Epiphone 12 strings?
 

Being the poor guy that I am, I'm considering the epiphone dr-212. The price is right, and it looks like a nice guitar, but it's impossible to find an unbiased review. Anybody have any experience with these? Playing one before purchase isn't an option, because everybody who sells them, only orders them, or sells them online

http://epiphone.com/default.asp?Prod...CollectionID=9

I can only recommend you try it out. I'd be a little weary of it though. That is cheap for a 6 string, let alone a 12 string which can be a fickle little thing.

There's not much in this world that's as dismal as a cheap 12-string. Even normally trustworthy manufacturers produce some genuine crap in the cheap 12-string category. I picked up an inexpensive Yamaha 12-string awhile back that should be used as a form of punishment, not offered for sale.

That having been said, all is not hopeless in the cheap 12-string market. I played a Seagull S12 with a cedar top awhile back that was pretty affordable and played very nicely. A quick fingerpicking run through the intro to "Hotel California" and I was grinning. I've also played a Fender CD140-12 that wasn't too bad, though given the choice, I'd take the Seagull.

If you can't play one first, at least try to find someone who owns one and get an opinion, ask whether they strum, flatpick, fingerpick, etc., and try to fill in as much info as you can. I own two Epiphones from their Masterbilt series, and I love them, but I've also played Epiphones from their cheaper lines that were hate at first sight. Good luck!

Here's one review that I found:

Epiphone DR212 Review

He likes it, but he's already had it into a service center. Hmmm...

Sugar Bear ;)

maybe you can post a want to buy on the classifieds for a used seagull, that seems to be the best bet.

man.. if you end up with a 12er that doesn't play very easily, it's pretty hard to have fun with it, just IMO

I like to keep a 12 string around for a little blues work and had a Fender 12 that I picked up out west. It was a korean made model and played pretty well. Recently I sold the Fender and got a seagull S12 which I like better, primarily for the action. I believe that it's a short scale, at least it feels that way. I'm too lazy to measure and it really doesn't matter as long as I like it.

Previously, I had an old slot head Harmony that I really liked. I had bought it to replace a better one that was stolen. It was infinitely better sounding with old style blues.

Take a tour of your local pawn shops, 12 strings tend to pass through them more frequently than you'd expect. You might find a gem in the rough.

Maybe Epi will do a nicer masterbuilt 12 in the future. There's not many nice 12's in that 500-700 price range.

The nut width on those cheaper epi's is pure punishment, though. 12 string acoustic strings are thicker the way it is, and a 1.68 nut width is quite small and will be really tough to play on that dr212. I'd never buy it for that reason alone.

Among inexpensive (under $500) 12 strings, the general opinion at the UMGF 12 String Cafe' is that the Seagull S12+ is the clear winner. The jury is still out on how the cedar top will hold up (there has been one post showing a bridge pulling loose which shouldn't happen to a fairly new git) but the top probably is a big part of its sound.

Not to say the Epi is bad, but I would sure want to make sure the angles, action, and feel was what you were looking for. If you buy on line at least have them set it up to your specs and make sure there is a good return policy. If it truely has a 1.68 nut width I certainly would never consider it (most 12's are 1.875)

A well set up 12 is a pleasure to play - a poor one is torture (or a nice slide axe, but then I play slide on my well set up ones). I'll add that the pawn shop 12's that I've seen tend to be there for a reason - the owner found them to be virtually unplayable.

12 string
 

Jon,
I to am a poor guy, and recently bought a Sigma 12 string off EBay for $179.00. I had heard they were pretty good guitars. If you can find one made in Japan 1970-1980, you will have a really good guitar, as long as the guy selling it has taken good care of it. Look for model DR12-7, highest quality. D=Dreadnaught,R=Rosewood, and 7 is best quality.
I have had a D10 Sigma Anniversary for some time now, and it sounds as good as a lot of high end Martins,IMHO!
Good luck in whatever you choose.
John (valky Guy)

In expensive 12 strings are in the same realm as "factory second parachutes". You might wait, save a little more, and go for one with a history of good structural integrity.

Having worked in that particular industry for a few years, I can tell you there is no such thing;)

I appreciate everybody's views, and have gotten alot of good info, but nobody has been able to show me anything to persuade me not to order one. After speaking with a rep from our favorite big box retailer, I went ahead and ordered one. Maybe it will really suprise me. I sure hope so. In any event, you'll get to hear about it when it shows up.