12 String Guitar Notes For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

This is my Long Term Review. I have had this guitar for a bit over two years now and can give a more complete picture of it. First, the good. This is a very well made guitar. Under the pros, you will notice I mentioned Good Construction. This is particularly important in a 12 string. The biggest issue with all 12's is that they tend to come apart very quickly. You will have bowing, warping, separation of glueing, etc. All this is because of the tremendous extra pressure 12's suffer. After 2+ years, this guitar is still solid as a rock, and I leave it strung all the time. So I would say construction and bracing are very good on this instrument. Along with this is the fact that it Stays In Tune. This is another major issue with all 12's. Again, that extra force tends to make them go out of tune quickly. This one holds tune very well, and that is important as tuning a 12 takes some time. As for sound, I would say Not too Bad overall, and Really Good for an budget level guitar. It is a little thin for my taste, but there are ways around that. First, throw on a set of decent strings. I prefer Martin Marquise on mine, but personal choice. Second, I like to play through an acoustic amp, and I put a Seymour Ducan Woody on mine. When adjusted correctly, I can get a really decent, full bass sound, lots of body and still keep a nice jangle expected from a 12. Will it sound like a Martin or Gibson, no, but it gives a really nice sound for such a low price. As for the negatives, very few. First, keep in mind when Epiphone says "Select Spruce Top," they really mean laminated, not solid. But I suppose there varying qualities of laminated woods as well, and this one is great – really good resonance and sustain. It could maybe do with a better set of tuners, but as said before, it holds tune exceptionally well. Overall, for the price, Epiphone makes a really nice and playable guitar. Now am just praying they come out with a Masterbilt version of it.kdw

First off, some people don't know the real characteristics of a Guild 12 string. And, no, they aren't ALL supposed to be deep….The wood determines the sound. Denser wood, deeper sound…lighter wood, brighter the sound…I bought one after playing MANY 12 strings. Including Taylor, Martin, Takamine….and this one was my favorite. Frets easy, sound is bright yet full, loud, and just a great guitar. As for the electronics..ehh..not the best…but…I am running a LR Baggs acoustic preamp pedal and it brings the guitars natural sound. I turn up the bottom just a bit…sounds amazing…LOVE THIS GUITAR…and it's beautiful to boot….Jamie

I ran into one of these in a guitar store and was immediately impressed compared to the other 12-strings in the acoustic room. It's not a Guild 512, but it has a good, solid sound and nice neck. I was concerned about the tuners, but they seem to work fine and stay in tune and they are the same as on the deluxe Westerly models. My guitar showed up with a detached soundhole control. I almost sent it back, but I liked the sound of the guitar enough that I just decided to reattach the soundhole control with some double sided tape. We'll see how that holds up, but I wasn't impressed with the original glue job. Otherwise, nice guitar. A 12-string has so much going on sonically, that I don't think I need a more expensive model to get good sound. The pickup sounds nice, too. I also like the satin finish. Good guitar. Very good guitar for the price.Victor

This is the worst guitar for the money I have ever purchased. My brother took sick just before it was delivered. I never got a chance to check this guitar before the time expires. Where should I start. To say this guitar's flyncey is an understatement. The neck is very uneven! The body is so thin even at its great size it cannot give a deep tone. The head of this guitar is heavier than the whole guitar. I see positive reviews on this guitar and I wonder which cartoon characters are posting them or if they are even real. The sound system is is pathetic! It does not matter which amplifier or PA system I play it through it is totally inadequate. And it is incapable of being used in any type of venue through any type of sound system. Why put it in there at all. Guild should be ashamed of itself!!!!! If you are looking for a quality guitar at a reasonable price that plays well! THIS ISN'T IT!Jake

The Luna Heartsong 12 string is a comfortable guitar to play. I'm replacing a Ovation 12 from 1974 that I bought new and enjoyed for many years but the neck finally gave up. The Luna body size is smaller than a dreadnaught but fits nicely in your lap. It has really nice upper and middle range but the lower range is a little weak unless you plug it up through an amp and boost it. Then it sounds much like the folk guitars of the 60's. I tuned it up to standard tune and the neck had a slight bend at the 7th fret and the action was high by the time you got up to the 12th fret. So I tuned it down a full step and it straightened right out and the action went back down to a good level for a 12 string. Just capo it up and you get good normal sound and action level. The wood is good throughout and the craftsmanship is more than adequate for the cost of the instrument. The volume is good for a smaller guitar body. It won't overpower a D-28 but I really didn't expect that. The sustain is good and harmonics chime nicely. In summary, it's a great guitar for the money I paid. I also have a Luna Vista Eagle and really enjoy the sound of Luna's. They won't put Martin out of business, but the impact on the bank account is proportionally less. I am a 50+ year picker and used to play in bands and at church, but now it's just around the house for fun and therapy. I'm happy with the value I got for the amount of money I paid.Warren

I purchased a new 12 string guitar, and wanted to learn to play it. I play 6 string guitars and wanted to check out the differences.dustyone1951

I was very excited to see and play a highly reviewed 12 string that costs pennies compared to my 12 string Takamine, Yamaha and Ibanez. Once I got through the box I saw the guitar had the look of some cheap pressed wood. The sound was as weak as a cup of Finnish coffee. The darn thing couldn't stay in tune to save mine or its life. How this guitar gets rated so highly MUST be a result of fake reviewers OR I simply got the ONE Rogue 12 string that seemed to be made by the Fisher-Price Company. This is NOT a musical instrument. It IS an instrument to make noise with. My edition was not worthy of the effort one has to put forward to learn and play guitar. One must have to have an instrument meet the musician at least half-way. With this "musical" instrument, you have to cross the block, pick the guitar up and fight against it to produce close to a tone that sounds musical. Best to buy a used good name 12 string guitar. Or save your pennies and get a Takamine or Yamaha. The latter will be excellent and cost in the $350 range. But a Yamaha will play forever and stay in tune. I recommend my Yamaha over my ash Ibanez. The former just has a fuller tone. If possible save for the Takamine which is on another guitar plane altogether. But don't buy a guitar based on price and/or name. I've discovered many of the friends I play with can't tell if their singing and/or playing is in tune!!. And yet, they own $5,000 MARTIN GUITARS!! Haha. Quite simply a waste of money. Be like me buying a red-green "masterpiece" oil painting, as I'm red-green color blind. But I DO have a good ear and this Rogue of a guitar is worthy of no one's money or effort. M.F. has many more-though more expensive-options that will bring the performer YEARS if not DECADES of playing happiness. Only misery lies in a 12 string Rogue guitar. Avoid.muskoxmike

Purchased this around December hoping to get my kids into it. As usually happens, it ended up being much more of a display use. I would imagine it was picked up about 12 times max total. It sat on display being ignored primarily. Still, by mid-June (in under 6 months) the bridge has warped and started to detach from the main guitar. I noticed this as I walked past it. The glue did not hold. Surprise though, because you can't just pull up a website for Rogue. I called Guitar Center for help to contact the manufacturer as this should be covered under their warranty. Guitar cCenter took my information and said they would forward it to their "contact" for the company and I should receive a response in 3-5 business days. It's been a few weeks now and I'm not impressed. No one called me back, they wouldn't simply give me an 800 number to call to handle it myself, and I still have no solution and no idea who to contact in order to make a claim on the manufacturer warranty. I am more than disappointed with Guitar Center's negligence to truly stand behind a beginner product they seem to offer a great deal of.Amanda V.

I'm so impressed by my RD 90. I think some reviewers are hesitant to give it the praise it deserves because it is an inexpensive guitar. I did a little work to lower the action and now it is perfect. Humidity and temperature changes cause it to need occasional tuning, no different that my other two acoustics. It has a full, rich tone. It plays easily. It makes me feel like I got a real bargain; I don't know how they turn a profit at this price.Charles

I bought this guitar to check out a budget friendly offering from Yamaha. I have to say I was not disappointed! Excellent tone and volume, the top really resonates. The guitar was really well setup right out of the box. It needed about 3/4 of a clockwise truss rod adjustment, no prob. Other than that it didn't need any fret dressing whatsoever. That's really impressive for a Chinese guitar. Heck even one of my Mexican Martins needed fret dressing out of the box! Also intonation was spot on and this also is important in your guitar. Very impressed with this guitar, intermediate/advanced feel but priced at a beginner budget. You won't regret picking one up, I assure you!Big Bone Murphy

There is a point of quality when an instrument reaches when it stops being seen as "better or worse" but rather just a different flavor. This Yamaha has reached that point. You can play it alongside a guitar costing 5x more and it stands up well. Yamaha is also one of those rare companies with a long history of top quality across all kinds of products, and guitars are an area Yamaha knows well. This is just a beautiful guitar through and throughout. You can get beautiful uncompromisingly great studio recordings with this guitar. Hitting the low strings hard with strumming gives a nice deep and rich tone. Also, the hardware / tuners are nice.Scott

I've owned many acoustics over the years, MANY, and this Yamaha is one of the best sounding I've ever owned. Went to GC just to check out a few lower end acoustics to pick up for jamming on, and tried almost every one in the room. Picked this one up last just before I was ready to leave, and immediately was blown away by the sound and playability, brought a couple friends to listen and tell me which one they thought sounded the best, and hands down this won over all of them. It has the tone and warmth of a Martin D34, which I have owned a few, and it plays like a dream. The neck is so sliky smooth, easy to fly up and down with no effort. It has amazing sustain and beautiful tone, I fell in love with it and just couldn't put it down. I didn't expect a guitar of this price range to sound as good as it does, got it home and I couldn't put it down. Played for 4 hours straight, and even after trying to put it down to go to bed at 1am I found myself playing a for a few more minutes before I could actually go to sleep. Love this Yamaha more than any guitar I've bought in the last decade. The best thing about it is, It gave me the desire to pick up playing guitar again, after hardly touching any of my other guitars for almost a year it's the one I want to play more than all of them. Great guitar, wouldn't hesitate to buy another in a different color, if you want something that you won't be able to put down this baby has the sound and feel your looking for.Johnny D

I had a cheap 12 string guitar for about almost two years. I had been playing corridos during this time. However, I had played guitar for several years. Mainly rock and other stuff. Well, after I got it, I could play all the solos I couldn't really play clean. I guess the other guitar really was bad, or this one is great. Funny thing, I had a really good player tell me to not buy this model but the more expensive one. Well, I'm glad I decided to go with this one. This guitar sounds great and it's extremely easy to play. The guitar stays in tune fairly well for a 12 string guitar. The action is low. I haven't tried it the electronics aside from the tuner which works fairly well compared to my snark. I do have a Taylor and Martin guitar, and the tone on this guitar is pretty clean.Juan

This Guitar plays like a dream, sounds great no matter if it is plugged in or not, stays in tune and looks great. This is a great price for a guitar of this quality, but thanks to another dealers daily deal and Guitar Center's price matching, it was even better. I was able to get this out of layaway for $240 less. I am very happy with this guitar. I have not played in a band for a while, but getting back into practice and plan to start back with some solo acoustic gigs. Having this awesome new guitar is surely an inspiration to help me want to practice more.Kip

I've been looking for a particular sound from an acoustic to replace my Ibanez. I went into to the GC to get strings for my other axes and try out a white Tele they had. Tele wasn't quite what I was looking for so I went into the accoustic room and this just stood out and I had to tryit. I was sold after one strum of Dm-A-G. That was the sound I wanted. Mids somewhere between a J45 and a Taylor. Highs have just the right amount of brilliance without stealing the show. Exactly what I was looking for. It has a bone nut and saddle so this thing rings out so well. The only thing I can think of negative is the Epiphone Deluxe tuners feel cheap. I'm just going to order some Gibson Deluxe's, other than that this is a beaut!JR

This guitar is beautiful. I've played many guitars, but none are more pretty than this. I have the Cherry Burst, wow! The fretboard material is Laural Wood. It plays nicely with bended notes, nice and firm. This guitar has good "weight." It is one of the heavier acoustics I've played. I like that too, it feels like great quality. Mine is not made in China. It was manufactured in Indonesia. These Asian manufacturers are doing a great job and I like it that mine is from Indonesia, too. There is good balance in sound from string to string, too. It's nice that it came with a sound hole cover, but such a nice (and fairly pricey) guitar should come with a gig bag or case.Boomer

Overall: Ok let me first say that I have been playing guitar since 1964. I have so many guitars since then I can't even remember them.In my experience Epiphone guitars have always been a solid platform for someone who is first starting and novice and intermediate level players.After reading about these " Inspired By Gibson" series Masterbilt guitars I thought I'd give one a try to see how close to a real Hummingbird it is.It caught me off guard. The fit and finish is outstanding. The playability was absolutely perfect out of the box.The original 1960's Headstock makes it look really nice. Not that deeply scalloped extended swelled at the top one usually find on an Epiphone. Nice touch Epiphone !The tulip Keystone vintage tuners are excellent. Smooth and tight. Fret work was amazing for a guitar in this price point as well as getting a guitar with beautiful solid mahogany and Sitka spruce that is finished in an accurate vintage toner. The real Mother of Pearl inlays are a really nice touch.At this price point getting an instrument with a one piece mahogany neck with no seperate heel is almost unheard of. I am tempted to say this Epiphone is so close to the Gibson model it amazed me that Gibson would allow Epiphone to produce something this close to their high dollar Hummingbird.In conclusion…. BUY IT !! You will not be sorry. zZounds is the best out there for sales, service and amazing one day delivery.Ed

First of all, this is a gorgeous guitar. It looks just great. It has a big, rich sound even moreso than other larger bodied guitars I've seen. The tuner works great. I love playing it. A few minor issues. First, I find the action high, & the bridge is not adjustable. 2nd, the complaints others have offered about the fret edges being VERY rough are entirely true: you can practically leave your hand bloody, I'm sure, if you play long enough, just from being roughed up by the fret edges. I'll try filing them down & refinishing them, as some have suggested. Finally, you'll want to get rid of the strings & go with a lighter gauge, partly to alleviate the high action issue. I'd get this guitar again. I think it is a $500 – $600 guitar lurking for only a little more than half that price. But before recommending it to a friend, I'd point out these couple issues.DET

Poor quality control! Neck is a mess with all of the fret ends protruding and sharp. One fret is noticeably higher causing all kinds of issues. Inside edge of the sound hole is poorly finished and some of the ribs look rough, like they weren't sanded smooth. This one's going back!Bill

I recently purchased my Martin DX2E 12 string from AMS and I love it. I purchased my Martin GCE16 about a year ago from AMS and I have never heard of them before this. I tried to order the same guitar from Guitar Center and it come in damaged, so I returned it. I then tried to order the same guitar from Musicians friend. The online site said it was in stock. I even paid for 2 day delivery, but it never showed up. After 2 weeks I called and they told me the guitar was out of stock. They also told me they should of called or emailed but they don't know why they didn't.(TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM MUSICIANS FRIEND).This is when I found AMS. I called AMS and they were VERY helpful and easy to deal with. I ordered my VERY FIRST MARTIN GUITAR from AMS and have been very pleased. I have since ordered my second Martin guitar from AMS and will only use AMS for my online purchases from here on out. Thank You for all of the great service and merchandise.Bobby

This guitar has a warm bright tone easy action and is beautiful in design. This guitar is easily a favorite to me as it allows me to speak even when Im not sure what to say. Its design makes ecen an unseasoned guitarist sound like a pro. You definately will not regret purchasing this axe.tarquill61

I needed a low action 12 string acoustic guitar that wasn't the size of a battleship. Something I could practice on at home without annoying half the neighborhood. An 'acoustic' guitar that would give me stonkloads of volume plugged in but with absolutely zero feed back even when I'm standing right in front of the monitor. It also had to sound like an acoustic guitar at any volume level. Turns out that's exactly what I got. Easy…..now I need to get a case…turns out not so easy here in the UK. Why don't dealers buy in the correct case when they order the guitar? Or is this just an ESP thing? Anyway, when a guitar is this good it is not so easy to get annoyed.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

So far so great. This is my second Taylor ( 2008 914ce is my other) and I really love it. I have played twelve string acoustic and electric for decades but never had an American made acoustic. Compared to my other 12 strings, Epiphone and Yamaha, this feels like playing a six string. The action is great. It is not as loud as bigger acoustics but that is a good thing because it brings out all the strings and their nuance better. It sounds great with or without amplification.ktrip

This is an amazing, high quality instrument. The guitar is easy to play for a 12 string. It's resonant and responds to picking attack very well. Digging in a bit and using my picking hand for percussion on the top is very satisfying! The top is lively and there's lots of sustain. The set up seemed almost too good to be true. This is a precision built, beautiful 12 string guitar. I'm glad I took a chance and bought it. I think it's a great value for the money.Mandolin Player

The Taylor 352CE 12 string is an awesome guitar. Well made and easy to play with great sound. If your looking for a 12 string acoustic guitar, this is the one you want.1swenson

PROS: audacious, attention-getting appearance. Great action even on 12 th fret…on a 12 string! Sounds great plugged in. Light weight for size. Good price point. CON: mushy tuning gears. Want stay in tune, as with almost all 12 strings. Good luck finding a case which fits due to enormous headstock. Thin sound strictly acoustic.Rich

My buddy has a Fine Guild 512. This compares well to that, at a fraction of the cost. It sounds like an orchestra. As I learn to utilize it's capabilities I get new ideas. Reworking songs I used to play on 6 strings yields interesting new arrangements. Have not had annoying tuning issues as with other mid-range 12s I have tried.Steve

I have several 12 strings. The Gretsch is quickly becoming a my favorite. The action is superb. Has a "chunkier" feeling neck like by old B25-12 but action like my Rick 360. Not real loud when unplugged but loud enough. Plug it in and the Fishman takes care of the rest. Full bodied sound, very rich. And the flash of the guitar definitely gets noticed. It's great and I am very happy with my purchase.Mr 12 String

I've looked at a number of 12-string guitars over the years, this is the one that captured my interest. A very playable and great sounding 12-string, sounds even better when played through an amp using the internal pickups.Reviewed by Absolute Music custo

Great sounding Highs, Mids and Lows. Playability is great no buzzings and strings are nice low height. Really rings out.KB

This is an exceptionally versatile guitar, I needed a workhorse for small venue solo gigs playing a wide variety of genres and this truly fits the bill. Extremely balanced range with just a hint of that Taylor sparkle that (IMO) is overwhelming on most Taylor models. What I didn't see coming is how this thing absolutely opens up in D Tunings. Best DADGAD sound I have ever heard in person, it's quite incredible. Skip the E version and just add an Anthem SL to this like I did, Taylor pickups are always so mediocre and the Anthem SL's cream color even matches the accents on this guitar.Ryan H

I always read as many reviews as I can before purchasing an instrument unseen. This particular guitar had mostly good reviews. I was trying to find a good 12 string for not a lot of money. A unicorn essentially. I had narrowed my search to Luna and Washburn. I decided on the Luna and it was a tremendous mistake. This guitar, or at least the one that I received is virtually unplayable. Tuned to pitch the bridge has a slight enough gap from the body of the top of the guitar that you can just slip a thin piece of paper under. Visible bowing of the top. It does however stay in tune but the action is quite high and you almost need a C-clamp to bar chord it. Very VERY tough to play up the neck. It is a beautiful guitar aesthetically but upon close inspection there are several small fibers or possible hair of some sort in the finish in a few places.All in all not a good choice. I would recommend looking elsewhere for a 12 string. I'm an experienced musician with over 48 years of professional and semi professional experience. I would definitely not purchase this instrument again. Fire wood kindling would be it's best use now.Jeff

The Luna Heartsong 12 string is a comfortable guitar to play. I'm replacing a Ovation 12 from 1974 that I bought new and enjoyed for many years but the neck finally gave up. The Luna body size is smaller than a dreadnaught but fits nicely in your lap. It has really nice upper and middle range but the lower range is a little weak unless you plug it up through an amp and boost it. Then it sounds much like the folk guitars of the 60's. I tuned it up to standard tune and the neck had a slight bend at the 7th fret and the action was high by the time you got up to the 12th fret. So I tuned it down a full step and it straightened right out and the action went back down to a good level for a 12 string. Just capo it up and you get good normal sound and action level. The wood is good throughout and the craftsmanship is more than adequate for the cost of the instrument. The volume is good for a smaller guitar body. It won't overpower a D-28 but I really didn't expect that. The sustain is good and harmonics chime nicely. In summary, it's a great guitar for the money I paid. I also have a Luna Vista Eagle and really enjoy the sound of Luna's. They won't put Martin out of business, but the impact on the bank account is proportionally less. I am a 50+ year picker and used to play in bands and at church, but now it's just around the house for fun and therapy. I'm happy with the value I got for the amount of money I paid.Warren