Electric 12-string thoughts?

grandinq

grandinq

Power User
Ever since I watched Jimmy Page in Song Remains the Same, the idea of an electric 12-string has intrigued me. What are people’s thoughts? Worth getting? I’m worried that after playing one for 15 minutes it will get old and I will have massive buyer’s remorse. Those of you who have one, do you find you play them consistently?
 
grandinq said:
Ever since I watched Jimmy Page in Song Remains the Same, the idea of an electric 12-string has intrigued me. What are people’s thoughts? Worth getting? I’m worried that after playing one for 15 minutes it will get old and I will have massive buyer’s remorse. Those of you who have one, do you find you play them consistently?
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I have a Taylor T5Z-12 Custom Koa that I play quite a bit. It stays in tune, is easy to play, and I like the variety of sounds I can get from it.

Like you, I was GAS-ing for an electric 12-string because of SRtS. It's a 2011 that I bought used for a good price.

I use it for writing and recording, but not live. S8nce I'm mostly playing original music, I'm not worried about nailing the tones of Page, Harrison, Petty. But, it is fun to play songs from them on it. At loud-ish studio volume, it doesn't feedback unless I coax it.

A tried a few of the Taylor T5-12s and the "lesser" models weren't working for me, sounded kinda bland.
 

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Years ago, I had solid then hollow Rick 12s.
They do the thing they do, and sound amazing for that sound.
But, that's really all they do, the necks are narrow, and they have some physical peculiarities I don't remember but I know exist.
I still kinda wish I still had one.
 
I have a Schecter 12 String Electric. Looks like a Rick.
Very pretty, very cool guitar. Interesting sounds/tones when playing through an amp.
My (now wife) bought it for me when we were dating.

All that said. I've played it less than 5 times in 15 years.
If I could turn back time, I would have tried to tell her not to get it for me. Just a bit of a novelty and not much practical use for me.
 
secondwindow said:
I have a Taylor T5Z-12 Custom Koa that I play quite a bit. It stays in tune, is easy to play, and I like the variety of sounds I can get from it.

Like you, I was GAS-ing for an electric 12-string because of SRtS. It's a 2011 that I bought used for a good price.

I use it for writing and recording, but not live. S8nce I'm mostly playing original music, I'm not worried about nailing the tones of Page, Harrison, Petty. But, it is fun to play songs from them on it. At loud-ish studio volume, it doesn't feedback unless I coax it.

A tried a few of the Taylor T5-12s and the "lesser" models weren't working for me, sounded kinda bland.
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Adman103 said:
I play a 12 string acoustic all the time, and I'd love to own a 360/12, but I know I wouldn't get along with the neck width.

I've had half an eye open for a 12 string Jerry Jones for a little while now.
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Other things I like about my Taylor T5-12z is that the scale and nut width aren't short or narrow, so it's easy to get used to.
 
Interesting responses! I keep thinking more that while they sound really cool, I just can’t see myself reaching for a 12-string that often compared to my other guitars.

This all stemmed from seeing one available at a good price and in a finish I have always admired. Tempting, but I am now thinking I will pass.
 
grandinq said:
Interesting responses! I keep thinking more that while they sound really cool, I just can’t see myself reaching for a 12-string that often compared to my other guitars.

This all stemmed from seeing one available at a good price and in a finish I have always admired. Tempting, but I am now thinking I will pass.
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Probably a good idea to hold off - you'll probably get that itch again. I saw a really good Zep tribute band a couple of weeks ago, so that made me try to play through SRtS the next day.

I've found it helps to make sure I play the 12-string more if I keep it some place I see it, so am more likely to pick it up. For me, that's the den where I have no other music gear other than a guitar and Fender Champ. Whatever guitar's there is the one I'll reach for most often when I have a song idea or just want to play a bit before lights out.
 
Might be just me, but an electric 12 isn't a guitar I'm going to improv a lot on (8 Miles High notwithstanding), or transmit "my" feel through.
It's more an orchestration tool, kind of.
Makes a big sound out of single notes, arpeggios, etc, always going to be a 12 string.
Yeah I know, duh, but still, that.
 
I wanted to add a 12 string electric to my stable but could not justify a double neck SG .. I'm 6' 1'' and still struggled with my friends double neck..Page makes it look easy :cool:

Got this Danelectro 12SDC a few years back.. Plays like a dream and very reasonable.. I don't believe they make it any more but worth a look..

 
Dave Merrill said:
Might be just me, but an electric 12 isn't a guitar I'm going to improv a lot on (8 Miles High notwithstanding), or transmit "my" feel through.
It's more an orchestration tool, kind of.
Makes a big sound out of single notes, arpeggios, etc, always going to be a 12 string.
Yeah I know, duh, but still, that.
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That is my thinking as well. If i just want to pick up a guitar and play I am not reaching for a 12 string.
 
I have thought about buying one a bunch of times. I went through a phase of looking at them again earlier this year. In the end, for me, I would never use it enough to make it worth buying. It would be cool to play with once in a while but just wouldn't get used. I thought about buying a cheap one but I know it probably won't play well and that would be another reason it wouldn't get played. I think it would be very cool to have the double neck SG but I am not paying what they want for them to mostly have it hanging on my wall to look at.
 
Dave Merrill said:
Might be just me, but an electric 12 isn't a guitar I'm going to improv a lot on (8 Miles High notwithstanding), or transmit "my" feel through.
It's more an orchestration tool, kind of.
Makes a big sound out of single notes, arpeggios, etc, always going to be a 12 string.
Yeah I know, duh, but still, that.
Click to expand...
Absolutely, same for me! I like the 12-string for layering on recordings, never really a featured instrument for me.

I only pickup the 12-string as often as I do because it's the first guitar I see when I come home and the last before bed; placed where I have it just for that. Otherwise, it'd be in the case almost always, except when I'd want to record it.
 
I own a 12 string electric acoustic and i enjoy it from time to time. You need to ask yourself besides the few songs that drive us to want to play one would you really play it much. If you want maybe try a digitech mosaic pedal for your electric or piezo if you have one to scratch that tsrts,eagles,rush itch
 
Justmc said:
I wanted to add a 12 string electric to my stable but could not justify a double neck SG .. I'm 6' 1'' and still struggled with my friends double neck..Page makes it look easy :cool:

Got this Danelectro 12SDC a few years back.. Plays like a dream and very reasonable.. I don't believe they make it any more but worth a look..

Click to expand...

I shouldn't be surprised, but boy does that not sound like that iconic Ric 12 thing.
 
Dave Merrill said:
I shouldn't be surprised, but boy does that not sound like that iconic Ric 12 thing.
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Yeah , that video does not do it justice... Have lots of high end guitars and this 12 string is not that bad for like $400 , read up on it's reviews. 1/8 the price of a Rick. For the few tunes I use it for it fits the bill.. Plus it has the Jimmy Page vibe.
 
Recently recorded and did shows with a Ric 660-12. Far and away a better guitar than the Danelectros and Ric 330-12 guitars I had used previously, but if you are just doing the jangle-strum and arppegio thing those guitars are good enough. the 660 was in a different league in terms of playing solos for my money!
 
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