Differences in Teens and Snakeheads

[Raggle Taggle]

Forgive my ignorance (I have never seen a vintage Gibson) but I am soo curious:

Are there differences in tone/playability between Gibson Paddleheads and Snakeheads? I understand the Teens lack a truss rod so the necks are larger. Does this result in wider nut widths than the Snakeheads? I assume the Paddleheads vary - 1 1/4, 1 3/16 from the few i have seen described. Are the Snakehead nuts all the same and what size - 1 1/16?

Also, the Paddlehead string bend from the nut to the tuner - did this deaden the tone compared the the Snakehead design?

Do generally Snakeheads sound better than Paddleheads?

[SternART]

From my experience there are killer versions of both.
You're right the earlier ones, pre truss rod, had beefier necks.

[ald]

I tried a Gibson teen (same as the one played by Will Patten) and a snakehead before settling on the teen (mainly because the teen was half the price). As far as I can remember they both had the same nice woody sound. However, the snakehead seemed to be easier to play (better action), although that might have just been specific the two models I tried out.

[Charley wild]

I have owned them both and played others and could never tell a lot of difference other than every mandolin sounds different. The best of the Gibson ovals I owned was a teens blond top. It was better than my F2 also. I can adapt to different types of necks pretty easy unless they are radically different so that was not a factor with me.

[Bill Van Liere]

I like the feel of the snakehead necks more than the feel of the paddleheads.

I have a 24 Jr snakehead that sounds better than most of the paddleheads that I have run across, which is hundreds. That is not to say that I have not played some great paddleheads, I have, but some of the snakeheads just have something that I have never found in any paddlehead.

[mandroid]

Happen to have 2 '22 As, near bottom A, and an A4 with the new-fangled truss rod.

I'm guessing they wanted to highlight it's addition, so the nickel plated TRC.
proclaims it with shiny metal, for all to see..

perhaps as they became the norm, the TRC, went to subtile,
and the neck was let be shaped a bit slimmer ..

[Gerry Cassidy]

I've had a '24 A jr (paddle head) in my grubby hands for the last couple of months and just can't put it down.

The wife is very understanding... except when I try to bring it to the dinner table!

[EdHanrahan]

... Paddlehead string bend from the nut to the tuner - did this deaden the tone ... ?

Note that most flattop guitars are effectively paddleheads and don't seem to have suffered too much from the design. I think that the "straight-pull" belief is more related to tuning stability than it is to tone, especially on electric guitar with light-string bending and/or whammy-bar.

(Guess I could add a whimsical comment about adding a roller nut to the 'teens A-1, but I'll refrain... sortta!)

[Goodin]

From my experience there are killer versions of both.

I second that. I have owned and played countless paddleheads and snakeheads, and there is no reason to think that snakeheads are better than paddle heads regarding tone. Actually I prefer the tone of paddle heads slightly more than snakeheads. They are a bit warmer and rounder in general. Snakeheads have a bit meatier tone. I guess it's just what kind of tone do you want. Also, In my experience paddle heads seem easier to play. Maybe it has something to do with the shift inward of the snakehead tuners that slightly increases string tension.

Paddle head Gibsons pre Loar period represent the best value in mandolins, period.

[Martin Jonas]

Of course, not all paddleheads are 'teens: my Ajr is a 1921/22 paddlehead (serial number is right on the boundary between the years), and I love it dearly. Does it sound different from a teens plain-A? Probably, as there was an evolutionary change in construction details. Does it sound different from a 1923 snakehead Ajr? Probably not, or at least not by more than one snakehead differs from the next. Was it cheaper than the snakehead? Certainly.

Martin

[Tom C]

Snakehead vs Paddle

Snakesheads: 9 of 10 will sound awesome. Other one sounding great.
Paddle(teens) 1 out of 10 will sound great.

[jaycat]

Paddle(teens) 1 out of 10 will sound great.

Wow! guess I got lucky.

[G7MOF]

Snakehead vs Paddle

Snakesheads: 9 of 10 will sound awesome. Other one sounding great.
Paddle(teens) 1 out of 10 will sound great.

That's quite a tunnel visioned statement, It depends on the setup, Your technique, Strings, Bridge. There are too many variables to say only 1 out of 10 will sound great!!!
I've heard some bad snakeheads, but I wouldn't say 90% are awesome...

[Tom C]

I've played many many many"A's. I used to work at the teleport close to Mandolin Bros.

[JeffD]

Due to changes over the many years, and differences in how instruments have been kept and cared for, and etc., I think that differences between two individual paddle heads (or two snakeheads) of the same year can be greater than the class differences between snakeheads and paddle heads taken as a group. Its almost 100 years ago. If you find one that sounds great and feels great, you have a great mandolin. Period.

What should you go for? Go for one that plays great and sounds great.

[Darryl Wolfe]

As you see, there are varied opinions. One thing not mentioned is that "IF YOU OWN AN F5 OF ANY SORT", you are more likely to like the sound that snakeheads generally bring to the table better than the earlier mandolins.

Your taste needs to be much broader to encompass and appreciate the sound that the earlier mandolins "generally" bring to the table

These are generalities that hold true "most" of the time