GAS for future acoustic/electric 12-string...

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Permalink Reply by Jud Hair on January 9, 2012 at 2:43pm

The Martin D12XAE is $599 right now through Sam Ash, Guitar Center, and Musician's Friend ... Solid sitka top with HPL back and sides and stratabond neck.  Includes onboard electronics at that rpice.

Permalink Reply by FloridaGull on January 9, 2012 at 2:49pm

They don't make a cedar one, do they? :-(

This is all just fun speculation right now (really, honey - this is NOT the Giannini situation...) - but have you ever played a Seagull (or any Godin) 12-string?  If so, how do they compare to the Martin you mention?

 

Permalink Reply by Jud Hair on January 9, 2012 at 4:40pm

Heh, heh ... Martin and cedar don't seem to get along. 

My only experience with a Seagull 12-string was with one that was hanging on the wall at a local shop.  When I took it down, it was about 10 miles away from being in tune and I just didn't have the time or energy to try to get it tuned.  I strummed it a few times and put it back, disappointed. 

By the same token the MAartin D12XAE I played at GC was in perfect tune and it felt like "buttah" as Babs would say, so I got a wonderful impression that has me pimping for them even though I don't own one.

Note to self:  When I retire and own my guitar shop ... every morning I will go around and make sure EVERY instrument is in tune, so that when my customers come in they get the best possible impression. 

Permalink Reply by Ginger on January 9, 2012 at 3:11pm

Well, I have the Martin D12X1 & if the D12XAE is anywhere near the quality & sound of mine, you couldn't miss buying it even at it's full price. As stated many times before in this forum, this guitar is an amazingly nice sounding guitar for the price...even double the price for that matter.

As for my bucket list of guitar wants, shorting the list, I want a Guild F412, the Martin 000-28EC, & maybe just for fun the Melissa Ethridge Ovation. I've never really been a big fan of Ovation but every time I hear this guitar there's something there I like - go figure.

Permalink Reply by Ken Bellingham on January 9, 2012 at 6:00pm

   I've talked to luthiers who will only build 12-string guitars with sitka or adirondack tops.  How well will the softer cedar tops hold up to the higher string tension of a 12-string?

Permalink Reply by Ginger on January 10, 2012 at 1:06pm

Ken - I would ask the same question. My sister has a six & a 12 string Seagull which, given their due are fairly old now, approx 25/26 years old but both have had to have the bridges reglued. Her 12 actually pulled so hard that the wood on the top of the guitar started to split along the grain. I don't know how she tuned...maybe standard tuning, but it happened with both. They are really nice sounding guitars tho'...

Permalink Reply by GNuck on January 9, 2012 at 9:37pm

The Art & Lutherie 12 looks a lot like my Simon and Patrick 12 which I'm really enjoying, a really nice looking guitar:

Pardon the blurry camera picture:

Permalink Reply by FloridaGull on January 9, 2012 at 9:50pm

Yours is cedar, right? And a few years older? How's it holding up?

Permalink Reply by GNuck on January 9, 2012 at 10:09pm

Right FG it is cedar and a 2007 and holding up great. I'm really enjoying it a lot and it plays and sounds nice. It has a solid cedar top, laminated wild cherry back and sides, a maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, a 1.9" nut width, a 24.84" scale.

Love the gloss with the burst finish.

:-)

Permalink Reply by FloridaGull on January 10, 2012 at 12:14pm

I have, of course, not ruled out a good used one...

Permalink Reply by Jud Hair on January 10, 2012 at 12:18pm

Don't you want that Walden Sean Harkness signature model ??

Permalink Reply by FloridaGull on January 10, 2012 at 2:29pm

I believe it's spruce - I don't have anything against spruce, but the Giannini Craviola has a solid spruce top...

Also, you said it was $1200?  Alas, no...

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