Topic: Modern Fender 12 string sample

[harriet]

Maybe its not of interest but fender has a modern concert sized 12 electric/acoustic string that I think does well with finger picking, in case anyone is shopping around for them.

[EddieD]

Nice, I would consider it if I didn't have a great 12 string already. I started my guitar playing career as a punk rock guitarist so playing some blues on a punk rocker's signature guitar would be fitting for me.

[Blues Vintage]

I don't own a 12 sting. I never even played one. Is it difficult to play a 12 string (compared to a 6 string guitar)?
I guess you have more volume, a bigger sound and a natural chorus effect but you don't see the 12 string that often in the blues. Of the early players I can only think of McTell, Leadbelly and Barbecue Bob. Modern players Kottke, Geremia and Alvin Youngblood Hart.

[frankie]

Is it difficult to play a 12 string (compared to a 6 string guitar)?

Not really difficult,  but you may need to tone down what you do to get the most pleasing sounds out if it. Not everyone digs having octaves all over the places, or at all...  I'm sure the setup I like right now would send some people screaming into the night just based on the description.

I guess you have more volume, a bigger sound and a natural chorus effect but you don't see the 12 string that often in the blues.

The volume depends on the setup.  You'll definitely get a fuller sound, but you don't really get more volume unless you keep things kinda tight (tuned higher).

Of the early players I can only think of McTell, Leadbelly and Barbecue Bob. Modern players Kottke, Geremia and Alvin Youngblood Hart.

Old guys: John Byrd, George Carter, Charlie Lincoln, Miles or Milas Pruitt, Charlie Kyle, Louis Lasky
New guys: Charlie Parr, Ari Eisinger, Pat Conte, Frank Fotusky, Steve James

I'm sure there are others.

Harriet - that guitar sounds nice the way you've got it set up...  Looks like these go for about 350-400 USD...  is that about what you paid, if you don't mind my asking?

[Rivers]

I'm sure there are others.

Frankie Basile springs immediately to mind 

Bruce Cockburn fingerpicks a classic Guild 12, not CB exclusively but I totally respect Bruce's contributions to music, caught his solo show in Ithaca NY a couple of months back. He did a knockout rendition of BWJ's Soul of a Man, on an old dobro though, so forgive the off topic swerve. It was the highlight of the show, for me anyway.

[EddieD]

I don't own a 12 sting. I never even played one. Is it difficult to play a 12 string (compared to a 6 string guitar)?

You may find it strange at first but you would probably get used to it quickly. I play the twelve string in both open tuning and standard tuning. I often will take a song I learned on the six string and play it on the twelve to give it a different texture. Sometime it can sound too cluttered on the twelve. I find you can get a lot with less on a twelve string....if that makes sense.

[Pan]

Frank Fotusky is another modern 12.string player.

Cheers

Pan

[frankie]

We would be totally remiss in failing to mention Pete Seeger.  Harry Lewman, too.  And Fred Gerlach for his connections to Rev. Davis and Tiny Robinson. And John Koerner.

[alyoung]

Playing a 12 can be physically a lot more demanding than playing a six, especially if you're tackling those big Leadbelly numbers tuned down and with heavy strings. Two or three runs thru Fannin' Street and you won't have to go to the gym today.

[uncle bud]

Yes, good to be aware of this if you have hand issues like me. Sometimes when I get carried away on the 12-string, I'm feeling it for a couple days. Mostly in the picking hand - the stress of double courses and heavier gauges?

[Rivers]

The original topic morphed quickly from a new Fender 12 to modern 12 string players. Maybe we should split the thread. That way I can mercilessly bash the former (I've never played a Fender acoustic that was worth the time), without detracting from the worthy content on the latter.

Hey, maybe it's a great guitar. That would be a first though. BTW I love teles & strats. Fender acoustics have always been junk, to date, in my experience.

[harriet]

Bash away or delete the thread, glad that the list came out of it.

[Blues Vintage]

glad that the list came out of it.

I guess I started the list accidently.

[Rivers]

Sorry Harriet I went straight to ax-grinding mode, as I tend to do whenever the words 'Fender' and 'acoustics' appear in the same sentence. I need to check out that concert 12, there certainly is a demand for it.

I sincerely hope Fender have got it right and will continue to do so. It's crazy that one of the great instrument builders have never had a legendary acoustic to put their name on, after producing so many over the years. It baffles the hell out of me.

[Nicolas Dussart]

Since many years, the croatian guitarist Hal (Damir Halilic) uses a Fender 12 string :
HAL - 12 STRING SPECIAL