Advice on a small(er) bodied 12-string?

[cliff_the_stiff]

Originally Posted by SoCalSurf

I've got a Taylor grand concert for sale in the classifieds with the link below. It does have a cutaway, however it is a tremendous guitar. Only selling it because I also have a very rare Gibson 12-string.

That cocobolo is gorgeous

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by DM3MD

Does anyone have any experience with a Lakewood M32-12? It seems to check every box on my list.

I once had a more basic version of this and it was a superb instrument.

[merlin666]

I was looking for 12-fret smaller body 12-string for almost two years and eventually found a Guild Orpheum 000 that I love, but they are like unobtainium. On top of my list were also the small body Pono 12 strings, that got some rave reviews at the same time and had an affordable price tag, nowadays one of these may have to be custom ordered though. The holy grail for me is the Collings 0 series, but they are more at the ghighher end of the budget scale:

https://www.collingsguitars.com/0-12string-series/

In particular the 02H

[jspe]

Hi!
I have to agree with DC Cougar above, about getting a bigger body 12.
I've been through several 12's and have found that small body ones just don't give you any low end punch.
I'm recently on to a Yamaha LL16-12 that is awesome. The only small-body 12's I've had that I've found to supply a decent low end are the Larrivee L-models.

[AZLiberty]

I believe you can order any (or at least most) Furch OM guitars as 9 or 12 strings as well.

[Glennm]

Furch/Stonebridge are nice. So are the small Taylors. I know a guy...

[hermithollow]

It can be hard to find a small bodied 12 string with decent bass response (too much tension on the top) There may be a few out there but most 12 strings do better with a larger soundboard.
I've settled on an eight string guitar with the D and G as octave pairs for a small bodied guitar with the 12 string "jangle" and without the 12 string aggravation.

[tadol]

If your lucky enough to find a Larrivee OM 12 string, those are pretty special. I had an all mahogany OM 12-fret 12 string Larrivee some years back - its one of those guitars you just kick yourself repeatedly for letting go -

[DM3MD]

Update: I decided to purchase a used Taylor 254ce Deluxe 12 string. Bought it sight unseen and sound unheard from a distant dealer, so we shall see. It gave me everything I wanted on my original list with the exception of the cutaway. I’ll live with it.

It gets delivered later this week.