Finding the best 12 string acoustic guitar that plays great and looks cool isn’t easy. Most 12-string guitars tend to feel kind of clunky, but don’t worry. We’ll help you find the right one. You’ll be up and playing Bon Jovi in no time. 🙂
12 string guitars are really cool because they add so much more dimension to your sound than a regular 6-string guitar. Each of the lower four standard strings are accompanied by a smaller string that is tuned an octave higher. The two high strings ( B and E ) are just doubled. This makes the guitar sound really full.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular, top-rated 12-string acoustic guitars, so you can find the right one for your playing style.
Compare the Top 12-String Acoustic Guitars in 2021
Contents
- 1 Compare the Top 12-String Acoustic Guitars in 2021
- 1.1 Takamine EF381SC 12-String Acoustic-Electric Guitar
- 1.2 Ovation Standard Balladeer 2751AX 12-string Guitar
- 1.3 Guild F-1512E 12 String Guitar
- 1.4 Martin D12X1AE 12-String Acoustic Guitar
- 1.5 Takamine GJ72CE-12 12-String Guitar
- 1.6 Gretsch G5022CWFE-12 Rancher Falcon 12-String Acoustic
- 1.7 Seagull Coastline S12 QI Guitar
- 1.8 Alvarez AJ80CE-12 12-String
- 1.9 Guild F-2512E 12-String Acoustic Guitar
- 2 What We Recommend and Why
Here is a list of the best 12 string acoustic guitars on the market that are made of quality tonewoods and have awesome tone.
- Takamine EF381SC
- Ovation Standard Balladeer 2751AX
- Guild F-1512E
- Martin D12X1AE
- Takamine GJ72CE-12
- Gretsch G5022CWFE-12
- Seagull Coastline S12 QI
- Alvarez AJ80CE-12
- Guild F-2512E
Takamine EF381SC 12-String Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
Takamine has managed to build itself into a force in the acoustic guitar market. Guitars from this brand have always been found to perform really well.
One of such guitars is this Takamine EF381SC 12-String Acoustic-Electric. This guitar embodies the brand’s philosophy of combining both aesthetic excellence with build and performance quality.
First, this is a dreadnought body guitar with a single cutaway that grants easier access to the higher frets. The top is made of solid spruce while the sides and back are made of maple.
These are finished in a lovely black gloss, which contrasts nicely with the white bindings around the guitar.
The neck is made of mahogany with a rosewood fretboard. Though it has almost the same profile as any regular neck on any Takamine guitar, it still manages to provide enough spaces for the 12 strings. It is a really fast and playable neck.
On to the electronics, it is equipped with the CT4B preamp system. It comes with a 3-band EQ and a digital tuner, both of which contribute to the guitar’s robust performance and versatility.
Unlike most 12-string guitars, it offers a clear and articulate tone.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Clear, articulate with good projection.
- Playability – Comfortable and highly playable.
- Case – Comes with a hard case.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Cost – Expensive.
Bottom Line
If you want a 12-string guitar that can perform at the highest level and can compete with the best, then go with this. It’s of course not the cheapest.
Ovation Standard Balladeer 2751AX 12-string Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
Ovation has reached into the past to pull this one back with modern upgrades. Originally released in the 1960s, the Balladeer was a hit back then. With the modern upgrades added to its reincarnated version, it is also sure to be a hit today.
At the very heart of this guitar is the AA solid Sitka spruce top that was hand-selected to ensure only the best quality wood is used. Behind this is Ovation’s standard contoured Lyrachord body with a single cutaway.
This does not just deliver a great tone but also offers immense comfort to the player when playing standing and also when playing seated.
The neck is made of 5-piece maple/mahogany with a satin finish. It has a scale length that’s slightly shorter than what is commonly available and also a nut that is also slightly narrower. These result in a neck that is fast and highly playable.
Powering the electronic section is the OP-Pro preamp and OCP1K pickup system. These add immense tonal versatility to the already impressive tone of this guitar.
The guitar’s black finish contrasts tastefully with the white binding and oak-leaf rosette to give an elegant overall look.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Crisp and clean.
- Playability – Comfortable with a fast neck.
- Build – Great quality and lovely aesthetics.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Case – It does not come with any.
Bottom Line
This guitar combines great tone with looks and enhanced comfort and playability. If you don’t mind the Lyrachord back, it is a great 12-string guitar.
Guild F-1512E 12 String Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
As a brand Guild has always been focused on the quality of their guitar constructions. The brand tries to maintain the same level of build quality across all their guitars, whether standard ones or their more special ones.
The F-1512E is one of the special ones. It is a 12-string acoustic-electric guitar with a traditional jumbo body design. It has a solid Sitka spruce top and back and sides made of solid Indian rosewood.
The neck is made of mahogany and is designed to comfortably accommodate 12 strings. This makes it a little wider than most standard guitars.
To further accommodate the 12 strings, which of course exert double the pressure, that 6 strings will, this guitar features appropriate hardware. These include a really stable bridge made of Indian rosewood, Nubone pins and saddle plus a set of 12 high quality die cast tuning machines. Turning to the electronics, we find the Fishman Sonitone system, which superbly compliments this setup. The combination of tonewoods used and its jumbo body delivers a tone that is huge and sharp.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – Great craftsmanship, top quality materials and great look.
- Tone – Huge and sharp.
- Playability – Easy to play.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Cost – May be high for some, but for its quality, it’s worth it.
Bottom Line
This guitar clearly belongs to the top tier of 12-string guitars. Attention was paid to the choice of materials and craftsmanship and that much is reflected in the quality of its performance.
Martin D12X1AE 12-String Acoustic Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
When it comes to acoustic guitars, few brands can compete with Martin. This brand has established itself as a leader in this niche.
The D12X1AE is a dreadnought body 12-string guitar designed to be affordable to a wider range of musicians. To achieve this, Martin had to use some slightly lower quality materials in some areas.
The top is made of solid Sitka spruce so there’s no low quality here. The sides and back are however made of rosewood laminates. Though this is a lower quality material, it’s important to understand that what Martins calls a laminate is superior to other laminates.
The guitar features a low profile rust birch laminate neck with a Richlite fretboard, another material Martin uses for its lower priced products.
To provide adequate support for the higher tension exerted by the 12 strings, it features a Richlite bridge, plastic pins and Tusq saddle of top quality. It also uses chrome enclosed gear tuning machines to keep the strings in tune.
For electronics, it uses the Fishman Sonitone system, which works quite well in the entire setup.
The sound you get from this guitar, laminates and all, is classic dreadnought. Plugged or unplugged, the tone is clear and well defined.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – clear and well defined.
- Build – It’s well-made.
- Cost – Affordable.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Materials – Laminates and composites are used to save cost.
Bottom Line
For those who cannot shell out the big bucks, this mid-priced 12-string guitar gets the job done adequately.
Takamine GJ72CE-12 12-String Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
The fact that we are looking at another guitar from takamine is a clear indication of the quality that this brand offers. The object of our attention here is the GJ72CE-12.
This is a jumbo body 12-string acoustic electric guitar with a single cutaway design. A look at the materials used and the price will clearly show that the brand’s target buyers are folks who can’t shell out the big bucks for high-end products.
The top is made of solid spruce and supported with an X-brace. The sides on the other hand are made of flamed maple laminates. All of these are finished in natural gloss, presenting a truly natural appeal.
The slim C shaped neck is made of solid maple while the fretboard on which are 20 frets is made of bound laurel. This neck is a delight to play.
For electronics, it comes with Takamine’s TK-40D preamp system which includes a volume control, 3-band EQ, EQ bypass, mid contour switch, a notch filter control and an on-board tuner. This is a very loaded system for a guitar of this level.
This acoustic guitar offers a lovely warm and clear tone that projects nicely from the jumbo body. Plugged in, it also sounds great.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Warm and clear with good projection.
- Playability – Plays really nicely.
- Build – Lovely and well-built.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Case – Doesn’t come with one.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a budget 12-string guitar that will still shine, look no further than this.
Gretsch G5022CWFE-12 Rancher Falcon 12-String Acoustic
Specs, features, and benefits
Gretsch guitars always have something that set them apart from others especially visually. Inspired by the original Falcon electric guitar, the Rancher Falcon G5022CWFE-12 is something that will excite 12-string guitar players.
Its jumbo body features a single cutaway, which increases ease of play. The top is made of solid spruce while the sides and back are made of maple laminates.
It spots a white finish which is bedecked with a lovely gold sparkle binding that runs round the body and also the triangular sound hole. Also adding to the guitar’s visual appeal are the headstock which has the brand’s name and falcon wing tastefully painted in gold and the gold colored pickguard with the falcon graphic for which the brand is known.
The neck is made of solid maple and has a rosewood fretboard with 21 frets.
Its electronic section is powered by a Sonicore under-saddle pickup and an Isys+ preamp from Fishman. This quality system makes amplifying this guitar pretty easy.
Other hardware that provides the much needed stability demanded by 12 string guitars includes a rosewood bridge, a synthetic bone saddle and the 12 sealed machine-heads that provide precise tuning.
This acoustic guitar isn’t just visually satisfying, it’s also aurally pleasing.
Pros and Highlights
- Build – Well-built and visually amazing.
- Tone – Well-balanced.
- Playability – It’s comfortable to play.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Volume – Not as loud as you will expect when unplugged.
Bottom Line
This is a low priced guitar that delivers a well-balanced tone through a visually breathtaking body.
Seagull Coastline S12 QI Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
Seagull is a guitar brand owned by Godin Guitars. Compared to some other better established brands, this Canadian brand is a new comer in the acoustic guitar market. That said, it has shown intent and purpose by consistently producing guitars that have caused quite a stir.
One of such guitars is the Coastline S12 QI. One interesting thing about Seagull guitars is that most of them are handmade.
The guitar features a dreadnought body shape without any cutaway. The top is made of pressure tested solid cedar while the back and sides are made of solid wild cherry shell.
For the neck, the company used silver leaf maple and reinforced it with a double action truss rod. The tapered headstock at the end of the neck is specially designed to accommodate the added tension that 12 strings add, ensuring they stay in tune.
The electronics section features a Godin QI preamp system. It comes with a 3-band EQ and an in-built tuner.
Overall, this guitar offers great value. The fact that it’s handmade significantly improves the quality of both its build and tone. You get a tone that is very rich when unplugged and when plugged, it is amplified with very little coloration.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Rich.
- Build – Handmade.
- Playability – Plays very easily.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Neck – Not suitable for small handed players.
Bottom Line
If you don’t mind buying owning a guitar from a relatively unknown brand, then you’re likely to appreciate the value that this guitar offers. Whether you are new to 12-string guitars or not, this acoustic will make you want to learn acoustic guitar picking after you get it.
Alvarez AJ80CE-12 12-String
Specs, features, and benefits
Alvarez is a brand that pays attention to detail on all of its products. Even with its lower priced guitars, it still manages to add great performance and aesthetic value.
The AJ80CE-12 is a 12-string acoustic-electric guitar that immediately draws you to it once you see it. The top made from solid Sitka spruce and the back and sides made from maple are all finished in a natural blond gloss that is unique and lovely. Further enhancing its already attractive look is the pearl binding that goes all around the guitar and the lovely rosette.
For the neck, it is made of mahogany while the fretboard is rosewood.
In the looks department, this guitar records an excellent score. There’s however more to a guitar that just its looks.
Other than looks, it is very well-made and the materials used are of good quality. A good example is the electronic section which features LR Baggs StagePro EQ and Element Pick Up. These add a great deal of value and versatility to this already great guitar.
Courtesy of the tonewood combination used, this guitar delivers a tone that is rich, well balanced and with good projection.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Rich and well-balanced.
- Build – Very beautiful and well-made.
- Electronics – Sounds great.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Nut and saddle – Made of PPS synthetic.
Bottom Line
As far as 12-string acoustic guitars go, this is a choice you can depend on for great visual and tonal value. Best of all, it is really affordable.
Guild F-2512E 12-String Acoustic Guitar
Specs, features, and benefits
This is the second Guild guitar we are reviewing in this article. This clearly shows that the brand is doing something right.
The F-2512E 12 is a jumbo body 12-string guitar aimed to serve their low to mid-range market. It is built with a solid Sitka spruce top, an arched maple back and maple sides. Guild’s arched back design is famed for its added volume, sustain and tonal fullness. That is what this guitar offers. The slim, C shaped neck is made from mahogany while the fretboard is made of pau ferro. The bridge is also made of pau ferro, the saddle compensated bone while the nut is made of bone.
At the headstock, you will find 12 G Shield closed gear in nickel tuning machines, which help keep the guitar in tune. Powering the electronic section is the Guild and Fishman AP1 with Sonicore pickup. This provides an efficient way to amplify the guitar. This is a simple but highly desirable guitar that offers great value at an affordable price.
Pros and Highlights
- Tone – Delivers a rich, full tone with good projection.
- Build – It’s lovely and very well-built.
- Playability – It plays really nicely.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Case – The includes gig bag may not provide much protection.
Bottom Line
This is a really affordable guitar from Guild. It is lovely to look at, well-built and also delivers a really lovely and rich tone which projects nicely even when unplugged. Plugged, it still offers the same tonal quality only a lot louder.
What We Recommend and Why
It’s been a really interesting journey reviewing these nine 12-string guitars. Every single guitar that made this list had something to offer. However, we must select one from the list as our top choice.
After careful consideration, our Top 12-String Acoustic Guitar award goes to the Takamine EF381SC 12-String Acoustic-Electric Guitar. Though it happens to be among the most expensive on our lists, the value it offers certainly matches or even exceeds its price.