12-stringers... who keeps them tuned down a whole step?

[Cougar]

I finally own a beautiful '98 JF30-12, my first decent 12.

Oh, and super major congrats on your JF30-12! Mine was my first Guild and is an absolute keeper.

 

[Wilmywood]

thanks for the replies!

NEXT QUESTION:
if you're tuning down, do you use a different set of gauges or stick with a standard set of strings?

My reply only applies to 6 strings, but I have generally used 10-47s on my G37, but have tuned down a step to be able to sing the songs I like and now use 13-54s to keep them sounding good. The 10s were just to light for that tuning.

 

[Brad Little]

Historically, the old-time great 12 string players tuned very low.

Many also used a guitar similar to Leadbelly's Stella, ladder braced and with a long scale length, 26.75" on Leadbelly's compared to ~25.5 or even shorter today. F512 is 25 5/8, as is the JF-30 12. A closer modern relative would be my Guild 8 string baritone, tuned B to b, like Leadbelly, and with a 27" scale.

 

[Maguchi]

Since I use the 12 string sound only occasionally it might stay in the case for weeks on end, I'll tune it down a whole step to D before I put it away. I tune it back up to E standard when I'm gonna play it because I think the strings ring more and sound better in E standard. I use both 11-52 and 10-47 sets. If I gotta play in Bb, Eb, Ab or Db I keep it in E standard. There's chords and scale runs at the 1st fret, 3rd fret, 5th fret etc.

 

[rmoretti49]

I've got three 12 string guitars.

Guild D212 is kept tuned to D (two half steps down) for tone and for ease of play, and to preserve the neck angle on this 41 year old guitar.

Guild JF55-12 is tuned to D# (one half step down) for tone and ease of play.

Taylor 856 is tuned to either E or D#, depending on what I want to hear.

Regarding strings, sometimes they can surprise you. I recently put a set of 9-46 strings on one of the 12 strings, and they were not appreciable easier to play than the 10-47 set that had been on it previously.

Having said that, I am a big fan of reduced tension strings. For my 12 strings, the favorite is the 11-47 set of Newtone Heritage strings, ordered directly from the factory in England (just google Newtone Guitar Strings). Ease of play is so important to me, because I don't want to struggle playing barre chords up the neck.

 

[12 string]

In the early '60s World Pacific Records released a series of 12 string recordings featuring "The Folkswingers" who were Glen Campbell and a couple of Dillards. Campbell played a small body short scale Gibson B-25 12 tuned 3 semitones high with ultralight strings. The possibilities are endless.

This might be useful:

12 string's 12 strings

You must have one of those mutant Guilds, that are so rare! :lol: Steffan

www.letstalkguild.com

' Strang

 

[davekoser81]

I use Elixir 10-47’s. Tuned down 1 whole step. Best strings ever, they sound and feel amazing on my 1987 JF30-12.

 

[Cougar]

I use Elixir 10-47’s. Tuned down 1 whole step. Best strings ever, they sound and feel amazing on my 1987 JF30-12.

Welcome to the boards, Dave. JF30-12s are great!

 

[Tom O]

My three:
Yamaha FG-260 tuned to D with 9-42 ghs extra light. Needed body work after ~50 years No reset Steam?.
GAD d212 tuned to D with 12s
DD12MCe tuned to E with 10s
Leo Kottke on old Tayler LSKM tuned to C# with 13s. He wanted to sound like a piano not a mandolin