#1
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Shortage of options for 12 strings ???
I have two 12 strings.
Like most I tune them one tone (in American - two half steps) to Dd---dd On my Martin D12-20 I use D'addario EJ37 (12-.054) On my Harmony H1270 I use Martin M190 (same gauge but bronze). Both have an octave G which is a silly .010" string. Thought I'd buy some stocks today, so looked around on ebay, Amazon and some specialty string dealers. Well Amazon doesn't seem to understand the concept of a 12 string guitar. I even looked on Da'dd and Martin websties (I meant to type websites but if the shoe fits...) I can find NO 12 string sets in lights/mediums apart from the D'add EJ37s and Martin M190s. Huh??? Anybody know better? Why I foud NO sets of 12 strings with .012"
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! |
#2
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I wonder if it's just here in the UK that it's like that? I often see threads with people talking about different options in the States, but here yes, we are not as well served it seems. I tend to use 10s tuned to standard, but we don't even get the options for Elixirs, nano or polys.
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#3
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yes, same thing happened to me in July when i went to buy some at local long & mcquade store...only had one set of 12gauge 12 string. so had them order a few sets in for me in case ( like the toilet tissue shortage) and picked up 6 sets of D'Add 12s phos br/Earthwoods/Martins last week when they got my order in.
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#4
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Gee, you might have to go with .010s, like everybody else.
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2018 Guild F-512 Sunburst -- 2007 Guild F412 Ice Tea burst 2002 Guild JF30-12 Whiskeyburst -- 2011 Guild F-50R Sunburst 2011 Guild GAD D125-12 NT -- 1972 Epiphone FT-160 12-string 2012 Epiphone Dot CH -- 2010 Epiphone Les Paul Standard trans amber 2013 Yamaha Motif XS7 Cougar's Soundcloud page |
#5
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You are way beyond me!
"Ooooh, some light 12-string strings!" In the cart they go! Done.
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https://www.mcmakinmusic.com |
#6
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In UK, try newtone strings if you're not in a hurry (up to 14 days for delivery)
https://newtonestrings.com/shop/mast...tic-12-string/ |
#7
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. ...bottom. OK, I'm all serious now, onto Silly's actual problem. I keep one of my 12-strings tuned to Steve Tibbetts' tuning, which uses unison pairs for some courses instead of octaves as well as being tuned down. I've resigned myself to needing to buy two sets of strings to do that, and as much as it seems wasteful, one may need to go to such extremes. I don't know if Tibbetts was inspired by Leadbelly's practice, which I read about back when I got my first 12-string in the 70s, of using unisons not octaves for the "G" string course. Ever done that, or considered that, Mr. Moustache? Of course (Am I being silly again? Surely I must have intended the pun!) one would likely need to modify the nut to try these more unison pairs schemes.
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----------------------------------- Creator of The Parlando Project Guitars: 20th Century Seagull S6-12, S6 Folk, Seagull M6; '00 Guild JF30-12, '01 Martin 00-15, '16 Martin 000-17, '07 Parkwood PW510, Epiphone Biscuit resonator, Merlin Dulcimer, and various electric guitars, basses.... Last edited by FrankHudson; 09-16-2021 at 03:38 PM. |
#8
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Hey Andy, Not much better in the states. My favorite (favourite) brand is Elixir, and like a lot of other brands, strings were harder to find as the pandemic killed everything. A few months ago I was in a Guitar Center when the got in their first shipment in quite a while. But it was just basic strings, no exotic gauges or 12 string sets. Bought a couple of sets of Lights just in case. A month or so ago I got some Elixir PB HD Lights (.013-.053), a gauge with which I string most of my six strings, from Sweetwater, so that gauge is available again. But 12 string sets are hard to find. My guess is that they might be considered a niche item among Guitars and guitar strings, so they are probably waiting at the end of the projected production line. I'm a bit fussy, but I am getting tired of waiting. I have one i(n case of breakage) backup set left, so I'll be looking too. Good luck on your search. Maybe you might be able to cobble together a set out of existing 6 string sets and adding some loose strings of the appropriate gauge? By way of experiment and ideas, Lead Belly used unison courses for the treble e, b, and g strings, and used an unwound treble 'e' string in his base 'E' course, which is 2 octaves higher instead of one, of course. Don .
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*The Heard: 85 Gibson J-200 sitka/rosewood Jumbo 99 Taylor 355 sitka/sapele 12 string Jmbo 06 Alvarez AJ60S englmn/mpl lam med Jmbo 14 Taylor 818e sitka/rosewood Grand Orchestra 05 Taylor 512ce L10 all mahogany Grand Concert 09 Taylor all walnut Jmbo 16 Taylor 412e-R sitka/rw GC 16 Taylor 458e-R s/rw 12 string GO 21 Epiphone IBG J-200 sitka/maple Jmbo 22 Guild F-1512 s/rw 12 string Jmbo Last edited by donlyn; 09-16-2021 at 03:09 PM. |
#9
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Hi I used to own a Del'Arte Leadbelly which had a recommended 1st course of .014" and a bass on the 6th course of .064" but it had a 26.5" scale and was tuned to cC-cc.
My two 12 strings (24.9 and 25 scales) and I'm happy with light gauge string sets 54/30 - 12/12, but why are there no Martin sets in PB and why no D'addario in Bronze, and why does no-one else offer standard light gauge? I am a flat picker and even tuned down one tone, .010" strings are, surely , too feeble to drive a dread or jumbo top, or even stay in tune or not break? Is it just me?? https://youtu.be/2YEM_5t45tQ https://youtu.be/RYkEwGn_xEs
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! |
#10
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Strings by Mail sell a John Pearse .013-.056 Heay PB 12-string set with .014 octave G https://www.stringsbymail.com/john-p...-56-18831.html
Everything else in a Medium 12-string set has a .010 octave G. As mentioned previously, Newtone Strings UK sell custom sets - so you can configure your own string type, end, core and gauge. https://newtonestrings.com/shop/cust...-configurator/
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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; 09-16-2021 at 06:47 PM. |
#11
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https://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/daddario-ej37-12-string-phosphor-bronze-acoustic-guitar-strings--medium-top-heavy-bottom https://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/martin-ma190-sp-12-string-80-20-bronze-light-authentic-acoustic-guitar-strings https://www.elderly.com/collections/all/products/d-addario-ej37-medium-top-heavy-bottom-12-string-acoustic-guitar-set https://www.elderly.com/collections/all/products/martin-ma190-authentic-acoustic-sp-80-20-light-12-string-acoustic-guitar-set |
#12
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> Is it just me?? Might be the guitars too. I play Taylor 12 string guitars and they are built on the light side, both with Taylor 'standard' 25.5" scales. I tune mine to D# and fingerpick with my nails. So when I use the Elixir 12 string Light gauge (.010-.047) on them, they sound really great, especially the Spruce over Rosewood 458e-R Grand Orchestra 12 string. I think of it as my personal 'wall of sound' instrument. I now keep my 355 in DADGAD, but since I started in D#, it is now in C# in DADGAD intervals. It is a total Drone Factory for ragas and reels. Don .
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*The Heard: 85 Gibson J-200 sitka/rosewood Jumbo 99 Taylor 355 sitka/sapele 12 string Jmbo 06 Alvarez AJ60S englmn/mpl lam med Jmbo 14 Taylor 818e sitka/rosewood Grand Orchestra 05 Taylor 512ce L10 all mahogany Grand Concert 09 Taylor all walnut Jmbo 16 Taylor 412e-R sitka/rw GC 16 Taylor 458e-R s/rw 12 string GO 21 Epiphone IBG J-200 sitka/maple Jmbo 22 Guild F-1512 s/rw 12 string Jmbo |
#13
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I know 12 string guitar isn't that popular at present, but I find it strange that these are the only options. BTW - as I'm in the UK - I doubt there would be much advantage in buying from the USA. Also whilst I used to have a good relationship with Malcolm at Newtone - I don't want round core low tension strings. Thanks all.
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Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom! |
#14
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I have been playing 12 string guitar for the last 20 years and never had problems buying strings until recently. Since I usually tune down two half steps and play in open tunings I use medium and sometimes heavy strings. It took quite some time of searching the internet before I found a set of La Bella mediums last week.
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https://youtube.com/user/birkenweg42 Charis SJ, Goodall RCJC, and Petros Apple Creek GC ___________________________________________ Christian |
#15
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