Taylor Revers Stringing New 12 String Guitars

[BT55]

There must be a reason for the reverse stringing but I don’t know what it is. Can anyone chime in on Taylor’s thinking. I’m thinking that you would have to make a new nut and bridge saddle to “convert” standard stringing to this new configuration.

[Brucebubs]

What exactly is 'reverse stringing'?

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by BT55

There must be a reason for the reverse stringing but I don’t know what it is. Can anyone chime in on Taylor’s thinking. I’m thinking that you would have to make a new nut and bridge saddle to “convert” standard stringing to this new configuration.

This is an alternate approach, long used by Rickenbacher. It changes how the octave strings vs the normal strings sound relative to each other when picking down. On the more common tuning, the high strings tend to mask the lower ones, so this will de-emphasize (slightly) the octave strings on downstrokes, tho make them more prominent on upstrokes. Just a different sound. I haven't had a chance to check out the new Taylor 12's, but I think I would like this. Yes, you'd just need a new nut and saddle slotted appropriately to switch either way.

[pieterh]

I use a G7th Newport 12-string capo which works pretty well with my Furch 12-string - but because it has a stepped pad (to accommodate the different string thicknesses) it will not work on Rickenbackers or Taylor’s new arrangement.

Other 12-string capos are available...

[Frank Ford]

Originally Posted by BT55

. I’m thinking that you would have to make a new nut and bridge saddle to “convert” standard stringing to this new configuration.

That's what we've been doing occasionally on request for decades. . .

[Earl49]

Taylor is doing reverse stringing? That's news to me. They recently started putting two strings on each bridge pin, but I have not seen them in the real world yet.

I routinely change the third course (G) on my twelve strings to put the octave string closer to the floor. For strumming it makes no real difference. But for finger picking, the upstroke of my index finger on the G's will shield the octave G string. You can hear that something is missing compared to the other string pairs. Usually I don't have to cut a new nut, just swap the wound and octave strings in the existing grooves. I have considered doing all six courses, like Rickenbacker does.