take a little longer to open up, but in the long run, you'll reap the rewards.

Be patient, play the heck out of your Orpheums and enjoy the journey :)
 
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Rayk

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Welcome 12fret! Don't have an Orpheum, but had a similar experience with my 2012 D55. Was a closet queen with little play time when I got her last year. Felt a bit tight in the beginning. I gave her a 1 week Tonerite treatment and left her out of her case for at least 8 months. Played her extensively and I can say that she's opened up quite a bit since then.

Doesn't the Orpheum have an Adi top? For what its worth, I've heard that these are stiffer and take a little longer to open up, but in the long run, you'll reap the rewards.

Be patient, play the heck out of your Orpheums and enjoy the journey :)

Yup as a two Adirondack top owner soon to be 3 with a in coming new 2016 they do open a bit slower but the Orph being a twelve fret and the bridge in the sweet spot of the top it might have a shorter break in .

I’m a firm believer of breaking in the top with your own mojo so play the dickens out of it . 😁

I played a Taylor 12 fret recently and that sounded really good and made me consider the Orph 12 fret so one day I’ll get one if I don’t forget wait what are talking about again ? LOL

Enjoy :)
 

richardp69

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Just bought a 12 fret Mahogany 000 Orpheum yesterday. Looks like a great guitar but time will tell I guess. I haven't played a "bad" Orpheum yet.
 

gjmalcyon

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My Orpheum RW slope-shoulder dreadnought (14 fret) did not appear to have a lot of playing time on it. It seems to sound better and better every time I pick it up.
 

merlin6666

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Hi and welcome. You are probably aware that there were only few Orpheum 12 strings made so you joined a small group on here. I have a jumbo since about 3.5 years and a 12 string since about 1.5 years and I play them for several hours each week and have not noticed any changes from when they were brand new. It is likely that red spruce issues that are sometimes reported are due to them being used on guitars that are designed for sitka tops. The Orpheums are designed around the red spruce and this contributes to their tone.
 

chazmo

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My Orpheum 000 slothead rosewood 12-string has a unique sound which I really love. I don't want to say it's tight, but it's not open and chimey like the F-512. As far opening up, I wouldn't say much has happened in that department.

I would highly recommend that you try a new/different set of strings if you haven't done that already.
 
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Thanks to everyone for the welcome and input. I've tried several different sets of strings as well as changing out the bone bridge pins to both ebony and then horn. Not much difference in the tone of the guitar from string or pin changes. I might try that Tonerite system to see if that makes a difference. The Orpheum 12 string does not sound nearly as tight as the 000 at this point and both guitars have Adi tops with very little playing time.

Both the Orpheum 000 and the Orpheum 12 string are very loud guitars and I would say they both have distinctive tonal qualities. Compared to my F512, the Orpheum 12 string has a less polished tone with maybe more of a vintage vibe. But both are great 12 strings.
 
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