12 string guitars

[seangil]

Thinking about 12-string guitars and completely undecided as to budget. I know that 12-strings are a different animal from regular acoustics because of the added tension on the neck and greater precision needed on intonation.

My question - particularly for people who build or repair instruments - which makers have the best craftsmanship when it comes to 12 string guitars? I would ask in terms of both the quality of the sound and durability / reliability of the instrument since the two are not always linked. I've tried doing web searches, but most of the sites offer reviews that are like reading reviews of electronics equipment and don't offer any comment as to the actual quality of the build/design.

Seangil

[rstaight]

Not a builder or repair tech but, I own a Takamine GJ72CE 12 string. I have had it for a few years. The setup is still as it came from the factory.

This thing is built like a tank. When you pick it up you know you have something. But the sound out of it is amazing. When I do take it to a jam I usually get favorable comments.

As I said earlier it still as the factory setup. I have always tuned it standard with no issues. It is arguably the easiest playing guitar I own. Matter of fact, I am so happy with it I am considering the matching 6 string.

They are listed on Sweetwater for $699. A Gator case would be another $109.

[Benjo]

Furch, Taylor, and Breed love are good brands to check out. The Furch 12-string is very solid and the easiest12-string I've ever played.

[DBW]

I've been reading and hearing good things about the Yamaha LL-16 12 string. That's the one I will eventually get.

[merlin666]

I play mainly 12 string and my brands of choice are Ovation and Guild. A friend has a Larrivee 12 string that is also fantastic. Otherwise I think that body shape is important and dreadnaught just does not seem to go well for 12 strings. Prefer jumbo for the really big sound, or something smaller like 000 or Ovation size for more refined playing.

[M19]

I've had two great Taylors. Current one is an all mahogany 12-fret GC (562ce). Very easy playing.

[frankmcr]

Yamaha and Taylor both make fine 12-string guitars.

New Yamahas start at $359.99, Taylors at $899.00.

Up to you.


(Prices from Guitar Center today)

[lowrider]

When I think of 12 strings, I think of two words;

GUILD JUMBO

Everything else just seems like a wanna-be!

[Oldguy64]

Originally Posted by rstaight

Not a builder or repair tech but, I own a Takamine GJ72CE 12 string. I have had it for a few years. The setup is still as it came from the factory.

This thing is built like a tank. When you pick it up you know you have something. But the sound out of it is amazing. When I do take it to a jam I usually get favorable comments.

As I said earlier it still as the factory setup. I have always tuned it standard with no issues. It is arguably the easiest playing guitar I own. Matter of fact, I am so happy with it I am considering the matching 6 string.

They are listed on Sweetwater for $699. A Gator case would be another $109.

I’ve also had a GJ72CE-12 for a number of years.
I’ve also had a Taylor 150e and a Guild F2512e.
The Tak is still here.
It is indeed the guitar equivalent of a Nokia phone.
I have backed down to 9-45 gauge strings. Not because the guitar requires it.
I did it for my hands.
It sings like an Angel. A heavy one.
It’s a true Jumbo. So, you will need a full size jumbo case.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by rstaight

Not a builder or repair tech but, I own a Takamine GJ72CE 12 string.

That was my first 12-string. A jumbo. Yes, I enjoyed it. It quickly motivated me to hunt for a USA-made jumbo Guild 12-string, which I consider at the top of the 12-string world.

[zombywoof]

I play a 1961 Gibson B45-12 which was the first year a Gibson 12 string was available. As Gibson apparently did not have a clue how to build a 12 string guitar (the only American company offering stock 12 string guitars at the time was Harmony) it is structurally no different than a six string J45. Considering how many of these ended up with deformed tops or twisted themselves apart the design was great for sound but not so great for survival. But would I trade it for the offering of another builder so that tuning down 1 to 1 1/2 steps is not a way of life. Not a prayer.

[Dru Edwards]

Seagull and Simon & Patrick make nice 12 strings, in Canada, in the sub $500 range. Above that I'd probably look at a Larrivee.

[pf400]

The Seagull Coastline struck me as a perfect 12'er in a shop a few years back.


https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...6FORM%3DRESTAB

[Wade Hampton]

Seagull for an inexpensive 12 string, Guild for a fully professional level instrument.


whm

[Tannin]

Guild make the best 12 strings money can buy. But an F-512 Maple is around $5000 USD.

When I was buying mine, I played an F-512 and absolutely loved it but decided that $7500 AUD was more than I was prepared to spend on a second-line instrument that wouldn't get played as much as the six strings or the baritone.

I bought the Cole Clark on the basis that Cole Clark are very good at turning out guitars exactly to spec every time, with setups that sound and feel right straight out of the factory (in the US, I'd say the same about Taylor, who are famous for it), and they use a construction technique better able to stand up to the high strain a 12-string puts on the body. People often talk about "the extra stress a 12 puts on the neck", but if you look at old 12-strings past their best, the neck isn't the problem: the point of failure is either the neck joint, or (more often) the body. The neck shifts up or the top bows inward. Cole Clark guitars have a neck which extends inside the body in a single piece of wood, and an internally carved top. Both provide better longevity.

I would have liked to play a Maton 12 before I made my final choice - I like Maton guitars better than any other brand - but at the time both companies had recently endured 8-week pandemic shutdowns and were struggling to catch up on a huge pile of backorders; there was no guarantee that I'd see one for many months. So I played the one that was available, liked it, bought it.

Now I have decided that I don't much like fingerstyle on 12-strings and I'm not interested in using a pick again, so we will write the Cole Clark 12-string off as a failed experiment. Nothing wrong with the guitar, it is an excellent example of the breed, but after 40 years of mostly playing 12-string, I seem to be exclusively a six-string man now. I'll sell the CC and put the money towards another six-string.

You don't say where you are based, so I'm going to guess the US. If you want to put a toe in the water without spending a lot, Taylor's 1 and 2-series 12-strings are very playable, beautifully set up, and their modern bolt-on neck is easily adjustable should that ever be required. We don't see them in this country, but Seagulls are well regarded in a similar price bracket.