Converting a D-10 to an SD-10 question

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 7 Jul 2006 5:03 am

I've seen posts in the past where folks do away with the C6th neck for various reasons. Some have done this to shed weight from their guitar, to make it easier to carry.

My question is, typically, how much weight CAN be done away with by doing this?

Ronald Comtois · Post by **Ronald Comtois** » 7 Jul 2006 5:47 am

For what it's worth:If you want to go straight E9th,buy an S10or SD1O .Don't ruin your guitar.I once changed an S12 universal to straight E9th. It only took about 1 hour for me to regret it; I missed my 6th tuning and changed it back to the universal setup.
Ron C.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 7 Jul 2006 6:02 am

What you save in maybe a few pounds will be lost by a few hundred dollars in resale value.

Consider a SD-10 and leave the D-10 at home as a practice guitar where you can work on the C6th in your spare time.

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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 7 Jul 2006 6:02 am

Listen to Ronald, he is sooooo correct!

Colby Tipton · Post by **Colby Tipton** » 7 Jul 2006 6:12 am

Don't do it.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 7 Jul 2006 7:02 am

Thankyou for your responces.

But, for what it's worth, we are hitting everywhere but an answer.

Thanx for the advise, though, but I'm not even remotely interested in changing to an SD-10. If I am, I'll buy one.

I'm interested in finding out how much weight you save by doing this. I just can't see weight as much of a reason, either, but I occasionally hear someone say they think it really is enough to make it worth the conversion.

Any body ever weigh the actual difference?? Bobbe, you deal in many guitars, ever weigh the difference?

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 7 Jul 2006 7:17 am

I remember a post where Lloyd Green said that when they took all the C6th parts off his guitar, David Jackson put them all in a bag and it weighed 18lb's.
JE:-)>

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Emmons D10PP 8/4 -75'
Emmons SD-12PP 3/4
Zum SD-12 5/5 - 91'
76'Session 400
86'Nashville 400
06'Nashville 112 x 2

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 7 Jul 2006 7:35 am

Yes it's like Jim just mentioned...it is really anywhere from 15 to 25 lbs.....>depending on what the parts are. So many steels have different kinds of parts and necks and keyheads and tail-piece of all different weights.
Ricky

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 7 Jul 2006 7:45 am

Yes, the post written by the other Eaton-Jim, refers to the article in Country Music magazine awhile back where Lloyd went to Sho-Bud to convert his guitar into the first ever LDG, I believe back in 1973.

Lloyd was apparently looking through the book that he kept on session work. In the previous 600 sessions, only 5 contained any songs played on the C6th neck. I don't have the mag in front of me right now, but I believe that is what was quoted in the article.

He decided through the use of slants, he could get anything he needed from the E9th neck for pretty much all his studio work.

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Mark

Joe A. Camacho · Post by **Joe A. Camacho** » 7 Jul 2006 7:46 am

That sounds about right, I usually only take my LDG out, nights when I bring the Professional I can really feel the wieght difference. I'd say 15 lbs.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 7 Jul 2006 8:35 am

I never actually wieghed them, but I couldn't tell much wieght difference between the Emmons SD/10 that I just sold, and an Emmons D-10 Legrande.

I think "if" I was going to convert one I'd use some other reason other than wieght.JMO

Larry

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"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 7 Jul 2006 9:09 am

think of all the setup/teardown time you save, not having to deal with those 5 extra pedal rods.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 7 Jul 2006 11:47 am

Bobby Lee,,
I was thinking more in terms of pad verses steel strings to lay arm on.

No strings to pull hair on forearms in summer time, or rusted strings to mess up shirt sleeve in winter!

Larry

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"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 7 Jul 2006 2:31 pm

Sell it and buy a SD-10 or S-10. Just my 2 sheckels...

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 7 Jul 2006 5:29 pm

The snaps on my sleeve always catch in the strings of the back neck.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 7 Jul 2006 5:58 pm

I imagine you'd save about 15 pounds, too. You'd be losing..

1 keyhead/nut assy.
1 neck
4 or 5 pedals & brkts.
4 or 5 cross-rods
1 pickup
4 pedal-rods
10-15 pull-rods and bell-cranks
1 changer and mounts

Yep, all that would probably be about 18-20 pounds, and you'd replace that stuff with a pad that might weigh 3-4 pounds. As to whether or not you could sell the parts for as much as difference between the cost of a D10 and an S10 would depend on what kind of steel it was...it could go either way.

The real downside is that gaping hole left in the endplate.

(Of course, that <u>would</u> make a neat little place to put small drawer for your picks and bar, now, wouldn't it!

)

Jim Bob Sedgwick · Post by **Jim Bob Sedgwick** » 7 Jul 2006 9:22 pm

For Larry Strawn..... SHAVE your arms.

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 8 Jul 2006 3:36 am

I've been toying with the idea of losing the C6 half of my Emmons p/p, which I'm halfway through refurbishing by now. On a p/p, there would be no gaping hole in the endplate, so it wouldn't look very odd. Considering the need for parts for these old guitars, I'm wondering if it could actually make financial sense to take the back neck off.

The value of the steel would drop, yes, but it's not a mint, rare collector's item. Selling a p/p neck, keyhead, pickup, fretboard, tuners, pedals, rods, changer and bellcranks would be relatively easy, and making a pad would cost very little.

But would the possible revenue from parts sales come close to compensate for the lowered value? Or could it even make a tiny profit?

It would be interesting to hear Bobbe's views on this (or anyone else's).

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´75 Emmons p/p D10 8+4, ca '72 AWH Custom D10 8+3, Hybrid Zum coming soon, Peavey Nashville 1000