12 Strings - no longer popular?

[Bob from Brooklyn]

I've had a late 70's Guild one for years. It's a niche instrument but I'm glad I have one in the tool chest.

[Swamp Yankee]

Taylor not only still makes 12 strings, but continues to refine and evolve their 12 string offerings.

Within the past few years, they released some Grand Concert, small body 12 string, 12 fret models such as my all mahogany 562ce... examples of which I had played in three different shops here in my corner of the Northeast before I bought mine last September.

I also had no problems finding and playing two other brand new Taylor 12 string models.

I doubt they have ever been, or will ever be, sold in numbers approaching those of 6 string sales. But to say nobody is making them or selling them or carrying them anymore is incorrect.

[ifret]

Originally Posted by OMO

Now, I rarely see them. I have seen some cool 8 strings from Taylors but the 12 strings seem to be not being manufactured.

Taylor is doing very well with its 12-strings, especially with its line of 12-fret 12-strings. I see them being sold quickly in the stores I frequent, plus on-line.

[OMO]

Originally Posted by Swamp Yankee

But to say nobody is making them or selling them or carrying them anymore is incorrect.

Read the posts more closely, I never said that. I specifically said they were not as popular - it's right in the thread title too.

[brianmay]

Tend to agree, I sold my Martin D12-28 in the summer.

Frankly, I don't miss it as it was so difficult to play as I aged.

My 000-28 is so easy compared even with my D-28 which has been set up by an expert.

[Wayben]

I can't imagine not having one. I still have two, a 1975 Martin D12-35 and a 1997 Taylor 655. They aren't guitars that I play everyday, but gotta have that fix every few days.

[AZLiberty]

12s have not been popular since the 80's and possibly a brief resurgence during the late 80'/early 90's.

Buy used.

A new 12 string costs $200 more than it's 6 string counterpart, and sells for $100 less. (after sitting for months)

[jseth]

I'm not sure that 12 string guitars were EVER all that popular... perhaps you are confusing "popularity" with all the guitarists on the planet with how many performers who are popular play 12 string guitar?

A friend of mine used to be a Taylor Artist; he was one of the "guys in the trenches", not some big star... he told me about asking one of the mucky-mucks at Taylor (back in the early 2000's) how many 12 strings the company made each year...

The response amazed me! The fellow said (and he would know, absolutely!) that the company made one 12 string for every 400 guitars they build! (I may not have that number perfect, but it's extremely lopsided in favor of the 6 string)

Personally, if I could have just ONE guitar, it would be a 6 string acoustic,,, but I would get a 12 string as soon as I could!

I am fortunate to have a 12 string that was built by Mark Angus in 1983 - he didn't build it for me, but I am the only owner since that year... the guitar is a bit of a beast, even though the neck is slim and the action is about as low as you can get it... still, working all those paired courses of strings takes far more effort than any of my 6 string guitars...

For that reason, I don't play it for long periods of time; when I perform, I'll switch to the 12 string for 3 or 4 songs (or however long I can fret the thing clearly!) and then switch back to the 6 string.

The 12 string guitar is a valuable tool in my arsenal, for performing and writing. I've written many songs on the 12 string that I have sometimes played on a 6 string, and they just aren't the same at all...

Something about that sound - a friend describes it as "God's own chorus effect", and that seems a good description.

As someone already posted, nowadays you can get a well-made 12 string for MUCH less than you could back in the 70's or 80's... I've seen some Breedlove 12 strings (with cutaway and electronics) for as little as $600, and they were very nice playing instruments...

Frankly, I don't give a rip if 12 string guitars are "popular"... I'm thrilled to play them!

[RP]

Originally Posted by OMO

No, I do not see them very much in the music stores here in the Northeast. Kind of rare. Far more so than 30 years ago.

But online... you may be seeing the few examples that are in production. Looking at Sweetwater is a bit misleading, they seem to carry most everything - as they are what is arguably the premier music store on the planet.

Within 300 miles of me, within 35 Guitar Centers, there are 28 12 strings available - 20 of those are used!

This might be one of those sales/marketing conundrums in which stores don't carry them because they don't sell well and they don't sell well because stores don't carry them....

[gfspencer]

Originally Posted by brianmay

Frankly, I don't miss it as it was so difficult to play as I aged.

I'm 71. I have five 12-string guitars.

* * * * *

12-string guitars have never been as popular as 6-string guitars. No big deal.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by OMO

Read the posts more closely, I never said that. I specifically said they were not as popular - it's right in the thread title too.

Is this just a feeling or do you have statistics to back your assertion up?

[saxonblue]

I don't think 12 strings were ever that popular. They were always in the minority & I assume since most guitar owners have only one instrument very few of those would have a 12 string as their primary instrument. More likely those who already have a 6 string or 2 (like myself) would get one to add a different dynamic.

I doubt the sale of 12 strings has changed much proportionately to sales of 6 string instruments over the last few decades. Of course I don't have any empirical evidence to back up that assumption but in the shop or 2 in my town there's plenty of new ones hanging up on the wall for sale. I'd be lucky to have ever seen a baritone guitar for sale in those places if at all so it seems unlikely they would be selling at anywhere near the numbers as 12 strings, at least in my universe anyway.

[brianmay]

Originally Posted by gfspencer

I'm 71. I have five 12-string guitars.

* * * * *

12-string guitars have never been as popular as 6-string guitars. No big deal.

Note I said as I aged, can't speak for anyone else and don't attempt to.

[Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by OMO

In the 80's 12 strings were very popular.

Now, I rarely see them. I have seen some cool 8 strings from Taylors but the 12 strings seem to be not being manufactured.
.

^^ That's what you wrote. I understand that the availability of 12 string guitars is a matter of your perception being different from my own, but anyone that says 12 strings are no longer being manufactured is mistaken... that's a simple fact.

[Swamp Yankee]

Unless I'm mistaken, Taylor introduced 5 new 12 string models to their regular lineup in 2016. The 562 and 552 grand concerts, 254 grand auditorium, and the 458 & 858 grand orchestras. This brought the total number of 12 string models they offer to 19.