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Damnit TAH!


Chordchunker

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Since you told me I needed a 12 string It has been in the back of my mind and has now turned into full blown GAS..At first I was resistant because I have owned a few in the past and found them too "jangly" and a tuning nightmare..I`ve rethought it and see one in my immediate future. My first choice would be a 1970`s Guild, but I`m po` so I`m looking at Yamaha`s and such..

 

What is a good cheap 12 stringer? Samick? Yammie? Alvarez?

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FWIW, I often see Ventura V17's around fairly cheap. Solid spruce top lammie, with an adjustable bridge, built in the seventies/eighties. I bought one on evilbay for like $75. Decent beater for cheap. Just do your homework and make sure it isn't a slide guitar candidate. 12 string guitars die faster because of all that tension on them.

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What is a good cheap 12 stringer? Samick? Yammie? Alvarez?

 

 

Define "cheap". In the $500 range the Seagull S12+ and Martin D12X1 always get good reviews, a couple of models of Yamaha for a little more (not familiar with them). However since you bring up 70's Guilds, check out the latest issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine - they have a rather glowing review of the F-1512E

 

Also, don't buy any "old" 12 without careful inspection. I paid $200 for an old Yamie FG-230, fortunately unloaded it, er, found someone who was looking for really high action. And my old Martin required a fair injection of cash, but was worth it. Taylor 355's are often best buys in the $7-800 range, but that little Guild looks awfully sweet to me.

 

http://www.acguitar.com/article/default.aspx?articleid=27495

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I can vouch for the tonal quality, playability, stability and toughness of the Martin D12X1. Though the synthetic materials are a turn-off for some, I've found that's what makes 'em a real workhorse/gighorse git. I don't baby mine - I drag it around everywhere - and with the exception of numerous dings in the unbound spruce top, mine has nary a scratch on it.

 

Used ones can be had for around $500 or less. (Got mine for $485, including HSC and shipping).

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No! Most definitely not an older Yamaha 12. Baseball bat (large end) necks capable of inducing carpal tunnel syndrome within 60 seconds. I learned to play guitar on one. Not a nice thing to do to someone.

 

 

My only 12 string is an FG260 SLOT HEAD!!!! I love it and play it straight. Of course, it may be the only still playable one on the planet.

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My only 12 string is an FG260 SLOT HEAD!!!! I love it and play it straight. Of course, it may be the only still playable one on the planet.

 

That's the Yammie 12 to own...l:love:ved mine!

 

A used Guild 212 (either D or F) can often be found reasonably - around $800, sometimes quite a bit less, and the Taylor 355 is a great 12 for a modest (by Taylor standards!) price.

 

Don't get in a hurry, Chunkmeister, and you WILL eventually find a good one you can afford. :thu:

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Since you told me I needed a 12 string It has been in the back of my mind and has now turned into full blown GAS.

 

 

I've owned three 12 String guitars in the past. Hell, I'd buy another one if I thought I'd play it. I know what would happen though. I'd play the daylights out of it for about three days and then spend the next three weeks wondering why I bought it and three more months trying to sell it without losing an arm and a leg on the deal. There was a time when a lot of my music sounded great on a 12 string....those days, for me, are in the past.

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Courtesy of your local Craigslist:

Seagull A/E $400 with hard case http://fayar.craigslist.org/msg/2916718392.html

'87 Blueridge (all solid) with chipboard case $400 http://fayar.craigslist.org/msg/2946257820.html

'75 D12-28 $1,000 with hard case http://fayar.craigslist.org/msg/2864668306.html

The Seagull probably needs the least work. The Martin would be sweet if you could afford the investment.

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It all depends...

After owning it for almost 20 years, my Balladeer 12 is now in for major structural repair. But it travelled a lot, got the hell played out of it and was always kept in standard tuning E-e'.

Neck angle is still perfect and the neck still is straight. But the bracing .... and it needs a new set of frets, I won't be able to do the old ones again. Then, frets are to be done ever so often on a 12... So, I vouch for a plastic canoe paddle.

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