Solid rosewood 12 strings?

[Dreadman]

Hey all.

I know some of us have discussed this on other forums but my rosewood-12 GAS is building again and I'd like to hear any new (or old) opinions.

Anyone have experience with soild rosewood/spruce 12 string dreadnaughts? Ideally with a cutaway and electronics?

Is the Martin D12-28 ($2300) the cream-of-the-production-crop? Any contenders out there for less?

Anyone have something along those lines that they'd like to trade for a combination of less expensive guitars?

[strumsalot]

I'm partial to this one with optional electronics.

Guild F512

Here's one with cut away and electronics.

Alvarez PJ85SC-12DVS

[wingsdad]

D-
A higher end (i.e., Japanese build) Takamine like this Keystone series model might be a contender:
Takamine EF400SC
Solid Rosewood Back, Lam Rosewood sides, Solid Spruce top.
'08 Price list shows it at $1,959 list including case.
The CT4B is a nice pre-amp system; I have one on one of my Santa Fe's.

EDIT: Or go up to the Super Natural Series for this one with the CTP-1 Tube Preamp...listing at $2,399 including case. This also has a 'string-thru' pinless bridge.
Takamine TAN16C-12

[tjcurtin1]

My brother just bought a Guild f512 (new old stock, built in CA). He played quite a few, including Taylor's Leo Kottke (my brother is a huge fan), but we both had to aggree that the Guild had the better sound. Action and playability were also great, and it's beautifuly appointed, too. He got his for $1800., but I think they are about $2,100. usual price.

[Dreadman]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Made for some fun "window shopping".

The Tak Super Natural seems to be speaking to me Wings. Built in tube pre-amp? That sounds right. Have you played/heard one?

[wingsdad]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Made for some fun "window shopping".

The Tak Super Natural seems to be speaking to me Wings. Built in tube pre-amp? That sounds right. Have you played/heard one?

Not the 12, but I've test-driven a couple of NEX body Taks with the CTP-1, thinking I might just buy a CTP-1 to use in my Santa Fe's because Tak preamps are interchangeable modules. The awesome thing about the CTP-1, besides it being an onboard Tube pre, is that it has an aux input to jack in their Triax soundhole pickup as an option.

The Japanese Taks are wonderful guitars, D-Man. Hard to find, but worth the hunt. Most folks are familiar with Tak G-series guitars, since, being Korean or Chinese builds, they're more 'accessible' price-wise. The difference between the G-Series and the Japanese Taks is like Guild GAD Series vs. Traditional Series (American)...imports vs. American build.

[mrmudcat]

That tak does look nice!:

[Donny]

What a long strange trip it's been...but I made it HI to all my old friends, and hi to new friends to be made...Love that Tak...since when did they start making lam sides with solid tops/back?? seems an odd way to save a tiny bit of dough in the making.

[wingsdad]

What a long strange trip it's been...but I made it HI to all my old friends, and hi to new friends to be made...Love that Tak...since when did they start making lam sides with solid tops/back?? seems an odd way to save a tiny bit of dough in the making.

Hey, Donny-
Actually, the lam sides could be debatable. Since their website & catalog spec the guitars with solid rosewood tops but simply 'rosewood' sides, that would suggest/hint lam vs. solid.

Tak responds pretty promptly to email inquiries, though. And they seem to have pretty good details on production runs of their 'higher end' Japanese models.

Since the sides of a guitar aren't flat & parallel like the top & back, and don't do a whole lot of vibrating, mainly reflecting, how much of a factor are they, really, in the guitar's tone?

[Dreadman]

What's up Donny? Good to see ya!

Agreed Wings, I don't think sides play into a guitars sound very much. The bends and thin width make them more or less rigid.

Making them from laminate saves cost, increases durability and, in this case, gives solid support for that large pre-amp.

[Donny]

Glad to see so many familiar names and thanks for the welcome. I have a friend who prefers Guild 12er's, the older models. I don't think I.m going to be getting another 12 string for a while, since I have two now and usually end up grabbing my short scale classical lol.

[spt]

Howdy D!
I never owned a good dreadnaught-12 so can't comment if that shape is a requirement. However, I have an older L-shaped rosewood Larrivée-12 I do like very much - although it has been in need of a neck reset for a while (scared to send it in unknown hands...). If you were looking at the Martin, this would prolly be in the same price range (?).

[Dreadman]

L-shaped? Maybe I've got a mental block going on but what's that?

As for the re-set, is it a big belly/twisted bridge issue causing high action? If so, why not try a bridge doctor? A non-permanent version is available and it looks like a mechanically sound principal.

[spt]

I believe the L-shape is something internal to Larrivée. I think (?) it was the original shape of the first Larrivées, too. It is very similar to a classical guitar shape.
Edit:
I bought the guitar second-hand in '86 I think, so it is over 20 years old. The top has just slowly risen (no bridge twisting) and I use XL strings only so I don't think I can avoid the reset.