Did my guitar break me, or am I just suffering new guitar fever?

[Stonehauler]

So...my F512 finally came after 9 months of waiting and this is a thing of sonic beauty. I absolutely love the shimmer, vibrancy, power, and subtlety, that this thing can put out. But yesterday, I finally put it away to take up my older 6 string guitar so I can keep working on my lessons (I was working on them with my 12 string before).

Thing is, it just sounded so flat (not off pitch, just...flat) and it felt almost unnatural in my hand. I found it harder to do barre chords on my old one and it just didn't...feel as joyous maybe?

I love all my guitars, but I am wondering if my guild broke me for other guitars, of is this just something that happens and eventually I will feel this same passion for the 6 string again? Has this happened to any of you? If so, what helped? Is this something you even want to get over?

I've been in love with the 12 string sound since I was young and the music of the 60s-80s just cemented it my my soul. Folk, rock, country...anything with a 12 string sang to me. John Denver, Eagles, Bon Jovi..even the soundtrack from the old animated version of the Hobbit.

I know that many people think of the 12 string as a situational guitar, but do any of you play one as their main guitar? If so, is there anything you would rather play on a 6 string over your 12?

 

[Brad Little]

12 string was my first (and only for years) good guitar, so it was my only option and shaped my playing for most things (ignoring classical, which I pursued for years). Today I prefer it for many things, but not all, mostly using a flatpick vs. fingers or hybrid on a six. I also find six is better for lead playing and jazzy/swing rhythms.

 

[Stagefright]

What kind of 6 string do you have?

If it helps, I tend to play one until I get bored and then grab another from the closet. There is something about re-connecting with an old friend that is better, to me, than buying a new guitar. Most are higher end Guild acoustics and they are perfectly happy sitting in the closet waiting for their turn.

I don't play 12 String, so I can't help there.

 

[Stonehauler]

What kind of 6 string do you have?

If it helps, I tend to play one until I get bored and then grab another from the closet. There is something about re-connecting with an old friend that is better, to me, than buying a new guitar. Most are higher end Guild acoustics and they are perfectly happy sitting in the closet waiting for their turn.

I don't play 12 String, so I can't help there.

I own a Taylor 814ce dlx and a 1990s vintage Sigma as acoustics. Both were purchased new by me.

 

[Stagefright]

The Taylor is a fine guitar. I'm leaning towards a bad case of new guitar fever. It's nothing time, or the purchase of another Guild or two, can't fix.

 

[chazmo]

So...my F512 finally came after 9 months of waiting and this is a thing of sonic beauty. I absolutely love the shimmer, vibrancy, power, and subtlety, that this thing can put out. But yesterday, I finally put it away to take up my older 6 string guitar so I can keep working on my lessons (I was working on them with my 12 string before).

Thing is, it just sounded so flat (not off pitch, just...flat) and it felt almost unnatural in my hand. I found it harder to do barre chords on my old one and it just didn't...feel as joyous maybe?

I love all my guitars, but I am wondering if my guild broke me for other guitars, of is this just something that happens and eventually I will feel this same passion for the 6 string again? Has this happened to any of you? If so, what helped? Is this something you even want to get over?

I've been in love with the 12 string sound since I was young and the music of the 60s-80s just cemented it my my soul. Folk, rock, country...anything with a 12 string sang to me. John Denver, Eagles, Bon Jovi..even the soundtrack from the old animated version of the Hobbit.

I know that many people think of the 12 string as a situational guitar, but do any of you play one as their main guitar? If so, is there anything you would rather play on a 6 string over your 12?

For me there's no situation where I won't use my 12-string. I play everything finger style (well, *very* occasionally I break out a pick). Frankly, I know how you feel, Stonehauler. I've had that experience most of my life, and personally I think the 12-string is an addictive sound. Not everyone cottons to it, but I'm a 12-stringer for life.

That doesn't mean that I don't enjoy playing 6-string guitars. It just means that I almost always reach for a 12. Having said that, I don't play out much, and perhaps if I did I'd want the contrast.

 

[crank]

I predict you will return to your Taylor. I'm not a Taylor fan but the 814 is a great guitar.

I rotate between my 412 and my 6-strings and often it depends on which has newer strings. I love newer strings but I hate changing them.

I tend to bring both to gigs but have, at times just brought one or the other. Some bluegrass songs I don't like to use the 12 for, but, I often do, to the dismay and chagrin of the bluegrass po po.

 

[Br1ck]

One. Change strings.

Two. Take it to a pro for a setup. If you've had it for five years have a level and crown

 

[cupric]

Nothing.....nothing!!!!.... Sings like a Guild jumbo 12 string! But a jumbo 6 might help.

 

[gjmalcyon]

Nothing.....nothing!!!!.... Sings like a Guild jumbo 12 string! But a jumbo 6 might help.

This.

A jumbo 6-er might scratch that itch.

 

[redta]

I know exactly how you feel. My Tacoma F512 is great and hard to put down. I like to put together a song list for each of my guitars so when I play with the guys, I not only play a different guitar but different music. Keeps me well rounded. My buddies like to guess what I'm bringing that night. My F-512, X-170, F50R or maybe Strat. It's great having choices.

 

[Cougar]

I love all my guitars, but I am wondering if my guild broke me for other guitars, of is this just something that happens and eventually I will feel this same passion for the 6 string again? Has this happened to any of you? If so, what helped? Is this something you even want to get over?

As I mentioned over at AGF, if you're anything like me, that 12-string will crowd out your other guitars. It might not be "All 12-strings, all the time" but it'll be close. And no, it's not something you even want to get over. Major congrats!

 

[Midnight Toker]

My first guitar was a cheap nylon string, then I got a mid level Yamaha 12 string, so it was the guitar I played exclusively for several years before diving head first into electrics. I recently got another 12, a Westerly RI made D412NT I got for under $300 and spent the past 2 months slowly leveling the bridge w/ a JLD Bridge Doctor (w/ the 6 brass pins) I've only started playing it 2-3 weeks ago and it's bringing back many fond memories of when I was really woodshedding for several hours a day in my bedroom of my parent's house. LOVE the big sound, especially when flatpicking. For basic chord strumming, I do find it a bit too much of an undefined "wash" of sound which is probably best suited when accompanying another guitar. I don't see it as ever being a main guitar I'll pick up with regularity, but it definitely fills a necessary void I had in my available guitar voicings.

An electric 12, an acoustic 6 upgrade, and I'm done w/ ever needing to buy another guitar. All my bases are pretty well covered.

Here's my new (to me) Guild 12. (Acoustic/electric)

 

[Br1ck]

Give it six months to a year to judge the true reality.