wherebutterfliesfly
New member
I've had a 12-string acoustic for years, and my husband thinks it's getting kind of beat-up. What are the best 12-string guitars out there? Also, what's a good electronics package to put in it?
what 12-string acoustic to get?
- Thread starter wherebutterfliesfly
- Start date
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
Welcome to forum! And I have to say...you are an AMAZING wife. We'd be able to help a little more if you give us some info...
#1 How much do you want to spend - $400 or $4000 - you said "best"...someone will recommend an awesome Taylor or Martin I'm sure. I think you probably want best for $???
#2 What type of music? Sing & strum, fingerstyle, country, bluegrass, blues?
#3 Would you like a cutaway to get to the high strings?
#4 Electronics? What do you want them to do? Just volume, Volume plus eq, effects also?
#5 If there is a tone you like..."bassy" lots of mids, or balanced/scooped etc. That would help.
That will get someone here to give you a great recommendation. That said - I think everyone should own a 12 string! Nothing like them. I have the cheapest one Yamaha makes and I love it. I'll recommend the cheapest yamaha with electronics (whatever they are)!
Welcome to forum! And I have to say...you are an AMAZING wife. We'd be able to help a little more if you give us some info...
#1 How much do you want to spend - $400 or $4000 - you said "best"...someone will recommend an awesome Taylor or Martin I'm sure. I think you probably want best for $???
#2 What type of music? Sing & strum, fingerstyle, country, bluegrass, blues?
#3 Would you like a cutaway to get to the high strings?
#4 Electronics? What do you want them to do? Just volume, Volume plus eq, effects also?
#5 If there is a tone you like..."bassy" lots of mids, or balanced/scooped etc. That would help.
That will get someone here to give you a great recommendation. That said - I think everyone should own a 12 string! Nothing like them. I have the cheapest one Yamaha makes and I love it. I'll recommend the cheapest yamaha with electronics (whatever they are)!
Bludave
New member
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
http://www.guildguitars.com/gear/gear.php?partno=3802900
I have played a lot of 12 string acoustics over the years and IMO Guilds offer the best guitars. There are other people that will disagree, but for great sound, playability, and soild construction Guilds are hard to beat. Currently in there line I believe they offer a 412 which is maple back and sides and a 512 which is rosewood. RW will definatley have more bottom but as Aceman pointed out we are unclear as to what it is you are looking for from this guitar. Guild does offer electronics on all there acoustic guitars nawadays, but I would look at the Fishman Matrix sysytem to amplify this fine guitar. Go play a few and see what you like.
Oh and Welocome to our Forum..................... you realize you can check out any time you like.............but you can never leave
http://www.guildguitars.com/gear/gear.php?partno=3802900
I have played a lot of 12 string acoustics over the years and IMO Guilds offer the best guitars. There are other people that will disagree, but for great sound, playability, and soild construction Guilds are hard to beat. Currently in there line I believe they offer a 412 which is maple back and sides and a 512 which is rosewood. RW will definatley have more bottom but as Aceman pointed out we are unclear as to what it is you are looking for from this guitar. Guild does offer electronics on all there acoustic guitars nawadays, but I would look at the Fishman Matrix sysytem to amplify this fine guitar. Go play a few and see what you like.
Oh and Welocome to our Forum..................... you realize you can check out any time you like.............but you can never leave
S
stonabus
Guest
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
crazy, a few hours ago, i just sold my taylor 12er on ebay. i recommend taylor, but dont get the newer ones with the expression system. the expression system doesnt get along with pa's, or lights. fishman pickups are just fine. breedlove is great too.
crazy, a few hours ago, i just sold my taylor 12er on ebay. i recommend taylor, but dont get the newer ones with the expression system. the expression system doesnt get along with pa's, or lights. fishman pickups are just fine. breedlove is great too.
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
my friend the Martin freak (D-45 and Johnny Cash special owner)says not to bother with Martin 12's unless you are able to shell out the bucks for a really nice one like the Roger McGuinn model. 12 strings are kinda like the red headed stepchild of the Martin line. I asked him what kind of 12 he would be that was a little more resonably priced and he said the mid-range Taylors were the best that he had come across. The Guild would be nice too. I haven't tried the 12 string Gibson Songwriter, but the 6 string is one nice little guitar, but at $1800 discounted, it migt be a bit pricey for your purposes.
my friend the Martin freak (D-45 and Johnny Cash special owner)says not to bother with Martin 12's unless you are able to shell out the bucks for a really nice one like the Roger McGuinn model. 12 strings are kinda like the red headed stepchild of the Martin line. I asked him what kind of 12 he would be that was a little more resonably priced and he said the mid-range Taylors were the best that he had come across. The Guild would be nice too. I haven't tried the 12 string Gibson Songwriter, but the 6 string is one nice little guitar, but at $1800 discounted, it migt be a bit pricey for your purposes.
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Boogie Bill
New member
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
Taylor. Hands down, the best 12-strings on the market. Twenty years ago, it was Guild, maybe--but today, it's Taylor.
Bill
Taylor. Hands down, the best 12-strings on the market. Twenty years ago, it was Guild, maybe--but today, it's Taylor.
Bill
blindedbysilence
New member
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
I vote Guild. I just bought one myself, amazing guitar.
I vote Guild. I just bought one myself, amazing guitar.
Bludave
New member
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
Taylors have bolt on necks and over time the necks start to pull due to the added tension of the 12 strings. They are well made and sound good, but we have seen more Taylors come in for repairs than any other brands. Guilds on the other hand are a fairly heavy constructed guitar. This to a degree will mean they may not sound as good, but 15 years down the road it will still play great. They have double truss rods to counteract the added string tension, the tops are heavier so they are less likely to warp, and if you keep the guitar properly stored and humidified it will probably never have any bridge problems. A real work horse of a guitar. But as Boggie Bill had pointed out the older ones are better than the new ones. SHop around and see if you can find a used one. The other advantage to a Guild is they don't hold resale valus as well as a Martin so the used models can be had at a very reasonable price.
I have a Guild D55 (not a 12 but a 6 string). I bought it new in 1978, it is being refretted now, but other than basic maintenance and setups this is the only repair thats been done on it.......... Great guitar.
Taylors have bolt on necks and over time the necks start to pull due to the added tension of the 12 strings. They are well made and sound good, but we have seen more Taylors come in for repairs than any other brands. Guilds on the other hand are a fairly heavy constructed guitar. This to a degree will mean they may not sound as good, but 15 years down the road it will still play great. They have double truss rods to counteract the added string tension, the tops are heavier so they are less likely to warp, and if you keep the guitar properly stored and humidified it will probably never have any bridge problems. A real work horse of a guitar. But as Boggie Bill had pointed out the older ones are better than the new ones. SHop around and see if you can find a used one. The other advantage to a Guild is they don't hold resale valus as well as a Martin so the used models can be had at a very reasonable price.
I have a Guild D55 (not a 12 but a 6 string). I bought it new in 1978, it is being refretted now, but other than basic maintenance and setups this is the only repair thats been done on it.......... Great guitar.
rainsong86
Member
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
best 12-string I've played was this.. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Acoustic?sku=516328
best 12-string I've played was this.. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Acoustic?sku=516328
Gary Ladd
New member
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
I did a shoot-out with every >$1000 12-string I could get my hands on last year (10 music stores in NY & NJ)
Taylor = thin tone, felt cheap, lots of buzz
Guild = good feel but slightly muddy, boomy tone
Takemine = crapola all the way around
Martin DM12 = solid construction, nice feel and KILLER tone - After putting a bridge doctor in it even got better!
Of course, I cherry-picked one certain DM12, quite a few in the line-up were dogs, but the majority were consistantly head & shoulders above the rest...
I even compared it to higher $$$ instruments & for me it was simply the best - I got it for $800 with trade-in @ the Paramus, NJ for a crappy Fender 12 string I bought for $50 at a garage sale!
I did a shoot-out with every >$1000 12-string I could get my hands on last year (10 music stores in NY & NJ)
Taylor = thin tone, felt cheap, lots of buzz
Guild = good feel but slightly muddy, boomy tone
Takemine = crapola all the way around
Martin DM12 = solid construction, nice feel and KILLER tone - After putting a bridge doctor in it even got better!
Of course, I cherry-picked one certain DM12, quite a few in the line-up were dogs, but the majority were consistantly head & shoulders above the rest...
I even compared it to higher $$$ instruments & for me it was simply the best - I got it for $800 with trade-in @ the Paramus, NJ for a crappy Fender 12 string I bought for $50 at a garage sale!
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ModestCargo
New member
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
But then, I played lots of cheaper Taylors and while they were okay guitars they sounded nothing like the "real" Taylor guitars.
Everything there went exaclty as I would have thought except the Taylor - they are usually pretty good.Gary Ladd said:
But then, I played lots of cheaper Taylors and while they were okay guitars they sounded nothing like the "real" Taylor guitars.
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
LMAO....Aceman, you are a typical Seminole......what we have here is a MARRIED woman, so we need to be nice andhelpful, not horndogs.......unless she has a hot younger sister As for brands, I guess I stand corrected on the Martin DM12. I don't like the sub-Type 18 Martins purely because of the matte finish, but the 16's I have messed with sound pretty good. Give it a try if that is your price range.
LMAO....Aceman, you are a typical Seminole......what we have here is a MARRIED woman, so we need to be nice andhelpful, not horndogs.......unless she has a hot younger sister
As for brands, I guess I stand corrected on the Martin DM12. I don't like the sub-Type 18 Martins purely because of the matte finish, but the 16's I have messed with sound pretty good. Give it a try if that is your price range.wherebutterfliesfly
New member
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
First of all, I read everyone's remarks, and it was very nice of you to take your time to offer so many nice suggestions. I think the price range could be between 800 to 2000. I mostly like to sing and strum, with some fingerstyle mixed in. It's okay with or without a cutaway. I want top electronics I can get, eq. and all that. Tone. Hmm. Clear, a nice balance of clear and warm, if that's possible. Never heard of 'scooped'. One shop they told me get a Taylor with Fishman pickups. I see there is a lot of mixed opinion on Taylors, so you have to know how to pick the right one and wouldn't know a 'real' Taylor from a 'dog'. I saw what a Martin DM12 looks like, and it seems very similar to the one I have now. What's a bridge doctor?
First of all, I read everyone's remarks, and it was very nice of you to take your time to offer so many nice suggestions. I think the price range could be between 800 to 2000. I mostly like to sing and strum, with some fingerstyle mixed in. It's okay with or without a cutaway. I want top electronics I can get, eq. and all that. Tone. Hmm. Clear, a nice balance of clear and warm, if that's possible. Never heard of 'scooped'. One shop they told me get a Taylor with Fishman pickups. I see there is a lot of mixed opinion on Taylors, so you have to know how to pick the right one and wouldn't know a 'real' Taylor from a 'dog'. I saw what a Martin DM12 looks like, and it seems very similar to the one I have now. What's a bridge doctor?
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wherebutterfliesfly
New member
Re: what 12-string acoustic to get?
What does anyone think of an Alvarez PJ85SC-12DVS. It's a jumbo body 12-string with Alvarez System 600T MKII electronics. It has a rosewood back and spruce top.
What does anyone think of an Alvarez PJ85SC-12DVS. It's a jumbo body 12-string with Alvarez System 600T MKII electronics. It has a rosewood back and spruce top.
