Members MattSkibaIsGOD Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 and I am psyched! Found a factory 2nd (how I buy all my guitars) on Ebay for $229 BIN. After a day of watching Gary Davis, John Denver, and Pete Seeger all evening on Youtube yesterday, i couldn't resist. I've been GASing for a 12 for quite a while. Here's some pics to tide you over until I can snap my own. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190162781698
Members Freeman Keller Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 Wow, Matt, that is nice. Some really serious figure in that top - very pretty. I'll be interested in your comments when it arrives (and maybe some more pics). Is there something in the water? Seems to be a lot of GAS'ing for 12 bangers lately. Double the strings, double the fun!
Members MattSkibaIsGOD Posted October 18, 2007 Author Members Posted October 18, 2007 Wow, Matt, that is nice. Some really serious figure in that top - very pretty. I'll be interested in your comments when it arrives (and maybe some more pics).Is there something in the water? Seems to be a lot of GAS'ing for 12 bangers lately. Double the strings, double the fun! I don't know about the water; What really solidified my 12 String GAS was when you said, "they are the grand pianos of the guitar world." Some of my favorite artists also made use of the 12 frequently: JD, Pete Seeger, Tim Buckley, etc. Can't wait till it gets here. Anything I should know maintenance wise (vs. a 6 string), Freeman?
Members happy-man Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 Congratulations. Looks good. I'm glad I got my 12 string about a year ago. I hear folks site tuning as a reason not to mess with one, but mines pretty solid. No more trouble than my 6 strings. (Clip on tuners are great) Really adds dimension to your arsenal. Scott O
Members OldGuitarPlayer Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 ...very nice indeed. Yes...as FK says, please tell us what it's like when you get it. (I am sure you will )
Members T.B. Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 Wow, Matt, that is nice. Some really serious figure in that top - very pretty. I'll be interested in your comments when it arrives (and maybe some more pics). +1 Are you kidding me?! You were the only bid for that beauty too? They need to add a green smiley for envy/jealousy. Congrats! Trina
Members JerseyGuy Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 Congratulations and great price. I learned how to play on a 12 -- just the basic triad sounded like a symphony and it made learning that much easier (my roommates appreciated it, too, after they made me get rid of the banjo I was learning). I now have two, my old Taylor and a Seagull. For tuning, as I posted on another thread, get one of those clip-on electric tuners and just leave it clipped on. It makes tuning quick and effortless. FK is right, looks like great figuring on the top.
Members bsman Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 You guys are killing me! I've been rationalizing for the past couple of years that I don't need a 12-string, and yet you keep posting this stuff. Cut it out or my wife is gonna go medieval on you!
Members Freeman Keller Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 Anything I should know maintenance wise (vs. a 6 string), Freeman? OK, FK gets up on his soap box. Only two things. String it light or tune it down. Or even better, string it light AND tune it down. Most modern 12s are designed and warranted for concert pitch with light gauge strings (which means 10 to 47, and be sure to read the package). Don't go heavier unless you do plan to tune down, and for many of us (including Leadbelly and Leo and lots of others) "standard" is down two half steps. I do that with lights, altho I often tune lower and use mediums. (Leo and Heddy go much lower but up the strings). Second thing is tuning - my wife says I spend half my time tuning and half playing out of tune. A lot of the usual tricks don't work as well on a twelve (like tuning to octaves) because of intonation. I tend to tune all the primaries in the open positions (you can match at the fifth or use a tuner), then I tune the octaves by ear. Last thing is the kind of songs to play - I really like things with the melody on the middle strings which brings the octave into play. If you do a flatpick lead on the top two courses (the pair of strings is called a "course") it sounds like a big mandolin, but if you are thumping along on the fourth or third course the combination of the primary and octave is just wonderful. Again, Walk Right In is mostly played on the 5th and 4th, with the top string kind of filling in. Simple walking bass lines take on a whole new character on a 12 banger -that was Leadbelly's best stuff. Arlo's "Alice's Resturant". SRV's "Life By The Drop", Fuller's "SF Bay Blues. EC's "Alberta" You can vary the attack to bring out more primary or more octave - a down stroke tends to add octave, up stroke, more bass (a few players like Chris Proctor actually pick individual strings but not us mortals). Oh, yeah, now that you qualify, better come down to the Cafe' UMGF 12 String Cafe'
Members Freeman Keller Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 You guys are killing me! I've been rationalizing for the past couple of years that I don't need a 12-string, and yet you keep posting this stuff. Cut it out or my wife is gonna go medieval on you! BS, 'bro, let me lead you astray. Here try mine, first fix, er, strum, is on me. I currenly have two, and have got plans for a Stella (just for the hell of it) like Angelina herehttp://www.fraulini.com/models.htmland I've got this really wild idea to build something like Paul Norman's incredible instruments (I'm going to build the Rattler for TAH, the Bat for me)http://www.forbiddenguitars.com/creations.html
Members bsman Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 and I've got this really wild idea to build something like Paul Norman's incredible instruments (I'm going to build the Rattler for TAH, the Bat for me) http://www.forbiddenguitars.com/creations.html Oh that's perfect! Something that combines reso-lust with 12-string-lust. You're really trying to lead us off the straight and narrow, aren't ya'?
Members Freeman Keller Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 Oh that's perfect! Something that combines reso-lust with 12-string-lust. You're really trying to lead us off the straight and narrow, aren't ya'? He used to have a sound clip on the opening page of that thing. If that does't do it nothing will.
Members MattSkibaIsGOD Posted October 18, 2007 Author Members Posted October 18, 2007 Some of mine too. I first really was aware of the 12 string when the girl I was dating and I used to go to an old beatnik (yes, you heard that right) coffee house in Portland Oregon in the sixties. The was a folk singer who played this big hurkin' guitar the likes of which I'd never seen, and played music I'd never heard. I can still remember "Good Night Irene" and "Betty and Dupree" and "Keep Truckin' Mama". The guitar, I'm sure was a Stella twelve and it make a lasting impression on me (so did the girl, I've been married to her for 42 years). Most of us old folkies heard Leadbelly and Seegar and Arlo, but for most of us it was the Roof Top Singers and "Walk Right In" (on those left and right handed Gibbie 12's) that solidified the sound, and about then I bought a Yamie FG-230 (piece of garbage, but that is another story too). Then one day in 1970 I heard a young player named Leo..... OK, FK gets up on his soap box. Only two things. String it light or tune it down. Or even better, string it light AND tune it down. Most modern 12s are designed and warranted for concert pitch with light gauge strings (which means 10 to 47, and be sure to read the package). Don't go heavier unless you do plan to tune down, and for many of us (including Leadbelly and Leo and lots of others) "standard" is down two half steps. I do that with lights, altho I often tune lower and use mediums. (Leo and Heddy go much lower but up the strings). Second thing is tuning - my wife says I spend half my time tuning and half playing out of tune. A lot of the usual tricks don't work as well on a twelve (like tuning to octaves) because of intonation. I tend to tune all the primaries in the open positions (you can match at the fifth or use a tuner), then I tune the octaves by ear. Last thing is the kind of songs to play - I really like things with the melody on the middle strings which brings the octave into play. If you do a flatpick lead on the top two courses (the pair of strings is called a "course") it sounds like a big mandolin, but if you are thumping along on the fourth or third course the combination of the primary and octave is just wonderful. Again, Walk Right In is mostly played on the 5th and 4th, with the top string kind of filling in. Simple walking bass lines take on a whole new character on a 12 banger -that was Leadbelly's best stuff. Arlo's "Alice's Resturant". SRV's "Life By The Drop", Fuller's "SF Bay Blues. EC's "Alberta" You can vary the attack to bring out more primary or more octave - a down stroke tends to add octave, up stroke, more bass (a few players like Chris Proctor actually pick individual strings but not us mortals). Oh, yeah, now that you qualify, better come down to the Cafe' UMGF 12 String Cafe' Thanks a lot.
Members pathofspirit Posted October 18, 2007 Members Posted October 18, 2007 and I am psyched! Found a factory 2nd (how I buy all my guitars) on Ebay for $229 BIN. After a day of watching Gary Davis, John Denver, and Pete Seeger all evening on Youtube yesterday, i couldn't resist. I've been GASing for a 12 for quite a while. Here's some pics to tide you over until I can snap my own.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190162781698 Congratulations - I just picked up a 12 string a few days ago and I'm still psyched.
Members lechip Posted October 19, 2007 Members Posted October 19, 2007 Good deal. I have an Alvarez 6-string RD8 and I love it. I may have to get a 12 myself.
Members pschaafs Posted October 20, 2007 Members Posted October 20, 2007 I almost bought one of those a couple years ago, and it seemed like a good deal. Just couldn't quite pull the trigger on it. Then my F412 came along and I couldn't stop myself from buying it!
Members Samilyn Posted October 20, 2007 Members Posted October 20, 2007 WhooHoo!! Many Congrats!! Enjoy! I've been hooked on 12-strings since the '70s and now don't play anything else. I'll spend the rest of my git playing life exploring the awesome musical scope of the 12-string. As for maintenance, my current "baby" seems to be pretty bulletproof. It stays pretty much in tune and I have a Korg CA-30 for quick touch-ups. And yes, do use lights or tune down. A lot of 12-ers have a bit of a tendency to buzz -- the culprit seems to be a combo of the light strings and down-tuning. A good setup cures that and the result is blissful. And for something real interesting, if you like mellow, harpsicord-like sounds, try Silk & Steel strings. I don't much like 'em on a 6-er, but I love 'em on a 12.
Members Samilyn Posted October 20, 2007 Members Posted October 20, 2007 And Freeman, thanks for bring up those unforgettable tunes, Good Nigh Irene and Walk Right In. What Leadbelly did on his Stella was truly priceless.
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