12 string recommendations.

[Graham H]

Wow, that Sunburst Guild 12 is Beautiful !!! Is it solid Rosewood back and sides ??? It is very nice !!!

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Graham H

Wow, that Sunburst Guild 12 is Beautiful !!! Is it solid Rosewood back and sides ??? It is very nice !!!

Maple back and sides with an unbraced arch back and yes, I agree with you, that's a beautiful guitar.

[Elroy Bean]

Originally Posted by DissonantTimbre

Well my love for The Byrds, Gordon Lightfoot, Death in June, and Tom Petty has finally gotten the best of me and I need a 12 string.

I've only been able to try the Taylor 150e and while it sounded ok I wasn't thrilled about the three pots on the side of the guitar and the sides and back looked like fake veneer and not real wood. The face also had some vicious tool marks under the finish.
I guess the Martin equivalent is the Martin D12X1AE. Does anyone have any experience with this?
I've heard good things about the Guild F-2512E. But since guitar center does not stock Guild I have no way of trying one out.
Any other recommendations. I'd like to spend less than $1000.

I've played three D12X1AE's. All very playable, attractive and well built. One of the three was pretty decent but didn't necessarily wow, soundwise, however the other two were very dynamic and resonant. Really, excellent sounding guitars. I alerted my friend who was in the market and he took one home after playing it in the shop.

I used to own a Guild F-2512e and since have sold it. However, that had nothing to do with the guitar, but rather money. It was a very good maple and sitka jumbo 12 with a lot of chime and depth. Played smooth and looked handsome. Very good new for $500, and the electronics, although not great, are good.

Considering specs, appearance, and price ($900) the Yamaha LL16-12 seems like an attractive option. I've never played the 16-12 but have played the LL-16 six and can attest to its great tonality and playability.

[Billkwando]

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

Actually it's thin walnut veneer (new ones) or thin sapele veneer (older) over solid poplar.

This.

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

Hmmm. Never heard of this as a cedar top issue. Mine is nearing 20 years old now.

Maybe it's not any more common than any other manufacturer, but when I was looking into Art & Lutherie guitars, I kept seeing stories about Godin/Seagull/A&L bridge lift and how you can't pay the cedar/wild cherry models to keep their paint/finish on.

Originally Posted by Jim

Taylor's laminate is three layers of very thin woods slathered with glue and pressed together. The core is a very thin sheet of poplar, not much different than the top and bottom layers. Calling it solid poplar is a very generous way to put it, though since it is not sawdust and binder then one could say it is "solid" wood but it is so thin that you do not get the kind of tone from it that you get from a real solid wood back and sides like you see on the 300s and above (and the old 200s before they switched those several years ago to laminate/plywood). The 200s and below get their tone from their solid wood tops plus the overall shape and construction of the back and sides.

The poplar is thicker than the other 2 veneers.

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

I am almost 100% certain that the outer layers are about .015-.020 thick, and the poplar layer about .080-.090". Even Bob Taylor says the outer veneers are thin enough that they don't make a difference to the sound.

(I'd love to see one sectioned though)

I've got you covered!



Skip to about 18:46. It's definitely 2 veneers surrounding what I assume is solid poplar. This is a Taylor Academy 10.



Edit: I still have the piece if anybody wants pics or wants me to caliper that bad boy.

[Elroy Bean]

Originally Posted by Rockysdad

Check out the Guild D1212, all solid mahogany, great sound, easy to play.
It will be worth your time to try one, and the price is right.

I really enjoy my D1212. Easy to play, rich toned, striking looks.