The Fender Alternate Reality Electric XII 12-String Guitar would make an excellent budget alternative to the Rickenbacker featured further up in this list. Yes, another 1965 model, which really was ground zero for the 12-string’s pop-rock popularity after The Beatles came, saw and conquered the States in 1964. The hockey stick headstock is back, folks, but maybe it looks more at home here, what with the offset body and split single-coils – the retro tortoiseshell and pearloid pickguards only add to the illusion that we have fallen through the wormhole to emerge in LBJ’s America. The Gretsch G5422G-12 Electromatic Hollowbody is a little more rock, a little hotter than the other electrics on the list, and while this can occupy vintage psych if required, try playing it through some fuzz and playing with reverbs, because it feels like a great guitar to broaden your horizons on. This is a Gretsch for sure, the Black Top Filter’Tron pickups offering a little snarl before the 12-strings rounds out the attack. The thin U profile neck is slim enough for some quick jazz comping and switch rock double-stops but just as you plug in and dial in the slapback echo the 12-string width and chime hits you right in the face. From the bound f-holes to the G-Cutout tailpiece, the smaller late-50s spec headstock, to the multi-ply binding, the Gretsch G5422G-12 Electromatic Hollowbody is one of the finest looking instruments in our round-up of the best 12-string guitars. The attention to detail on the current Electromatic series is incredible, the finishes perfect. Gretsch’s vintage rock ’n’ roll mojo translates perfectly into the 12-string format. Don’t let the indiscriminate naming of materials put you off with the X-Series, the high-pressure laminate back and sides ably supports that spruce on top, making the Martin D-X2E a very attractive 12-string guitar that does the name on the label proud. The sound is big and open with choral shimmer over the top. Either way, finger pickers should find the nut width generous enough to accommodate them, while not so wide as to alienate the strummers. On the fingerboard it’s the same, but here we’d expect katalox or Mexican ebony. The neck on the Martin D-X2E is billed as ‘select hardwood’ and this might change depending on stock – but it is most commonly Spanish cedar, sapele, occasionally mahogany. The Low Profile neck profile is a very comfortable palm-filler, approachable without ever being overly skinny. To get that name on the squared-off headstock, and that amount of change from a thousand bucks is not bad at all, and the finish quality on Martin’s Mexican-built X-Series acoustics is unerring. The Martin D-X2E 12-String Guitar is all about boom, chime and affordability. Pure psychedelic nirvana comes as standard, but of course you can play it clean for pop-folk jangle, that resonant semi-hollow maple body sure lets it sing. Just step on an old analog phaser or a flanger and watch people melt into their surroundings. ![]() One of the coolest features on the 360/12 is the Rick-O-Sound parallel-mono outputs, meaning that you can split your signal and send one pickup to one amplifier and the other to another, adding more depth and spread to the sound. Those Schaller tuners are arranged alternately so you can see which string you are tuning, a feature that Harrison liked immediately. It’s not cheap but it is unbeatable, and very practical for a 12-string. It’s the sound of The Byrds, The Beach Boys, and its jingle-jangle brightness changed music history for keeps. It’s the semi-acoustic that George Harrison played on the Fab Four’s debut US tour – a 1963 360/12, gifted to him by Rickenbacker’s Francis C. This is the most iconic 12-string you can get your hands on. It’s a fair price for an exceptionally constructed instrument, which is why it graces our best 12-string guitars guide. This stunning 12-string guitar is designed for the stage and the studio, with a low end authority offering a neat counterpoint in the EQ for that top end chime. ![]() The Takamine P3DC is a sparkling jewel in the brand’s Pro Series, and is a contemporary dreadnought cutaway that has sumptuous playability. Best 12-string guitars: Guitar World's choice Looking for epic guitar bargains? We're tracking all of this year's biggest savings over on our Black Friday guitar deals page. ![]() ![]() Before we unveil our full list of the best 12-string guitars, let’s look at a couple of our favorites… It can also add an ethereal quality to your solo performance.ĭepending on the chord progression and the fingering, the best 12-string guitars can sound medieval or pure folk jangle. With the bottom, four strings doubled an octave higher, and the top two doubled, the 12-string guitar has a wider frequency range, adding textures and overtones and a top-end that glistens in a mix.
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