8 Awesome Twelve-String Guitars – Double The Sound And Rock The Crowd

Gretsch Rancher™ acoustics have produced a distinctive, full tone 12-string guitar with the G5022CWFE-12 Rancher Falcon Jumbo. Designed with premium craftsmanship, the Rancher Falcon Jumbo is colored with a slick glossy white on the body with rich sparkling gold streaks on the fingerboard, top binding, sound hole, and headstock.

Featuring a solid spruce top—which is not normally available on guitars at this price—the Rancher Falcon Jumbo ensures richness of sound at a decent price. This spruce top is applied with scalloped X-bracing which ensures a particularly resonant and potent sound whenever you play the strings of the guitar. This potent sound is created by the bracing minimizing the dampening of vibration as well as ensuring tonal balance.

Other distinctive features on the Rancher Falcon Jumbo include the triangular soundhole, stylish pickguard, and the plug-in electronic feature. This guitar is perfect for those wanting to create a rich amplified sound. It is important to note that the guitar sounds equally as rich when amplified compared to acoustic. This is a common issue with acoustic guitars with amplification features, the Rancher Falcon Jumbo overcomes this problem.

The body cutaway, which is Venetian style, is beneficial in helping players access the frets on the bottom end of the rosewood fretboard. Gretsch Rancher has clearly taken the time to ensure that players have the maximum number of fret choices to increase musical possibilities on the strings.

The strong craftsmanship of the Rancher Falcon Jumbo also ensures that purchasing this guitar will be purchasing a 12-string guitar for a lifetime.

Why are we impressed?

• White and gold colours
• Rich sound acoustic/electric
• Venetian style cutaway

What negatives must you be aware of?

• 1-year warranty with limits

Featuring beautiful mahogany back and spruce top, the Fender CD-60SCE Dreadnought acoustic-electric 12-string guitar creates a rich and robust sound.

One of the main bonuses of the Fender CD-60SCE is its environmental sustainability. Martin has used wood for the body that is sustainable wood certified, ensuring players can enjoy the guitar sound while also being environmentally conscious.

The non-cutaway body gives the appearance of a classical acoustic guitar which can be an attraction to classical guitar players looking to explore the sounds of a 12-string guitar. This appearance, combined with the affordable price, is perfectly catered for aspiring guitarists who do not want a ‘flashy’ design, but rather a more humble, classical look. Due to the solid construction of the guitar, the D12X1AE Dreadnought 12-string is tonally on par with more expensive options on the market.

Featuring Fishmone Sontione electronics built into the design, the D12X1AE Dreadnought is versatile in its sounds options, varying from the light small room acoustic feel to a rich loud sound that can be amplified to fill a large room.

Additionally, the low-profile of the neck allows players to play the guitar for several hours at a time without encountering aching issues associated with higher profile necks. The D12X1AE Dreadnought is perfect for those wanting to put in the hard hours of practice on a 12-string guitar.

The warm classical tones of the D12X1AE Dreadnought are best served for those acclimatizing to the 12-string guitar as it may have limitations for those wanting more complex sound options.

What stands out?

• Affordable for the quality
• Classical look
• Suited to beginners

What cons did we manage to find?

• Limited complexity of sound

The Takamine GJ72CE-12NAT provides high-quality sound, solid construction and new upgraded electronics to give players a wide variety of choice in their 12-string guitar playing.

This guitar is purpose-built for great live performance. Finished with an elegant gold touch, the Takamine GJ72CE-12NAT is a classy looking 12-string guitar that contains many visual features of a classical acoustic guitar while also appearing more modern and slick.

The most notable modern elements to the Takamine GJ72CE-12NAT are its comprehensive electronic features. The guitar does not only have an amplification port but also a built-in tuner, EQ bypass switch, notch filter, mid-contour switch as well as three bands EQ and gain controls.

This huge choice of electronics provides players of the Takamine GJ72CE-12NAT with a large variety in their sound choices. This guitar is perfect for those seeking to experiment with the 12-string sound. Given the complexity of electronic choice, to get the most out of this guitar you should also have a decent knowledge of guitar electronics.

Other features that are noteworthy include the cutaway at the 12^th fret which allows players to have easier access to the frets furthest away from the head, as well as the rosewood headcap which enhances the rich classical appearance of the guitar.

The guitar may not be perfectly suited to those who are new to 12-string guitars but is certainly an attractive proposition to experimental musicians who prioritize sound quality and versatility as well as a low-key classical appearance.

Why is it special?

• A vast array of electronic choices
• Classical look
• Versatile sound

What are the flaws?

• Only suited to electronic guitar players

The Ibanez Artcore AS7312 12-String Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar is designed for those wanting to incorporate 12-strings into electric guitar playing. The visual appearance of a rich red maple body gives the impression of a rock and roll electric guitar. What is attractive is that the guitar is also semi-acoustic, giving players the option to play un-amplified.

The absence of a classical acoustic-style soundhole does prevent a rich and robust acoustic sound on this Ibanez guitar. It is definitely best played using amplifiers.

The Ibanez Artcore AS7312 contains many of the features associated with electric guitars such as a comfortable neck and bound rosewood fretwork provides players with easy access to all 17 frets. The fret size of the guitar is medium, providing easier access to frets and bar chords for those who are less proficient.

The use of electric features including individual volume and tone controls as well as a 3-way pickup selector, ensure that the Ibanez Artcore AS7312 is able to be highly versatile in meeting the sound needs of a variety of different guitar players. Whether playing pop, rock, funk, sonic to name a few, the Ibanez Artcore AS7312 will provide a 12-string guitar sound.

The Ibanez Artcore AS7312 provides an affordable option for those interested in creating new and alternative electronic guitar sound. For those who do not have experience or interest in electronic guitar sound, this guitar is unlikely to satisfy your needs acoustically.

What do we love it for?

• Sound versatility
• Electric controls
• Rich red appearance
• Experimental sound

What were we disappointed with?

• Poor acoustic sound

The Fender CD-140SCE-12 is a classic dreadnought style acoustic guitar with a single cutaway feature that provides players with easy access to all the frets. Fender has clearly thought of beginners at the forefront of their product design, as the guitar has an easy-to-play neck that is catered to a variety of playing styles.

The neck is particularly ergonomic with rolled fingerboard edges to prevent finger problems that are commonly associated with guitar players. This is important because the transition from 6 to 12 strings often causes greater stress on the fingers as they need to push down more strings.

The body of the guitar is constructed with rosewood on the back and sides which is died with a rich brown on the outer and a sunset orange in the inner section, leaving a really slick and attractive guitar color.

The Fender CD-140SCE-12 also features upgraded Fishman Presys electronics which enable players to experiment with electric sound. These electric features are however more basic compared to others in the market, leaving the Fender CD-140SCE-12’s best sound to come in acoustic form.

The X-bracing construction of the body ensures the Fender CD-140SCE-12 gives a rich acoustic sound that is also robust. It is only when applied to electronic form, that the variety of sound options are more limited for those seeking to maximize sound versatility from 12 strings.

Another bonus of this model is the two-year warranty which compares favorably to the majority of other 12-string guitar producers.

What makes it stand out?

• Easy to play
• Rich acoustic sound
• Affordable
• Two-year warranty

Which disadvantages must you keep in mind?

• Limited electric sound

The Epiphone DR-212 is a classic 12-string acoustic guitar under 500 dollars that has a big and strong acoustic sound. Designed exactly the same as its 6-string relation, the 12-strong features a slick spruce top with rich mahogany back and rosewood fretboard. The shape of the body is a dreadnought, adding to the classical feel. It is a perfect looking acoustic guitar for blues, folk, and jazz for anyone interested in the rustic visual appearance.

The Epiphone DR-212 is perfectly suited for those interested in blues, folk and country music, though the sound style is not exclusive to those music genres. The strong sound generated by the guitar is a result of secure bracing that enables smooth and robust tone. Many guitar makers simply add 6 extra strings to a 6-string guitar which often leads to a thin sound. This is certainly not the case for the Epiphone DR-212.

The most positive aspect to the Epiphone DR-212 is the lifetime warranty which is very unique among 12-string guitars currently on the market. While there are certain conditions to this warranty agreement which you should read before purchasing, the lifetime warranty does give you a certain degree of a trial and error, which gives you added flexibility when purchasing.

Although the Epiphone DR-212 does not have a cutaway on the body, there are 22 frets available which are higher than other 12-string guitars. This provides players with an even higher range of notes to be creative with.

What do we love it for?

• Lifetime warranty
• Classic acoustic feel
• A large number of frets

What were we disappointed with?

• No electric component
• Limited sound to certain music genres

The Yamaha FG820-12 is solid spruce, dreadnought style acoustic 12-string guitar that will serve the needs of the majority of acoustic guitar players interested in exploring the different sounds generated by 12-strings.

The body is a distinctive cream color and is perfect for beginners or as a back-up for more experienced players. This is because of the affordable price and usability.

Featuring a rosewood fretboard with an adjustable truss road, this is a rustic, classical looking 12-string acoustic guitar that is able to generate a strong sound. The sound projection is enabled by the scalloped bracing that ensures low-frequency sound. This is partly why the Yamaha FG820-12 is one of the best-selling 12-string models in the world.

Unlike similar looking guitars in the same price range, this Yamaha acoustic guitar does not come with any electrical features. This may be limiting for those interested in exploring the breadth of sounds on offer from a 12-string guitar.

Likewise, for those who are more interested in the acoustic sound, Yamaha has certainly sought to ensure that the acoustic sound generated by the FG820-12 is as potent as it can be.

The rosewood fretboard comes with 20 frets which are slightly less than other acoustic 12-string guitars on the market but should not severely hamper your note selection in the creative process. The main advantage of the fretboard is its smoothness and usability.

This is what makes the Yamaha FG820-12 particularly appealing to beginners who may not have the finger strength to cope with less smooth fretboards.

What makes it stand out?

• Affordable guitar for quality
• Perfect for beginners
• Classic appearance
• Smooth fretboard

Which disadvantages must you keep in mind?

• Lacks an electric component
• Quality of sound not as potent as other models
• No cutaway

The OD312CE is a distinctive 12-string dreadnought with a slick black spruce finish as well as mahogany back and sides. The OD312CE is known for being one of the best 12-string guitars for beginners who are also interested in experimenting with electric 12-string sounds.

The handcrafted guitar considers beginner guitarists at the forefront of the design by featuring a cutaway on the body to provide players with easier access to the highest frets.

The OD312CE also includes electronic features for those wishing to explore electric 12-string guitar sounds. These include an active EQ preamp with a built-in tuner. This solves the problem of tuning which can be a common problem facing many beginner 12-string guitarists who are unable to tune by ear. The in-built tuner provides one of the most accurate tuning mechanisms. To use it effectively, make sure you are in a quiet room with no distracting sounds. There is a lifetime warranty for these parts so do make use of that offer and read the terms and conditions carefully.

The five-year warranty for the guitar itself is another safety blanket for prospective buyers of the OD312CE. As it is available on a budget price, this warranty agreement gives added flexibility to those venturing into the 12-string guitar market.

The most distinctive feature of the OD312CEB-A-U is the natural black color scheme. This certainly marks it out compared to other affordable 12-string guitars on the market. If you want to veer away from classical acoustic guitar folk, the OD312CEB-A-U is certainly an attractive choice that will make you stand out from the crowd.

What stands out?

• Distinctive black color
• Affordable guitar for the product
• Five-year warranty
• Built-in tuner

What cons did we manage to find?

• Limited electric possibilities