NGD: Taylor LKSM-12

sedandelivery · #1 04-12-2021, 09:55 PM

I have admired these for years and now I'm lucky enough to finally own one, thanks to Reverb. Man, these guitars are sweet. Somehow my 12 string is now the easiest playing guitar I own. The action is shockingly low. Too low probably, as I intend to play it with medium strings and tuned down.

12 string sets heavier than .10 are surprisingly hard to find. I also need to find a tech in the Boston area to raise the action and handle the set up for me. Maybe a bone saddle too? I'd welcome recommendations for both strings and luthiers. Thanks!

Brucebubs · #2 04-12-2021, 09:59 PM

Looks great, nice find.
They made a 6-string version too I believe.

donlyn · #3 04-12-2021, 10:55 PM

NGD: Taylor LKSM-12

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedandelivery

12 string sets heavier than .10 are surprisingly hard to find. I also need to find a tech in the Boston area to raise the action and handle the set up for me. Maybe a bone saddle too? I'd welcome recommendations for both strings and luthiers. Thanks!

sedandelivery,

Great looking instrument. Since you want heavier strings, you probably know this, but it is made for heavier strings tuned down a few semitones. Somehow C or C# sticking in my mind. Call Taylor for correct info.

Boston used to be a Mecca for guitar and musical shops. Right now, it's very poor, especially inside the city limits. Two Guitar Centers and some smaller operations.

You might want to try Mr. Music on Harvard St in Allston, right near Blanchard's and the South-East corner of Brighton Ave and Harvard St., Bus route #57 or 66. User friendly outfit who mostly deal in quality used instruments. No real #2 recommendations at the moment. Don't know who does their luthier work at the moment either.

Btw, strings can be very hard to find these days. Good Luck and Good Hunting.

Edit> There's a place in Lexington called Music Emporium that mostly deals in high end instruments. It's on Massachusetts Avenue right side in a strip mall about a mile north of the end of the #77 bus line. Don't know if they do any luthier work not associated with sales, or how good it may be.

Don
.

Glennwillow · #4 04-12-2021, 11:15 PM

Congratulations on a great 12-string!

- Glenn

niko · #5 04-13-2021, 05:13 AM

Congratulation for your new guitar !
For your strings, GHS has a "Leo Kottke" set : 13-56
https://www.elderly.com/products/ghs...-12-string-set

RP · #6 04-13-2021, 05:56 AM

Congrats on the new guitar. Taylor 12-string guitars are second to none....

sedandelivery · #7 04-13-2021, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Edit> There's a place in Lexington called Music Emporium that mostly deals in high end instruments. It's on Massachusetts Avenue right side in a strip mall about a mile north of the end of the #77 bus line. Don't know if they do any luthier work not associated with sales, or how good it may be.

Thanks, very familiar with TME, bought two guitars there. They don't do any work unfortunately but they do have a couple recommended shops that are currently backed up for months. I've been to Steve Morrill before. Overall good experience but never had him work on an acoustic.

Quote:

Congratulation for your new guitar !
For your strings, GHS has a "Leo Kottke" set : 13-56
https://www.elderly.com/products/ghs...-12-string-set

Perfect! Thank you. I don't know how I missed these. Whoo, 13-56. Not for the faint of hand. Let's see if I can handle it.

generalliamsayn · #8 04-13-2021, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedandelivery

12 string sets heavier than .10 are surprisingly hard to find.

Curt Mangan strings will custom pack sets you like in any gauges (or alloys) you like. They took care of me when I wanted a monel 12-string set.

hess · #9 04-13-2021, 12:40 PM

Congrats on your new guitar! My lksm12 is still one of my favorites ... and is tuned down to C with heavy 12 strings. Elixir use to make them, now you can get them from elderly by John Pearse or GHS (see links below). Enjoy!

https://www.elderly.com/collections/...tic-guitar-set

https://www.elderly.com/collections/...-12-string-set

sevenpalms · #10 04-13-2021, 01:29 PM

Congrats on the new LKSM!!! I used to use 13-56 mediums and order single strings for the octaves. But, Richard Gilewitz collaborated with D'Addario and came up with the EJ37 set 12-54. I keep these on mine tuned to open G dropped 1-1/2 steps (B to B)...nice strings... Sound great!

sedandelivery · #11 04-13-2021, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Congrats on the new LKSM!!! I used to use 13-56 mediums and order single strings for the octaves. But, Richard Gilewitz collaborated with D'Addario and came up with the EJ37 set 12-54. I keep these on mine tuned to open G dropped 1-1/2 steps (B to B)...nice strings... Sound great!

All great suggestions but I’m especially intrigued by this EJ37 set. Thanks!

sevenpalms · #12 04-13-2021, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedandelivery

All great suggestions but I’m especially intrigued by this EJ37 set. Thanks!

Great! They’re very inexpensive so you got nothing to lose....love to hear your feedback.

hess · #13 04-13-2021, 02:29 PM

Also for what it’s worth, the only issue I ever had with mine was the finish bubbled up on the headstock. Taylor said to send it in for repair. When they got it, Tim Luranc called me to discuss the repair, the guitar and my preferences so he could do a setup while it was there. I thought it was setup well before, but he made it even better. So no matter what strings etc you decide to go with, get a pro to set up for you.

sedandelivery · #14 04-13-2021, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Great! They’re very inexpensive so you got nothing to lose....love to hear your feedback.

Will do!

Quote:

Also for what it’s worth, the only issue I ever had with mine was the finish bubbled up on the headstock. Taylor said to send it in for repair. When they got it, Tim Luranc called me to discuss the repair, the guitar and my preferences so he could do a setup while it was there. I thought it was setup well before, but he made it even better. So no matter what strings etc you decide to go with, get a pro to set up for you.

Same thing on this one. It's very minor and the seller disclosed it in the sale ad. Mine is a 2007. Is yours a similar year?

hess · #15 04-13-2021, 03:28 PM

Yeah mine’s a 2006. The headstock issue is not uncommon from what I’ve heard. Call Taylor, they may still cover the repair, then you’d just be out the shipping or better yet maybe they’ll point you to a more local person for it. It’s worth it to have someone like Tim go over it imo. They’ll check the neck angle, setup etc.