Need advice for a 12'er (gui**** content)

A few years back there were Mosrite 12-string re-issues that looked well made,looked attractive and seemed sturdy. Ric's can be expensive, and a classic Ric might not be in the most playable condition.

I would look for something new, or newer. With the variety of guitar-bass gear these days, there is so much good, even great stuff to choose from for a reasonable price. Shop your need around, there's enough inventory to sift through before you decide.

With a 12 string though...heck, with any instrument, you have to hold it in your hands to know for sure.

 

I recently bought a Burns Double Six & can highly recommend.









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I always loved McGuinn's sound, too, and tried to emulate it. The Rick has the courses the other way around from other 12-strings, meaning the low octave is on the bass side. But I found the neck too cramped and string changing too fiddly due to the headstock design, so my preference was a Fender Electric XII. I left off the high octave strings on the low E and A to get a less squashed register, which made it a 10-string.

Nowadays you have the Stratocaster XII (MIJ), and this is the one I'd get today.

http://www.sweetwater.com/guitargallery/electric/all/sS063235/

 

Another possibility, although hard to find and rather pricey as a result, would be a Gibson ES-335 12-string

Probably the simplest solution, and less $ than any of the other alternatives. Single-coil pups would make it easier to simulate the Ric 'jangle' too

 

I'd be tempted to get the Italia, just to have one nobodly around you has. But the smart money says that you Strat XII would give you more predictable tones. Either looks like a winner, in their own ways.

The sound you want is best had by getting the Ric. But the best cure for 360/12 GAS is to actually PLAY a 360/12. I love the sound. And they are definitely beautiful. But they are awful to get around on.

 

Keep as many of the secondary strings as you can. That 12-string sound comes from ALL the pairs, really. If you have to remove extras to get around on it, start small. Maybe just take the E octave and try it for a week. If that's not enough, then take the A octave as well.

Alvarez made a surprisingly cool sounding, though really ugly NINE-string acoustic back in the '80's. I got to play one of the production models back then, and the prototype around '99 or 2000. It was cool because it was so different. And it was a nice bridge between six-string technique and 12-string sound. But if you want a real 12-string sound, you're going to need a real 12-string guitar.

And in stead of going to Ric p'ups. Consider just getting P-90's if you change out the Italia p'ups. There is a lot more versatility to be had. I think the best P90's out there are by Jason Lollar.

 

Actually I'd heard mixed stuff, too. The only guy I know who bought vintage Ric p'ups to put in a project guitar ended up with bad p'ups. They were horrible. Just really microphonic.

I know they weren't representative of all Ric p'ups. They couldn''t be. But it's hard to get past that first impression. I'd look around for someone who got some good examplaes to learn from.