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#1
10-16-2017, 05:51 PM
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Would you buy a 30 year old 12-string guitar?
Can get a great deal on an 80s Lowden S22 12-string. According to Lowden's site, this guitar was built around 1982/83. It was built under license from George Lowden by the S Yairi Nagoya workshop in Japan. It was built to Lowden's design. These were made from all solid woods as opposed to the ones made later in the K Yairi shop. About 6000 Lowdens were crafted in this workshop between 1980 and 1985.
The sellers says it's in great condition but I would have to travel 5 hours in order to check it out. I'm really on the fence on whether I want to go to that much trouble. Would you even consider a 12 string that old? 
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#2
10-16-2017, 05:53 PM
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Sure. People pay a small fortune for pre-war guitars. 30 years doesn't scare me at all.
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Keith Martin 000-42 Marquis Taylor Classical Alvarez 12 String Gibson ES345s Fender P-Bass Gibson tenor banjo
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#4
10-16-2017, 06:04 PM
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I have a Made in Japan Morris B-50 12-string built around 1980.
Neck is a little chunky but has stayed nicely flat and straight. Original tuners were sloppy/tight, backlash/firm .. you get the idea. No lift at the rear of the bridge but I can see where the front has pulled down slightly on the top, a slight 'submarining'. Action is excellent (metric ruler in picture) but there's not much saddle height left to play with.   No other cracks or damage. These are the things I would look at with an older 12-string. p.s. also check both sides of the neck up near the nut slot for cracks like this 
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Brucebubs 1972 - Takamine D-70 2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone 2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo 2012 - Dan Dubowski#61 2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo 2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird Last edited by Brucebubs; 10-16-2017 at 06:31 PM.
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#5
10-16-2017, 06:14 PM
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seriously- your kidding right ?
thats a baby
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--------------------------------- Wood things with Strings ! 
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#6
10-16-2017, 06:21 PM
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I think I'd buy an old one like that if it sounded great and was looking good, structurally.
If I spotted one like brucebubs, with hardly any saddle showing, I'd just consider the price vs. tone vs. repair/neck reset values. If it sounds great and I liked it, I'd just send it off for the tune-up and alignment it needs and have a great guitar. Side note: five hour drive each way seems crazy to go look at a guitar that isn't super rare and collectible.
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#7
10-16-2017, 06:33 PM
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A Lowden-Yairi collaboration.
I’d pass! Where it this guitar BTW?😈 Seriously, if you are looking for a good twelve string...pass it up. It you’re looking for a potentially great 12-string...you might be on the right track.
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A bunch of guitars I really enjoy. A head full of lyrics, A house full of people that “get” me. Alvarez 5013 Alvarez MD70CE Alvarez PD85S Alvarez AJ60SC Alvarez ABT610e Alvarez-Yairi GY1 Takamine P3DC Takamine GJ72CE-12-NAT Godin Multiac Steel. Journey Instruments OF660 Gibson G45
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#8
10-16-2017, 06:40 PM
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The question really is, would you drive 5 hours one way to look at it? I wouldn't buy it without looking at it. I'm not thinking I'd drive 5 hours to look at it - but then I'm not actually looking for a 12 string, and if I was I'd likely be looking elsewhere. But that's me......
__________________
In order of appearance: Aria LW20 Dreadnaught Seagull Maritime HG Dreadnaught Seagull Natural Elements Dreadnaught Taylor 418e Taylor 514ce LTD
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#10
10-16-2017, 06:54 PM
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Quote:
__________________
Acoustics: Martin D35 Martin OM-16GT Gibson J-45 Standard Breedlove Pursuit Concerto CE Takamine F400S 12-string Yamaha FG800 Citation CIT8000 "The Survivor" Electrics: Fender Standard Stratocaster (2004)
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#11
10-16-2017, 07:28 PM
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No. Too much tension and who knows all the temperature and humidity extremes cycled through it.
Maybe because of a GAS loss? I had a 80's Guild and it was on its last saddle sanding so off it went for a small loss. Sure love all the Guilds out there over the years I have played a lot of them. AT this point I go with a ( $200, used from CL ), Seagull because they are built strong with strong wood stock. They might not have the lushness but they sound fine. Someday I would love a 12 fret, bolt on neck, small body, cutaway ..... like a Taylor, or . .
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#12
10-16-2017, 07:28 PM
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Quote:
Sounds beautiful, plays OK, but has a fair old dip in the top in front of bridge and a hump behind it. Probably needs a reset, I’m feared to tune her up to concert, open G is nice. Got it cheap enough, but kind of wish I’d known more .... maybe would have passed. So, don’t know, evenkeel’s one sounds great, my one was probably not so well looked after, it would depend upon the individual guitar.
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#13
10-16-2017, 07:28 PM
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That is a really long drive, which I'd only make for something special and hard to get and I feel this one qualifies. It's a Lowden, it's probably phenomenal.
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#14
10-16-2017, 07:51 PM
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Sorry, but I don't think knowing that some have bought older 12 strings with great success is enough to go on in making your own purchase. Sure, plenty of 12 strings just get better with age. But equally, and probably even more so, many fatigue and belly-up, or have bridge problems, etc. It's tricky enough to build a 6 string lightly and have it hold up; doing so for a 12 is harder still. I would either do the drive and see for myself -- assuming you are actually willing to walk away after the trip, if the guitar's not great -- pass entirely, or consider buying it with a right to return it if it doesn't pass muster. I dn't mean to be disrespectful, but some one's experience with their individual guitar does not translate to anything you can bank on with this guitar.
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#15
10-16-2017, 07:56 PM
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