So I rented this 12 string...

AcousticAl
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Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:03 pm

wrench wrote:
I am anxious to hear of your experiences on a 12-string. I am particularly interested in what applications you would choose to use a 12 over a 6, and how is it different to play.

Yes Dan- I'm going to add this question to my first post of this thread.


haoli25
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Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:20 pm

Al, try playing along as a backing track to one of your previous recordings with the 12-string. You can also add some interesting counter-melodies to some of your recordings.

Like Chas said, Lightfoot's songs are good. You might also try some of John Denver's songs too. On most of his songs the 12-string is tuned down a full step.

I love my 12-string and I play it at least once a week. :)


Bill


AcousticAl
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Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:41 pm

haoli25 wrote:
Al, try playing along as a backing track to one of your previous recordings with the 12-string. You can also add some interesting counter-melodies to some of your recordings.

Like Chas said, Lightfoot's songs are good. You might also try some of John Denver's songs too. On most of his songs the 12-string is tuned down a full step.

I love my 12-string and I play it at least once a week. :)


Bill

That's a good idea that I hadn't thought of, Bill. Playing to one of my earlier recordings. Fingerpicking, strumming a 6 string- guess I could play along to either.

I was trying to play some Neil Young in the store when I was trying it out. 'Needle & the Damage Done" wasn't sounding great on a 12. At least not the way I play it right now.


Lavallee
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Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:57 pm

Al, This is a good idea. I will try that at my local guitar store. Practicing on a guitar for a month is certainly a good way to evaluate the axe.

Marc


Chasplaya
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Wed Oct 20, 2010 1:20 am

Hey Al not sure if pm's are working at the moment, but go for it I'll send it off , the tab is almost finished, it sounds ok as is but I have a missed a few bars, only noticed when I tried to sing along to it. SRV did most of his unplugged MTV show on a 12 string. Another suggestion is most America songs in particular Horse With No Name, plus Sister Golden Hair... now that's challenging for bars on a 6 but it sounds amazing on a 12. I also have a tab for Hey Joe which is meant to be on a 12


AndyT
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Wed Oct 20, 2010 1:31 am

That is a nice looking critter! At this point, I don't want to spend the money to put strings on it though! LOL


BigBear
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Wed Oct 20, 2010 1:51 am

Al-

I love my 12 string!! It's probably my favorite guitar although I don't play it often enough. My first 12, my buddy all the way through college, was a Yamaha and it was a lot of guitar for the money.

Chas mentioned Gordy but don't forget John Denver, who played a Gibson 12 most of his career and then went to a Taylor. Also, America and C,S,N (&Y), Crosby loved his Martin 12. And Leo Kottke is the master of the tuned-down 12 string. Taylor has an Artist Series 12 in Kottke's honor.

Someone mentioned Roger McGuinn and the Byrds but I don't think we have any TARGET songs by the Byrds. Roger, and George Harrison, immortalized the Rickenbacker 12 string. I played Norwegian Wood on my collaberation with Jerry and I thought it sounded okay, except for the guitarist! lol!

And Paul Simon was famous for his concert-sized Martin 12 (he also played an Ovation as I recall) so all of their songs are perfect for the 12.

Michelle mentioned Pink Floyd but don't forget the great Ozzie band The Church and Under the Milky Way. The rhythm was played on a 12, I believe. And Greg Lake often played a 12 when he wasn't playing that fancy Gibson 300 or whatever it was!

Some things to think about with a 12:

1. It has a wider neck, usually something like 1-7/8". It takes some time to get used to this.

2. Because of the added strings, there is double the string tension, Thus the action on a 12 is really important because you need more fretting pressure. The guys that set up my Taylor 855 did a brilliant job and it's almost as easy to play as my 6 strings. I love those guys! Plan on getting a good setup if you plunk down for a 12.

3. Experiment with fingerpicking. Although the 6 pairs of strings are obviously parallel they aren't the same height and fingerpicking, at least for me, takes on a whole new challenge. It's difficult to fingerpick with bare fingertips if you don't have nails and even using fingerpicks is always an adventure.

4. Make sure you use a wound low G string. If you use Lights or Extra lights, often the low G is bare. Having a wound G makes a huge difference in the sound and I used to have to buy seperate G's to swap out this string. Now I use Nano's or Cleartones and they are both wound (I use 0.011 guage).

5. Tune that Yamaha down one step to D. Many less-expensive 12's can't handle the string tension tuned to E and you'll start to see a bulge right behind the bridge. If you see any sign of that now, reject that guitar. Japanese guitars have been known to have more problems with bridge lifting than other guitars although I had a Guild that did the same thing.

6. 12's are harder to capo than 6's so check out your capo (you may need to buy a wider capo!) all the way up the neck.

7. Have fun playing it! There is nothing quite as sweet as the sound of a big jangly 12 string. Except a big, jangly 12 string played through an amp!! If you get hooked on a 12 make sure to get one with a pickup!

Good lucky buddy! :cheer:


willem
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Wed Oct 20, 2010 2:00 am

''norwegain wood'' would be a good one..


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neverfoundthetime
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Wed Oct 20, 2010 5:21 am

Hi Al hope you have fun with 12. Way to go!

I have an up and down relationship with mine. I switch between a 12 and a nylon 6 string. Talk about a stretch! The only thing that's common is the broader neck and fretboard... which helps. I do have days where I just can't seem to get a clean sound out of the 12 (I'm in such a phase now) and that can be discouraging. But next day it rings out fine... fingers can get tired pushing down 12. Anyway here are some suggestions:

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gord
Wish you were Here - Pink Floyd (willenm is right!)
Horse with no Name - America
Don't Cross The river - America
Sandman - America
Question - Moody Blues (in open C tuning)
Heart of Gold - Neil Young
Talking about a Revolution - Tracy Chapman
HYMN - BJH
Mrs Robinson - S&G
Breath - Pink Floyd
Another Brick in the Wall - Pink Floyd
Norwegian Wood

Chords that sound great on 12:
G, D, A, Em and Cadd9 and Gmaj (add the D on the second string 3rd fret).
Hymn played with the E then moving the E shape up to fret 6 to make the A sounds great but will slice your fingers up in minutes flat! But worth it. ;-)
And Talking about a Revolution: Gmaj (add that D!), Cadd9, Em D and repeat through out is nice and easy to play.


AcousticAl
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Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:09 am

This is why I love this site. It's my own personal encyclopedia on guitars! Ask a question and it will be answered. Thanks for all your responses.

Bear- Thanks for all your suggestions. I didn't think you could fingerpick on a 12? I can't imagine it would be too easy.

Yes, the wider neck was a bit of a shock at first. I tried a Takamine EG345C (link) at first, and the neck was just TOO wide for me, so I took a pass.
http://www.takamine.com/?fa=detail&mid=2324&sid=524

The Yamaha's neck isn't that much wider than my 6 string, so I found that more comfortable. Interesting that you suggest to tune it down a step. That might even work better with my voice.

Chris- thanks for all the song suggestions and input. I can play a few of them already, so I'll give them a try.

Actually have today off! Might get the Flip out...


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