Killer tone 12 fret acoustic discussion
 

I am interested in fellow AGF members' opinions on who makes a 12 fret acoustic with cutaway (gotta have access) with a killer tone. I've reviewed previous threads. Most say "I love the sound of my 12 fret". Taylor gets mentioned fairly frequently but I don't see recommendations for other builders' models. Budget sits between $1500 and $2500 new or used. Please note, I cannot play a deep body. My shoulder doesn't like even the Taylor GA models with the 4 5/8 depth. And my wrist tells me to steer clear of necks with a V shape.
Thanks for your help in advance. michael s.

This might fit the bill
 

Hello Michael S,

You may want to check out Pono guitars, in particular the OP-30DC Parlor Guitar may be a fit for you. (http://ponoguitar.com/index.php/)

I have one of these, and the quality wood used, the build, the tone are excellent.

I am not affiliated with Pono in anyway other than I have an OP-30DC Parlor Guitar and a small bodied Parlor (L-40SP Li'i Small Body in Ebony/Englemann), and couldn't be happier.

They exceeded all my expectations.

John Kitakis has excellent customer service skills as well.

Good luck with your search for your new guitar.

Kind Regards.


LostDog

When I think 12-fret cutaway, I think of Taylor. When Bob introduced the first 12-fret model, the predecessor to the current 812ce 12-fret, it was in instant success, and it's till a best seller. Just can't go wrong IMO.

On the basis of having a non cutaway Pono OP 30, don't see why you wouldn't like the cutaway. Straight fingerstyle (no thumb pick) players really like it.

I was going back and forth between the Pono and my 00 15 custom yesterday, and they were each good in very different ways. The Martin did the thumbpick muted bass Doc Watson thump style better, but I missed the Pono's crisp upper mids and highs. When I played the Pono, I missed the low end thump. Maybe a larger Pono is the solution. They will have a 00 for sale in Aug. Don't know if it's a cutaway or not.

Playing softer British Isles finger style, it was hard not to like the rosewood/spruce Pono.

I might go hunting for a used SCGC or Collings OM and hope I get lucky if I wanted more low end, but a $3000 budget would be more likely.

I'm getting into playing smaller guitars with others lately. They compliment dreads so well.

12 fret
 

Thanks. More recommendations please.

12 fret
 

Of course my Taylor 82ce 12 fret has great a great sound...probably my favorite, and it plays so well...but I also like my Rainsong Shorty...12 fret, short scale...I really love the sound....I had two larger Rainsong guitars in the past, and just sounds so much better to me...

Mike, I am sure there are reasons to recommend just about every builder and model under the sun for $1,500-2,500.
You want a thinner body, yeah that narrows it down.
You want a cutaway, sure very doable
You want "killer" tone- gotta play it yourself.

I would recommend one but I wouldn't guarantee the tone I like on any model from any builder to be so consistently "killer" and the guitar I want.

You probably could have one built to your specs for $2,500, ask some luthiers.

I've been looking to swap my 12-fret HD28vs, which is fun to play and has that vintage vibe going, but it's just too bass heavy. It sits in between two worlds with 12 frets and big dread size, though it's got BIG dread sound. I kind of like it, and in fact had this plus a D18vs (now somehow magically and unexpectedly transformed into a D18 standard).

So, I'm going either down vintage dread way, or another 12-fret. Not many 12s out there .... but three I have tried recently, and first two are out of consideration:

• Martin MMV 0-12vs, which is the GC custom line -- pretty nice small body guitar, was a good comparison going with the CEO-7 (BTW, the CEO7s are SOOO easy to find now). Too light sounding of me, but nice little guitar (seems like replacing a F150 with a VW bug). Price was around 2K -- check it out here:http://www.guitarcenter.com/Martin-C...58-i2629891.gc
• Taylor 712ce 12-fret -- Really like this, had a serious vintage vibe thing going and hate to offend my Martin friends here, but it was the most Martin sounding Taylor I've ever played. (A compromise I suppose?). Playability was excellent .....price was on the high end of your range.
• A third one I am considering because it sounds like a $4K guitar, but costs like $1K is the Eastman E20 00, and they also make a hog version. Highly recommend you check these out -- better to my ears than both the above, plus it's got it's own vintage vibe going, though it's got that Eastman unique tone thing, that is probably a more modern sound. I'm tempted to just keep the Martin and buy this, but I can't afford the space or the spousal abuse factor

My favorite 12-fret is actually a 13-fret Santa Cruz (that they also make in 12), and in a lucky find your can get them around $2.5K, but you'd have to buy direct from someone ... shops bump these up over $3K typically. Good luck and keep us updated where you go!

PJ, are you referring to the H13?

Greg

I have to agree with Ted. I own a Taylor 12-Fret and it really is a great sounding, easy playing guitar -- and with a cutaway. You'd have to find one used to be within your budget, but I have seen them for sale used in the AGF Classifieds.

Best of luck,
Glenn

I have a Pono 0000 (jumbo sized) 12 fret with cutaway... It sounds absolutely amazing. Not sure if the body size is too big for you but the sound is gorgeous.

I actually listed it for sale not long ago just because I wasn't loving the short scale neck, but after having it for sale for a month or so I took it back out and one strum convinced me to keep it - it just sounds that good.

So I'll add a big +1 to the Pono recommendation.

-Mike

Taylor 12-fret. Best-sounding model in their lineup (in my opinion, of course) and surprisingly versatile. If I ever own another Taylor it will be a 12-fret. Best Taylor I've ever played aside from my humble 210 was an all-mahogany 12-fret Grant Concert model.

I think you'd easily be able to find a used one in your budget, and possibly even a new one if you look at the 500 series.

Yes, love it. They make 12 and 14 fret versions as well, but I think the H13 is their most popular H. BTW, this is loosely based on the 1933-ish Gibson Niick Lucas Special, and there are quite a few interpretations of that guitar, starting with the Gibson. Can't speak for those though.

Ed Bond could easily build to suit at a $2500 budget.

I am totally committed to 12 fret guitars.
I was led to this in my search for a wider neck not the longer body, but having acquired a Collings DS2h I discovered that the original dreadnought design had many ergonomic benefits.

The wider neck it was more appropriate for intricate soloing than the skinny neck of the squished down dreadnought which was really designed as a closed chord dance band rhythm box.

The playing position is subtly changed requiring less left arm extension, and placing the picking hand over the sweet spot.

I'm not sure that the slightly increased body volume makes a lot of differnce but , it seems to me, the whole ethos of the 12 fret design would be ruined by adding ,or reducing it with a cutaway.