The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #53897   Message #3008180
Posted By: Midchuck
15-Oct-10 - 09:39 PM
Thread Name: Apollonio guitar at a steal
Subject: RE: Apollonio guitar at a steal
I thought I did. I've already given my impression of the sound.

Donno what else is to tell. One would have to hear it. I'm still working to get it under control. The temptation is to play it as though it were a 6-string. That isn't what it wants, exactly. I'm still figuring out what it does want, but I think it has to do with economy - both in the number of notes you try to get per unit of time, and the vigor with which you pick or strum it. Too many notes too fast makes it sound more cluttered than with a 6, too hard an attack makes it jangly - if that's a word.

Sandy tried it, and said he thought the action was too low. I think the action's wonderful. It's only too low if it buzzes, and it hadn't buzzed yet.

Of course, there is the tuning issue. But at least we have better and better electronic tuners. I'm also still working on the capoing problem. Hard to find something that'll mash the little strings down hard enough, with the big strings right next to them. A Shubb works, pretty well, if you tighten it down pretty hard. Mr. A. said that Gordon Bok uses a Shubb, in which he cuts leetle grooves for the big E (D, actually) and A (G, actually) strings to fit into. That might be worth trying.

More as we get better acquainted.

P.