12 string guitar tuning to D

[Tom Mc1]

My band mates wanted me to pull out my old Martin D12-20 12 string guitar for a couple of acoustic performances that we were doing. It has open tuners and is a real pain to restring but it's been in storage for a while and needed some TLC. I have heard that many 12 string are tuned to D and capo to second fret to get rid of some of the stress on the neck. Is this a good idea? I have restrung with Martin SP lights to E. This is a 1965 and seems to hold up to E tension. Tune down and use a capo or leave it at E tuning?

[TheForkWigger]

Do what you like, use your head. Have you seen the stars tonight is in C

[Freeman Keller]

My old Martin D12-28 and my home made OM 12 string are both strung with light gauge strings (10's) and tuned D to D. Since I don't sing there is not need to capo it back to concert tuning - I rather like the sound. 10's at concert is about 260 pounds of tension, at D it is a bit over 200. Normal acoustic guitar is 160 to 180 so its more but not unreasonable.

 

[DeepEnd]

Gotta go with the majority. Given the strings you have on it and the age of the guitar I'd tune D to D. As for using a capo that's certainly doable or you could also transpose if that's feasible (i.e., play the chords for D if the song is in C).

[katopp]

Depends. You will have a different sound when tuning to D-d' - even more when you capo up. But in general, the guitar will not endure as much stress. So, go for it.

But bear in mind that you will see more wear on the third fret. But a fret job is cheaper than a neck job....

[Freeman Keller]

On other way to look at it is first, during its fifty year life it has probably been tuned to concert a fair amount so the guitar can withstand the tension. I've you've been playing it at concert your fingers are probably OK with it too. Personally I would tune down but I thinks thats still your call. One thing I would miss on a 12 fret guitar with a capo on 2 is access to the 12th fret - don't know how much you use that on a 12 string.

 

Really, tune it to D, try it, if you don't like it tune to Eb and try that. You can always got to E.

[gardo]

My 12 string was not a Martin but a late 70's MIJ Alvarez. I kept it tuned to concert because that's what it was made for and had no problems . But then I also used light strings

[Tom Mc1]

I didn't realize just how much tension was on the neck. That might explain why the head stock snapped on my other 12 string. It was a 1960's Hoyer that I still have after 40+ years.

I think I' try the D tuning and because I do some vocals I need concert tuning to keep track of the music. Although rewriting the music in another key is an option, it takes time that I don't have. I usually don't actually see the music until the night of the rehearsal. Church band sets change weekly.

[Freeman Keller]

Yeah, some folks think it is twice as much as a sixer but its really about 150% - still pretty high. Tuning to D makes it much more reasonable.

 

We should fix that Hoyer some day.....

[DeepEnd]

. . . Although rewriting the music in another key is an option' date=' it takes time that I don't have. I usually don't actually see the music until the night of the rehearsal. Church band sets change weekly.[/quote']

I feel for you. I'm also in a praise band and sometimes we don't see the music until that morning (we rehearse before services). I can frequently transpose on the fly and it helps that most modern Christian music is extremely repetitive. You might want to ask whoever's in charge of song selection to give you the music ahead of time. After all, rehearsal isn't the time for learning songs; you learn during individual practice and rehearse to make sure everyone is on the same page.

[Delmont]

. . . I have heard that many 12 string are tuned to D and capo to second fret to get rid of some of the stress on the neck. Is this a good idea? . . .

 

Yes!

 

Some do it with six-string acoustics, too, to make bending easier. I was at a jam in the North Carolina mountains once, and whenever someone said "Blues in D!" all the capos came off.

[Tom Mc1]

When our band calls out for an acoustic set I prefer my Guild 6 string. I only bring out the Martin when requested. It's a bear to restring. Open tuners require a wrap around that tends to slip if you don't get it right. Post tuners are easy.

 

[Voltan]

i dont seem to hit the high notes i usta could... but its cool as the lower register is deeper, that said every guitar i own is tuned to D... and the banjo is tuned to Gm... the martin is strung like a ric, the craviola 12 is tuned differently: AAEEAD, really sounds different...