HeyMikey
Enlightened Member
Her name is Natalie, after brunette bombshell Natalie Wood. The headstock s/n FF100194 indicates she is from late 1979, but the completion date on the inside states OCT 10 1980. Unfortunately, there is no inside label. The finish is a darker (tobacco) sunburst. It is very good overall but with a couple blemishes and one nasty Voldemort scar on the front lower bout dark area that I may take care of at some point. No serious buckle rash. No cracks. Just got her back from the spa and had the cracked nut replaced, frets touched up and a good set up done. She is a fine player now with very good action and a warm tone.
Being a small bodied 12-string it is very comfortable to play, which given my arthritis and shoulder problems was my goal and is a wonderful relief. I took some quick measurements, but let me know if something doesn’t seem right and I’ll double check. The neck is 1-13/16 wide at the nut with a relatively flat profile. The lower bout is 15-1/4 across, which is less than the 15-3/8 I expected for this time frame. The upper is 11-1/8 with a 9-1/2 waist. Depth wise it is 5 at the lower to 4 at the upper.
How does she sound? I will say right off that being primarily a strummer it does not have the low end I prefer. I did expect this based on feedback from other players, but I was “hoping” it might have more. The sound is a bit boxy when strummed in my usual way. However... what I am learning with Natalie is that “less is more.” If I strum less hard the clarity is much better. If I am more deliberate with the bass notes before finishing the strum, she begins to sing. If I pick around individual strings within a chord and give more meaning to each note the sound blossoms. With a clean strum the notes resonate forever. So, this means I have to adjust my touch to better fit this guitar. I need to learn how to play a little differently than I am used to – which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Bottom line for me is that this F112 allows me to play much longer than on a jumbo, which is exactly what I needed. It also encourages me to vary my playing style and experiment to let the strengths of the guitar shine. The cons are that I do miss the bass and punch of a larger bodied 12. I can see possibly re-acquiring another in the future. I don’t know if that will be a 212 which might have a little more oomph or a jumbo that I can play for a song or two when I really want a big, ruckusy sound. But for now Natalie and I are just going to spend a little quality time and get to know one another. :couple_inlove:
The pics aren't the best off my phone but here you go.
Being a small bodied 12-string it is very comfortable to play, which given my arthritis and shoulder problems was my goal and is a wonderful relief. I took some quick measurements, but let me know if something doesn’t seem right and I’ll double check. The neck is 1-13/16 wide at the nut with a relatively flat profile. The lower bout is 15-1/4 across, which is less than the 15-3/8 I expected for this time frame. The upper is 11-1/8 with a 9-1/2 waist. Depth wise it is 5 at the lower to 4 at the upper.
How does she sound? I will say right off that being primarily a strummer it does not have the low end I prefer. I did expect this based on feedback from other players, but I was “hoping” it might have more. The sound is a bit boxy when strummed in my usual way. However... what I am learning with Natalie is that “less is more.” If I strum less hard the clarity is much better. If I am more deliberate with the bass notes before finishing the strum, she begins to sing. If I pick around individual strings within a chord and give more meaning to each note the sound blossoms. With a clean strum the notes resonate forever. So, this means I have to adjust my touch to better fit this guitar. I need to learn how to play a little differently than I am used to – which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Bottom line for me is that this F112 allows me to play much longer than on a jumbo, which is exactly what I needed. It also encourages me to vary my playing style and experiment to let the strengths of the guitar shine. The cons are that I do miss the bass and punch of a larger bodied 12. I can see possibly re-acquiring another in the future. I don’t know if that will be a 212 which might have a little more oomph or a jumbo that I can play for a song or two when I really want a big, ruckusy sound. But for now Natalie and I are just going to spend a little quality time and get to know one another. :couple_inlove:
The pics aren't the best off my phone but here you go.
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