12-String String Order
 

Recently, there have been a few threads about 12-strings, and 12-string ordering. In particular, Rickenbacker vs traditional 12-string ordering. For purposes of this post/poll, I’m defining traditional string ordering as high-octave/low-octave. Rickenbacker order is low-octave/high-octave.

So, for those 12-string owners

• I have changed string ordering to Rickenbacker ordering
• I have not changed string ordering - still ‘traditional’ ordering
• I have not changed string ordering - I have a Rickenbacker
• Other (leave a comment … this should be interesting)

My Ovation 12 string has the standard “higher octave string gets hit first on a down stroke” order.

But on my custom octave mandolin and mandocello (both with octave pairs) I string them opposite, Rickenbacker style.

I owned a Rickenbacker 330/12 for a few years. Based on that experience, if I was ever to buy a 12-string acoustic, I’d either order it configured the Rickenbacker way, or budget for an appropriate conversion. For my playing (I hesitate to call it a ‘style’) that layout makes way more sense.

I own a Rickenbacker 360 12-string and I have left the string order as the manufacturer intended. I also own a Guild F-512 and I have left the string order on that guitar as Guild built it.

I'm okay with the Rickenbacker arrangement on the Rickenbacker because that is what they sound like. A Byrds' song has that Ric sound. However, I don't care for the lower string to be on the top on an acoustic 12-string. I like hearing the higher octave string on top when I hear or play an acoustic 12-string because that's the sound I am used to hearing.

- Glenn

Wouldn’t you need to have a new nut cut to flip a traditionally strung 12 to the Rick way?

12-String String Order

I favor the traditional way of stringing a 12 string guitar. That is, octave first above prime string.

My reason is kind of simple on two counts.

1. I've been playing and listening to 12 string guitars for 60 years and this is the sound that's in my mind.

2. When I hear it backwards, to my ears, the octave string seems to be lost or missing in translation.

Further thoughts:

McGuinn did not re-string his Rickenbacker, but used it 'as is'.

There is a video out there somewhere of Doyle Dykes playing an acoustic 12 string Taylor and mentioning that he changed the order for the bass E course to 'Ee' from 'eE' because he likes that set-up better for his sound.

Lead Belly often played his 12 string with a unison G course and used a treble E string (and tuned as such) as the octave for his bass string, which made it actually two octaves higher. And he mostly tuned down to 'C' in 'standard' intervals.

I fingerpick all my guitars using my nails as picks, but use various combinations of numbers of digits in solo or unison or arpeggio depending on the song or feel or whatever. Which includes simple thumb then strum with 'n' fingers. The big question is what finger is responsible for the 'gG' course. If 'n' is one or two fingers, it is easy to assign the thumb to the gG course and that means octave first. But if I am playing thumb and 3 fingers, my index finger gets priority to play the gG, but since it is picking upward, the sound is different than the other octave courses. And I will re-iterate about losing some tone. So depending on the material and mostly the tempo, I will at times let my thumb override the index to emphasize the octave first sound. Especially on solo work or intro/outro work. I play Byrds version "Mr. Tambourine Man" with octave first intro/outro and using (mostly 3 fingers picking) my index finger on verses/chorus otherwise, since it gets lost in the shuffle anyway.

In another thread, someone mentioned using his Taylor 355 12 string as a strummer, but I tune my 355 to DADGAD intervals, and it sounds great. I also tune all my 12 string guitars down a semi-tone to 'D#', which means the 355 starts off in 'c#C#' with DADGAD intervals from there. Or think tuning down a semi-tone from a DADGAD tuned guitar if that helps.

DADGAD is common in a lot of Keltic music, and DADGAD tuning can easily allow for a lot of strings to be played as 'drones', possibly kind of like mimicking pipes playing. In any event the dronage can be awesome. Played out of 'DADGAD', 'DADF#AD' or 'DADFAD' tuning can lead to playing in an Indian raga style as easily as a dirge or an Irish jig.

I play "Walk Don't Run" on either six or twelve string guitar in 'standard' as well as DADGAD tuning. Each of the four versions has its own unique sound.

I also have 5 string ukulele with a course of 'gG' in the bass string, allowing for both a Ukulele re-entrant sound and also a fuller sound. (4 string Ukuleles are traditionally tuned gCEA.)

Be well and play well,

Don
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I own two acoustic 12 strings, one with Rickenbacker stringing and one traditionally strung. I prefer the Rickenbacker stringing because I find it much easier to avoid playing the high octave note if I choose to avoid it for musical reasons. It’s nice to have that extra flexibility.


Wade Hampton Miller

Before I quit playing a 12 string and got two 8 string guitars, I removed the octave strings for the low E and A strings, I also traded out the .08 G string and replaced it with a wound .022 string.

This made playing the 12 string easier and it also helped a lot with keeping it in tune when using a capo.

I also lowered the tuning to D to D most of the time.

I have 2 12 strings I tune them both one tone (two half steps in US English) down.

I am vaguely aware of the Rickenbacker quirk, but I see no reason to copy it on an acoustic.

Unless someone knows different???

I have four 12 string guitars (one is electric). I keep one in the Rick stringing style. If you are going to stick with that you should make a new nut for it.

I don't currently own a 12 string but when I've had them, I set them up Rickenbacker style. It makes it much easier to just hit the low string if I want to avoid the octave.

For me, prominently hearing the octave string as well as the primary string is the whole point behind playing a 12 string guitar. It's just such a unique sound. Which is why I like to play a 12 string guitar. So octave first, always.

I also play six string guitars, mostly when I want to hear only the primary strings and make different sounds.

Be well and play well, and to each their own.
(Yes, I skipped the gender specific pronoun on purpose.)

I finger pick all my guitars using my nails as picks.

Don
(_o)===###
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I'm almost exclusively a flat picker who cross-picks. One advantage of that way of paying is that I can strike either paired string on a 12-string first,

My electric 12-string is a DeArmond from the doomed line of Fender "Guild-alikes" that were blown out around 2001 after the market shrugged at them. Great sound. Has Dynasonic style single coils so I get my Bryds sound with it and a compressor. It's strung conventionally.

My first 12-string (a cheap Cortez all laminated dread) has been strung with Steve Tibbetts style stringing, where more strings are unison, fewer octave. Right now the DGB and high E are unison on it. It's also tuned down a whole step from concert pitch. That guitar has a zero-fret, which makes it easy to experiment with different string order. Earlier in its life I used to string it with a unison G string pair, made it easier to play lead lines with the jump to octave on the G string pair.

My two good acoustic 12-strings have conventional order, but again I can upstroke to get a different sound.

I own three 12-strings. One is an electric Fender Stratocaster XII which is strung in the traditional method, but I'm discarding that because I'm focusing on acoustic/acoustic-electrics only.

My old Framus (a name made famous once again as John Lennon's old Framus Hootenany has been discovered after 50 years!) is strung in the tradition way, but my newer Taylor 652ce Builders Edition is "reverse strung" (Taylor's term). Not only that, but the two companion strings each share a single bridge pin, so restringing is a bit of a different experience. Personally, I like the reverse stringing because my unorthodox style of playing sometimes has me striking only one of the pair of strings, and I prefer to play the base note rather than its octave. That could just be me, of course.