Need an electric 12 string

[mixmkr 2023]

Budget... waaay under $1k for sure. Fake Ric from Harley Benton? Artcore 12 string? Dan Electro? Strictly for home studio use, and the acoustics aren't doing it. Need it for the Tom Petty, Byrds kinda jangle.
The Harley Bentons are getting my attention the most. Wadda yuz guys have experience with. zillions of youtubes, of course....but so many can't even play guitar and have no business doing guitar product demo/reviews. ...not to mention phone audio quality.

 

[drmordo]

My standard reply - Line 6 Variax. The Ric sounds on them are great.

Tuning a 12 string is a science project.

 

[lammie200]

Danelectro. I had one. It was great.

 

[Dan German]

If you want the Ric jangle it should be strung like a Ric. Not sure if the H-B ones are, but worth checking. People seem to say good things about Harley Benton’s bang for buck. Personally I’m a Danelectro kind of guy.

 

[mixmkr 2023]

If you want the Ric jangle it should be strung like a Ric. Not sure if the H-B ones are, but worth chchecking

I'm pretty sure only the Ric has the reverse string thing....but other than cutting a new nut and swapping saddles, what would.prevent doing that to a Harley Benton? And why didn't they do that anyway?
For $250....they look kind "Ric-ish" too. ...which to me is kinda nice. You won't fool any other guitar players...but thats not the point. They'd probably pass in a casual tribute band...but maybe not. Any rate...home studio use only and smaller body is nice as well.

 

[Dan German]

I'm pretty sure only the Ric has the reverse string thing....but other than cutting a new nut and swapping saddles, what would.prevent doing that to a Harley Benton? And why didn't they do that anyway?

It wouldn’t be crazy hard to switch it. At that price, they’re using ready-made nut and bridge, so I guess I can see why they wouldn’t do anything extra that would push the price up. They do look nice (I was actually just checking them out minutes before you started this thread!).

 

[RCinMempho]

My standard reply - Line 6 Variax. The Ric sounds on them are great.

Tuning a 12 string is a science project.

They do sound good. Second option is a DigiTech Mosaic pedal. It's close enough for live work, but if he's recording, it might not make him happy.

 

[mixmkr 2023]

THX...yeah..the Variax or a pedal would not cut it. I have a Helix which imo has excellent pitch shifting. Looking for a real "fake" Ric (lol)....I think is my best economic option.
Thx!

 

[Donny Osmond fan]

Italia. Used.

 

[JRicoC]

I hate to be this guy, but a non-Rick will not give you that classic Byrds/Harrison/Petty sound. Models from Eastwood, Reverend, Danelectro, or even Harley Benton all sound good, and have their own unique sound signatures.

I haven't seen reviews, but the Guild Starfire I-12 looks live a good option to try your hand:

Guild Guitars | Starfire I-12

Guild's most affordable 12-String electric guitar expands into the Starfire I series with the Starfire I-12.

guildguitars.com

 

[mixmkr 2023]

Yes....I have am orig 67 Stsrfire III. ...and totally understand the non-Ric aspect. Hence even more so on pitch shifters.

 

[msalama]

How about saving some more and getting yourself a 60's Coronado XII? They're not that expensive, at least if you get a slightly modded one.

 

[iamjethro]

I have a Dean Boca. It has humbudkers and is semi hollow. Still sounds jangly enough to me. There is a video on youtube where a guy compares the Ric and the Dean and for 1/8 the price or so the Dean actually sounds very comparable.

 

[mixmkr 2023]

How about saving some more and getting yourself a 60's Coronado XII? They're not that expensive, at least if you get a slightly modded one.

If I could find one. Actually had one in the 80's...weird headstock and all. It was hard to play though...but I'd certainly revisit.

 

[msalama]

It was hard to play though

Yeah, the narrow neck must be a hindrance. I've never played one myself, granted, but one of my friends once had one and he made it sound pretty good! Gotta get one myself in the fullness of time methinks...

 

[Ed Storer]

I had a Schecter C/SH12 some years back. Semi-hollow, excellent workmanship, dual humbuckers with coil tap. Played nice, but I could never sound like Roger McGuinn - but I didn't have huge compression on it either, not the technique to make it happen, even on a Ric 330-12.

 

[idjster]

I've got a Danelectro 12 string. Great guitar. I also had a Fender 12 string for a while but I couldn't bond with it. The neck was so narrow!

 

[JRicoC]

I had a Schecter C/SH12 some years back. Semi-hollow, excellent workmanship, dual humbuckers with coil tap....

I have a Schecter T-SH/1 and it is pretty much flawless. Every aspect of the guitar is exceptional. I would imagine that the 12-string version would be similarly great and familiar ...

 

[Ed Storer]

I have a Schecter T-SH/1 and it is pretty much flawless. Every aspect of the guitar is exceptional. I would imagine that the 12-string version would be similarly great and familiar ...

I had one of those as well. Nice guitar but it didn't survive one of my fits of "herd thinning".
ot sure about the T-SH/1, but I think the 12 was exclusive to MF/GC.

 

[Joe-Bob]

I recommend the Reverend Airwave.