12 string guitars -...
 

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[Closed] 12 string guitars - worth it?

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Always fancied one, never got one, but considering as a birthday present to me later this year possibly.

So, who's got one and are they a PITA to live with or a lovely sounding tactile thing that begs to be picked up each time you pass it?


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 10:55 am
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They are great for the first couple of months. Then you get fed up with constant tuning and everything you play sounding like The Byrds!

If you've got a good 6 string acoustic, buy one anyway. If not buy a better 6 string.


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 10:59 am
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+1 What Bobby says.


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:00 am
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24 strings. FTW.


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:04 am
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Lightweights 🙂


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:14 am
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24 strings??!!!?? 😯

I'd need a mortgage to restring that and my hands would need to be mahoosive!

Bobby & Brake - that's what I suspected.

Currently got a round backed acoustic, which quite frankly is a massive PITA. Might have a look at nice electro acoustics instead


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:16 am
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PITA, go Nylon, go Flamenco!!


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:16 am
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Pah! 3 necks really isn't trying

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:19 am
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Vintage Guitars have two models which get good reviews:

Paul Brett Signature model

And the Gordon Giltrap model (tested by Paul Brett)

They're both around the £500 mark.

Both guitars are equipped with a pick up, and there's also a 6 string version of each.


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:22 am
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piedi.

I dunno what you're looking to spend but have a look at Yamaha APX and CPX electro-acoustics. They are great guitars all through the ranges.

Ive got an Epiphone PR5-E that you can be bought for much cheapness and it is also a cracking guitar! It plays/sounds well above its price tag.


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:23 am
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PITA, go Nylon, go Flamenco!!

THIS
Ok to play tbh and a bit of fun but you would not want to play it all the time or very often tbh ...worth having if you must have one of everything.
I dont have one a mate does


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:34 am
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currently browsing the Ibanez range (I do like Ibanez guitars)


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:41 am
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If you want to try the 12 string thing (they do sound lovely, but get very samey very quickly) have a look on ebay for a 1970's Eko Ranger. Cheap as chips and if set up properly sound darn fine.

If you have a bit more money then Guild have and probably always will make the best 12 string acoustics. Even their GAD (Chinese) range are seriously good instruments.

If it's the electric 'Jim McGuinn' sound you're after Danelectro do a lovely electric 12 string. I had one for a while but had to let it go due to having too many guitars at he time.

My brother is a big Rickenbacker fan and has a Ricky 12 string, it's a lovely thing but very £££££££!


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:42 am
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Watch this from 2.18 in:

Your 12 string pales in comparison.


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 12:02 pm
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Do you want one? If so get one! I have 2, My main player is an ibanez ew2012. Cracking guitar with a great sound plugged or unplugged. It's probably my favourite guitar and looks fantastic too. My only gripe with it is I wanted the matching 6 string but it just didn't play as well for me to complete the set 🙁


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 10:35 pm
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If you want a change or something unusual, get a banjo. Playing it is about as different from the usual pop/rock 6 string as classical guitar is, but it's more awesome.


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 10:55 pm
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I have one. They are a lot of fun to play, and you can get some great sounds out of them. I've had mine for about 10 years. Not fed up with it yet.


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:01 pm
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Not worth it imo. It'll almost certainly end up being strung as a 6 string after a year or so....re-stringing and even tuning are a complete PITA and they really aren't that different to a 6 string! I've got a yamaha cpx 12 string that is very nice-think it last got played in about 2005 though-probably last had 12 strings on in 2003!


 
Posted : 11/01/2012 11:01 pm
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Posted : 11/01/2012 11:30 pm
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Get a classical guitar. Far better sound and much more range of sounds can be achieved. Nylon is the way forward! 🙂


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:14 am
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Far better sound and much more range of sounds can be achieved

How do you work that one out?


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:26 am
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skywalker - Member
Far better sound and much more range of sounds can be achieved
How do you work that one out?
Quite easily tbh.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:30 am
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Please share, how can you achieve a wider range of sounds?


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:33 am
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Play one note on a steel string acoustic and listen to the kind of tonal range you can get, do the same with a nylon string note. Nylon has the wider tonal range by some distance. Hence a wider range of sounds, I thought this was a fairly well known fact? There's a reason Classical Guitarists don't play on steel strings.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:34 am
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If its a well known fact, show me the evidence.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:42 am
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I just told you how to prove it, now go get yourself 2 guitars. Here endith thy lesson! 😀


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:43 am
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Rubbish.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:47 am
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Ok. Enjoy your ignorance. I did try.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:52 am
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A good advert for classical guitars! You cant say classical is better though. It really depends on what you want to play. If the OP just wants to play rhythm then I wouldnt get a classical.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 9:23 am
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that little gilmour clip is lovely, shame he doesn't sing as well.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 9:36 am
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Get a classical guitar

That only works if you like classical guitar music though, doesn't it?


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 10:48 am
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molgrips - Member
Get a classical guitar
That only works if you like classical guitar music though, doesn't it?
Not really, nopthing to stop you playing whatever music you like on a classical.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 10:50 am
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bobbyg81 - Member
You cant say classical is better though.
Clearly, i can! 😀


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 10:53 am
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Clearly, i can!

You're a bam! 🙂

Anyway everyone know the ukelele is king!


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 11:05 am
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If you bought a 6 string in 2006, buy a 12 string in 2012.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 11:10 am
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Not really, nopthing to stop you playing whatever music you like on a classical.

Yeah but it won't necessarily sound 'right'.. tools for jobs, in a manner of speaking.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 11:53 am
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bobbyg81 - Member
Clearly, i can!
You're a bam!
Anyway everyone know the ukelele is king!
😀 I agree ukeleles are cool, mandolins are better mind!


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:00 pm
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+1 for Ukuleles
Get a good soprano for under £100 they're ace 😀


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 12:07 pm
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that little gilmour clip is lovely, shame he doesn't sing as well.

He singing isn't to bad, especially at his age.

And the solo at 4:30 is awesome.


 
Posted : 12/01/2012 4:42 pm
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They are great for the first couple of months. Then you get fed up with constant tuning and everything you play sounding like The Byrds!

I have to agree with that. 'Stairway' does sound great though 🙂
I have a Danelectro electric which wasn't expensive and is great to pick up now and again.

Now for some 12 string!

and for some rad nylon from Steve Stevens (of Billy Idol's band)


 
Posted : 13/01/2012 5:22 pm

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