12-string guitar and mandolin...

[Santiago]

Wow. I played guitar for many years before taking up the Mandolin, but I was in a music store today with my sons who are looking for an acoustic guitar upgrade (bad case of GAS) and I suddenly fell in love with a Taylor 12-string acoustic. Now I used to know the Taylor folks, so this is not an unknown make to me, but perhaps I've now trained my ear to hear in courses, because this instrument was singing to me loud and clear. It was above and beyond my normal favorites like the Gibson SJ200, which was two thousand dollars more with all the trimmings (and exquisite in its own right), but I was floored by the sound of the 12-string Taylor.

So... is that just one great sounding guitar, or has three years of mandolin playing had a big impact on my preferences? I've payed 12s before but this one jumped out at me from the pack. And, at $1,100 is wasn't expensive. It'll have to wait until after I buy my F4 type at some point, unless I find a paying gig. I'm glad I discovered it after I started playing mandolin, because I might not have switched if I heard that first... or was it the mando that changed my mind about guitars?

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Great tone happens in all instrument types.
I've owned a 12 string since 1990, and it languishes because I prefer to play mandolin.
Interestingly, the rock/pop band I play in does one song that includes both my manic mandolin strumming and the band leader's 12 string. You wouldn't think they'd be a good combo --too jangly-- but it works.

Daniel

[Lee Callicutt]

... or was it the mando that changed my mind about guitars?

You may have something there. I've always loved the sound of the 12 string, but was just a little too intimidated by the prospect of trying to keep one in tune, etc. -- until a month or so ago when I happened across one at the right price.

Anyway, I know the 12 string is tuned in mixed octaves and unisons, while the mandolin is all paired unisons, but I do believe that mandolin playing has prepped my ear for truly appreciating the lush beauty of the 12 string.

[JeffD]

I think also that when you get used to the economics of the mandolin - how much mandolins cost, and how much mandolin you can buy for a buck, going back to the guitar is a real treat. A dream guitar can be purchased at a price that seems very reasonable when you think how much a similarly great mandolin would cost. Its like the dollar buys more.

[allenhopkins]

Taylor 12-strings are really good, from what I've seen. They hooked up with Leo Kottke years ago, built instruments for him, and were I to be in the market for a new 12-string, Taylor's what I would buy. Apparently you don't have to keep them tuned low (I keep my '70's Guild F-212XL tuned a step low, and even then I had "bridge creep" and had to have it re-set).

Hey, multi-string-course instruments are cool anyway. Beside my dozen or so mandolin-family instruments, I have the above-mentioned 12-string, two tiples, a charango, and a taropatch. It's all good.

[jfbrown42]

I've heard that the 12-string Taylors are very good.

I can also personally vouch for the Alvarez-Yairi DY76 "Herringbone 12" (used, they don't make them anymore).

[Stephen Lind]

i own a Taylor Leo Kottke
i've played a TON of 12 strings over the years

My Taylor reminds me of one other instrument that i've spent a fair amount of time on

a Bosendorfer concert grand

[Fretbear]

My buddy and I came up with a stringing variation for the 12-string that might be of interest to other mandolin and guitar players. Everybody knows about Nashville tuning or high-strung guitar which is basically a six-string guitar strung and tuned with the high octave strings from a 12-string set. On a 12-string, you can double that up two sets of octave strings and wind up with a double high strung guitar. There are no octaves or delay, everything is in unison, and it sounds amazing.

[Zigeuner]

Taylor makes a nice 12 String. I have a Martin D-12-35 and a Gibson B-25-12, both from 1965 and I've been playing 12 string guitar for a long time. If I were to buy another one, I'd probably get a Taylor or a Guild.

[Zigeuner]

i own a Taylor Leo Kottke
i've played a TON of 12 strings over the years

My Taylor reminds me of one other instrument that i've spent a fair amount of time on

a Bosendorfer concert grand

Hmmmmm, the Bosendorfer reminds you of the Taylor, eh? It can't be the size or weight can it? LOL :)

[GRW3]

I had a Taylor 555 mahogany spruce jumbo that I acquired used at a very good price. It was excellent and a joy to play. It was never a problem to keep in tune and was not especially heavy for a 12 string.

I had always wanted a 12 string and it was perfect. The only problem was I never actually thought about what I would play with it. I just never played it very much. About the biggest use I would get out of it is playing the intro to Hotel California with my son.

I was getting into mandolin in a big way so I traded even for the 515 I play now.

Taylor is the class of the production 12 strings. More types and more choices than anybody else. On their electric hollowbody 12 they've even developed a process of cutting a bridge that keeps both courses at the same height on top for better playing, particularly with a pick. I asked if the were going to do this for the acoustics and they said they're 'working on it' but suggested the differences between an acoustic saddle and an electric one make it much more difficult.

[Steve L]

The original poster might be a prime candidate for an octave strung Irish bouzouki.

[Stephen Lind]

Hmmmmm, the Bosendorfer reminds you of the Taylor, eh? It can't be the size or weight can it? LOL :)

in it's case
yes
but out of the case
it's really light

as to the above post
sometimes i play the Foley
and
sometimes i play the Kottke

depends on the mood i'm in
and
they're pretty different moods

[Santiago]

Steve L -- Not a bad idea at all. I'll have to try a Bazouke -- maybe next time I'm in Staten Island, always a financially dangerous visit for me.

As to the time it takes to tune a 12, that's no issue for me. I played violin for years, and in high school had to tune an entire orchestra every morning as concert master. I'm good at it by now.

It was the sound of the 12 that really got to me. I have a nice blonde Ibanez acoustic with tiger maple and all, and an old friend had a Martin 12, which I used to love, but I'm wondering if it's just the mandolin playing that draws me to the 12-string sound. I mean it's always nice to play "Hotel California" and "Wish You Were Here" (things I played way back when) and have it sound more like the originals, and this is a great guitar, I think it was a GA4-12, but maybe it's just more mando-like. I'm going to need to find some paying gigs so I can get that MAS and GAS going (MAS comes first) -- of course I'll have to heat the house this winter.

[Ken Berner]

I have loved the sound of twelve-string guitar since the early '60s; a well-tuned one sounds like a orchestra to me. I have the Gs and Ds on my '99 Weber Beartooth strung and tuned in octaves, which is no comparison to the guitar of course (pardon), but I enjoy the effect when picking melody.

[Keith Erickson]

I have a good friend of mine who owns a Taylor 6 string and it's an amazing guitar. I can only imagine what a 12 string Taylor sounds like.

Not too long after I started guitar (oh so many moons ago) I bought a 12 string acoustic. The sound of most 12 string guitars can just take over the world.

I believe strongly that my many years of the 12 string really was an introduction to the mandolin. The meaning of being able to pick on 2 course with little effort. I remember when I first started on the 12 string, I had to work at picking a rif or a solo. Eventually I got it :-)

Good luck with your purchases :mandosmiley:

[Eddie Sheehy]

Taylor has had plenty of experience making 12-strings. His first guitar - he made it in high-school as a project - was a 12-string.

I have had a 12-string Guild D212 since the 80's and never had to tune it down a step. No bellying or bridge creep. It was playing a 12-string that turned me on to the Bouzouki.... and the rest is history...