1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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PorkyPrimeCut
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1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:01 pm

Now I know where all the pearl-button Grover tuners went...

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Made at the turn of the 70s, of course.

With such a deep, wide body, I wonder what it's like playing this thing, regardless of how well it's built.
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Telliot
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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by Telliot » Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:19 pm

:derp:

And I thought my 12-string was a bitch to tune...!
The cool thing about fretless is you can hit a note...and then renegotiate.

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Embenny
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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by Embenny » Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:22 pm

Well, the fact that it's lasted a half century without imploding is at least a testament to having been built solidly!
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Sep 01, 2020 4:35 pm

mbene085 wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:22 pm
Well, the fact that it's lasted a half century without imploding is at least a testament to having been built solidly!
Seriously.

I don’t think my callouses are adequate for playing that thing.

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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by andy_tchp » Tue Sep 01, 2020 5:17 pm

All the chorus. And then more chorus.

Add me to the list of those impressed that the belly and top hasn't met up with the fretboard under duress.
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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by fuzzjunkie » Tue Sep 01, 2020 6:29 pm

Telliot wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:19 pm
:derp:

And I thought my 12-string was a bitch to tune...!
Before I actually got a guitar and learned how to play I thought if all the tuner keys were facing the same direction that meant it would be in tune.

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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by Telliot » Tue Sep 01, 2020 7:21 pm

:D

Honestly, there’s some strange sort of logic to that. Uninformed and unscientific, but to a laymen, why wouldn’t that be possible?
The cool thing about fretless is you can hit a note...and then renegotiate.

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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by antisymmetric » Tue Sep 01, 2020 7:24 pm


These would obviously be the helium-filled versions to help counter the neck-dive...
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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by sookwinder » Tue Sep 01, 2020 7:43 pm

Telliot wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 7:21 pm
:D

Honestly, there’s some strange sort of logic to that. Uninformed and unscientific, but to a laymen, why wouldn’t that be possible?
Off topic … but still sort of on...
20+ years ago I worked on oil rigs for a short period of time and when you walk into their control rooms (both ocean and land based) every dial up on the wall is rotated to have the "correct needle position" in the 12 o'clock position. So if any dial is showing anything but 12 o'clock then there is something wrong and can be seen immediately. That is how the human brain works, can see immediately when something is not in the pattern.
relaxing alternative to doing actual work ...

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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by Telliot » Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:01 pm

sookwinder wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 7:43 pm
Telliot wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 7:21 pm
:D

Honestly, there’s some strange sort of logic to that. Uninformed and unscientific, but to a laymen, why wouldn’t that be possible?
Off topic … but still sort of on...
20+ years ago I worked on oil rigs for a short period of time and when you walk into their control rooms (both ocean and land based) every dial up on the wall is rotated to have the "correct needle position" in the 12 o'clock position. So if any dial is showing anything but 12 o'clock then there is something wrong and can be seen immediately. That is how the human brain works, can see immediately when something is not in the pattern.
Exactly! Honestly, I’m always a bit surprised how often my tuners kind of match when I re-string a guitar. I think it must have to do with the length I cut my strings to before winding them on the post, but it always makes me think I’ve done something wrong.
The cool thing about fretless is you can hit a note...and then renegotiate.

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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Tue Sep 01, 2020 8:57 pm

fuzzjunkie wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 6:29 pm
Telliot wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:19 pm
:derp:

And I thought my 12-string was a bitch to tune...!
Before I actually got a guitar and learned how to play I thought if all the tuner keys were facing the same direction that meant it would be in tune.
Ha!! No way! Same here! :fp:
You think you can't, you wish you could, I know you can, I wish you would. Slip inside this house as you pass by.

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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by mgeek » Wed Sep 02, 2020 3:01 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL_-KJgblew

2:30 or so to hear one! I can't really tell the difference between this and a 12 tbh, but maybe in person?

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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by wproffitt » Wed Sep 02, 2020 4:41 am

fuzzjunkie wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 6:29 pm
Telliot wrote:
Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:19 pm
:derp:

And I thought my 12-string was a bitch to tune...!
Before I actually got a guitar and learned how to play I thought if all the tuner keys were facing the same direction that meant it would be in tune.
My children (ages 5 and 7) currently believe this. If I leave a guitar on the couch for more than 5 minutes while they’re in the room, you can bet that when I come back, it will have been “tuned “ so that all of they keys are oriented the same way.

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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by Scout » Wed Sep 02, 2020 5:41 am

I can only speculate that the 4 additional white plugs in the bridge cover sort of mechanical attachment holding the bridge to the body, I would love to see the bracing that keeps the top from moving. The Florentine cutaway is superb.

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Re: 1971 Ralph Smith 18-String "Prototype"

Post by sookwinder » Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:17 am

why would there be "Pat Pend." on the truss rod cover?
Surely the builder is not attempting to patent a truss rod cover?
Other than 18 strings is there anything new/innovative/magical about this guitar that could be patentable?
relaxing alternative to doing actual work ...

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