12-string guitars not as popular as they used to be?

[GretschWretch]

They're real good for hippie dippie strummy-strum stuff

Examples? The mind boggles.

 

[walking Bass]

A good friend played a Martin 12 brilliantly, but after an evening his hands would bleed. He's now playing a Gibson L-7.

Richie Havens played 12 - and was among my favorite performers. He must have been a masochist.

 

[ajkula66]

I bought a mid-grade '80s Ibanez (MIJ) 12-string last year. I have it strung with a crazy GHS set 009-042, but the G octave string is wound nevertheless. Playing it for an extended period of time turns into a painful chore, though.

It was used quite extensively on the album found in my signature since it records surprisingly well.

I also own another inexpensive Ibanez acoustic that is set up in Nashville tuning. Pretty amazing what these two can do combined.

Yes, I'm a fan...

 

[J Gold]

Technology has replaced the need for having 12 strings . A pedal can do the same or better.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I have been playing 12-string guitars on and off since the mid '70s. Most of them were borrowed from friends over the years, mostly some sort of Yamaha.

The first one I bought was in '03.

Then I had this one for a while that I bought used in '07.

Now I have this 12-string guitar since '15.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Here is a recording of mine with a friend's Yamaha that I ran through a MXR Phase 90.

"Walking Towards Infinity" Copyright © Jeffrey P. Scott 1982. All rights reserved.

 

[Ron Spencer]

I have bought 2 in the last couple of years. My wife and I play in an acoustic duet. These are the thinline Takamine and sound amazing

 

[jmlee]

I've long been a fan of Michael Nesmith's work, especially with his First National Band, and that's partly what inspired me to buy an Eastwood Classic 12 guitar: remarkably good value for those of us not up to buying a custom Gretsch.

 

[jmlee]

And let's not forget this very long-time 12-string afficianado…

 

[iiipopes]

My Rickenbacker 360-12OS FG Ckbd will be with me until the day I die. Concerning tuning, I purchased from RIC blank saddles and filed offsets so the stock 6-saddle bridge actually intonates properly, especially on the low E string. I also installed trimmed stamped nickel mandolin bushings on the Kluson slot tuner posts so they are smooth, eliminate even more backlash, and stay stable. Always tune from below pitch up to pitch so there is no or minimal backlash and the guitar will stay in tune. 12-string guitars work best with a set of strings that has a wound 3rd unison G string so the octave G string intonates with it. If you choose your strings carefully, the core stretch will be the same on the pair and will intonate off a standard saddle.

Edit: here are the pix of my bridge and headstock.

 

[Michedelic]

Technology has replaced the need for having 12 strings . A pedal can do the same or better.

Sure, pedals can do all sorts of things…

But same? Better?

 

[Michedelic]

Also interesting how the talk in this thread is about half electric, half acoustic. I remember first finding out about electric 12s because Miki Berenyi played them and they looked cool. Kinda surprised more of today's shoegaze revival bands don't use those, but there's a lot about that revival I don't get, haha.

Also never seen these guys use a 6-string... rather obscure but very ridiculous.

I forgot about her, and I saw Lush back in the day with Ride on a co-tour.

That duo was hilarious; totally unrelated, but that song reminded me of this, some similar chord movements…

Now, there's a band you'd think would have used 12-string but apparently not.

 

[Jeff Scott]

View attachment 7050294

Wow, you looks just like...

 

[Jeff Scott]

Technology has replaced the need for having 12 strings . A pedal can do the same or better.

Really?

 

[jmlee]

Technology has replaced the need for having 12 strings . A pedal can do the same or better.

Wow, you looks just like...

Well, we have the same guitar but I'm **way** cooler…

 

[SoonerBill]

I own a 12 string. It's a Jay Turser Hawk, but the early model that has the toaster pickups and is, while not a direct copy of anything, clearly highly influenced by the small body Rickenbacker electric guitars. It looks great… and it sounds very much like a Rick:

View attachment 7049732

Ooh, ooh! Thanks. I've been watching a lot of old Spanky and Our Gang videos lately. One of the guitar players is always playing one of those but I couldn't make out markings. But the pick guard and headstock are right.

 

[pcake]

i don't think they were ever that popular. in the 1970s and 80s i knew lots of acoustic guitar players, and i was one, as well. only a couple of those people owned 12 strings. for that matter, my husband owned a 12 string gibson, but got so tired of dealing with tuning and stringing it that he sold it with some relief.

 

[Michedelic]

I mentioned him earlier, but this is such a tour de force…

 

[Michedelic]

 

[Michedelic]