Long time follower of TA, these days the blues don't have the mentality of the old guys, blues has turned middle class, Todd has always seemed more in touch with the street spirit of the original blues players, mentality shines in the playing, that's my perception, his 12 string prowess gets me every time, been searching for a decent old 12 string that don't cost a fortune for a long time, great video
Leo Kottke quit playing with picks after his tendinitis problems. His 12 string abilities didn’t seem to suffer or slow down. I have tried just about every type of thumb and finger picks ever conceived. I just can’t used them. Just an fyi. Mufflers were invented in 1897 by Milton Reeves. First designed for motorcycles and adapted to automobiles. 🤷🏻
I’m familiar with the speculated string gauges Todd is referring to, they’re available on some articles and online forums. Those numbers never made sense to me either but my assumption was that string gauges were heavier back then to maximize on volume. It makes more sense that 12 string players of the time probably had to experiment with available 6 string sets to fit their needs. It’s crazy how influential and revered players like Leadbelly and Blind Willie McTell are and we’re still trying to figure out stuff like their setup. But that’s where guys like Todd, Paul Geremia and luthiers like Todd Cambio become wealths of knowledge to help fill in the gaps.
I love the phone video concept. Q: when you talk about tuning the guitar to C or C# or G, are you in relative standard tuning with the low E string tuned to that note? Or are you talking about open tunings? Great video as usual.
Haha, it's not too ridiculous? Good. Yeah so he's talking standard tuning, using the low E as a reference point. Depending on the player the low E might be C, C#, or even G, and the rest of the strings would then be tuned relatively to that in standard tuning. Unless of course they're in an alt tuning, then ya know, shit gets crazy.
I understand the neuroses of the 12 string. I've owned lots of guitars over my 53 years and never felt the need for a setup on one. But I bought a Hauver Leadbelly Stella 12 copy and spent several months in turmoil battling string gauge, tension, bridge height etc. I finally gave up and decided to play it as is. Only thing I can add is my Guild 8 string baritone plays nice tuned down to A. It's 27" scale does the trick.
Totally, it’s not an instrument to be taken lightly it seems! Our buddy Pop Wagner has a lead belly copy (made by a different maker tho), one of the best 12’s I’ve ever heard. I think Charlie had a bari 12 from National back in the day that I barely remember him playing. I should ask him what he tuned that one to!
Any chance you can do a blues song on that 12 string of yours as ive never heard or seen a nylon string 12 ...would be great to hear it in more detail seeing were talking all things 12 string...
Hey Kyle,was just cooking my breakfast over here in Nottingham watching Todds interview again and a big smile came to me, I was reminded of Paul Gerimias movie "something's gotta be arranged" if you have not seen it you can find it on folk streams with many more, what a character, I would of loved to have met Paul in his prime, I seen that movie countless times over the years, anyway my bacon and eggs are getting cold, bless up
Dude I haven’t seen that, but I binge folkstreams all the time so I’m def gonna check this out. Appreciate your suggestion! Hope you had a good breakfast!
@@kostringworks bacon & eggs always makes me happy, yeah Folkstreams is an amazing resource, the peg leg film I must of watched it a 100 times maybe more. 👊
