Tuning down a Guild 12 string

[Van_Cowart]

I will be purchasing an F512 within the next 3 to 4 weeks and I plan on having it tuned down one whole step. I like my action as low as possible so my question is should I have the guitar set up with a heavier gauged strings or should I keep light strings on it?

Every guitar is different. The "official" Guild site recommends tuning ALL Guild 12's down. Take a look there. I perform on a JF-65. I use a capo 95% of the time and I have as of late (the last 8 mos.) had Elixer's strung on my guitar - with custom sizes on the 11th and 9th strings to facilitate tuning and use of the capo.
I'd suggest finding an owner of a like Guild somewhere nearby that can turn you on to a REAL luthier that can take care of your setup to make you happy.

Van

 

[d-rock]

The "official" Guild site recommends tuning ALL Guild 12's down.

http://www.guildguitars.com/resources/guild_guitar_care.php
Scroll down to "Tuning 12 String Guitars" section

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

CS, some folks use lights but replace the 2 bass strings with mediums, in order to get a deeper bass out of their 12 string.

Now I have a question!
If I use medium guage strings and tune to D, how will the tension one the neck compare to tuning to standard {E} using lights?

 

[count savage]

Well, that's what I did. I tuned the F 512 down to D and put on medium gauge strings and had it adjusted accordingly. According to my Guild expert and luthier, Will at Spruce Tree Music, www.sprucetree.com, the the tension should not be a problem since the guitar is tuned down a step. He also said, as has another luthier in town, that he sees more problems on the bridge pulling up from tension on 12-strings, than neck problems. Anyway, I'm keeping an eye on it, but so far it seems fine and you really get more bass on the low end and a bit more rich treble up on the upper end. I will warn you, though, that it takes considerably more effort and strength in your chording fingers, to the point that I was developing 'guitar elbow' until I got used to it.

 

[taabru45]

Always kept my 12s tuned to 440, figuring that the manufacturers designed them that way.

Never a problem with my G312 or earlier F212, or my '73 Ovation. '69 Aria bent like a bow after a few years, but so did their 6 strings, I gather.

I've also had a difficult time with a regular capo on a 12 - to get the octave strings properly fretted I had to cinch the capo down so tight that the regular strings were always sharp. Only solution I found was the "Heriba Capidastro" (apologies for the cellphone pic)

I found that all those little teeth (covered in use with a thin surgical rubber sleeve) give the flexibility to make capoing a 12 string possible without constant retuning.

That looks suspiciously like it is a "Joker" inspired capo. It may actually bite....I'd be careful where you keep it John.....don't recommend your pants pocket... :lol: Steffan

 

[Metalman]

I will be purchasing an F512 within the next 3 to 4 weeks and I plan on having it tuned down one whole step. I like my action as low as possible so my question is should I have the guitar set up with a heavier gauged strings or should I keep light strings on it?

williams,

Strings are cheap, I'd say leave it with the lighter gauge strings and see how you like it. Yes, the action will be much lower, and you will enjoy sitting around the house effortlessly playing your new F-512. It will feel like butter.

BUT, if and when you play with others, you will find, that you - and the rest of us as well - play harder and a lower action will "ping out", if you know what I mean. And then you might opt for a heavier gauge.

I played a late '60s F-212 in Matt Umanov the other day, and he had it tuned down one whole step, and had medium gauge silk and steel strings on it. It played well, and sounded real warm and bassy. Not at all like my 1970 F-212, which is strung with light gauge, and tuned to pitch.

Dennis

 

[jgwoods]

I love my '67 f-312. ... (Anyone recognize the "signature" of the capo that did the dirty deed?) ...

jgm

yep looks like one of those old stretchy Dunlop elastic capos married your neck on a hot day. I think I still have a few kicking around- not clamped on any necks though.

 

[shepke]

That's a Jim Dunlop capo alright. I use these on my 1968 F 30 and 1974 F 112. The reason is that the rubber on the neck grip of a Shub or a Kyser (as convenient as these capos are) can react with older Guild finishes and pull bits of laquer off (even if it's left on for only a relatively short while). I learned this the hard way. With newer guitars this doesn't seem to be a big problem but on older Guilds, beware! On the other hand, I can leave the Dunlop capo on my 12 string (which is tuned down to D) all the time without any problems. A similar issue applies to older finishes when the guitar is left for long periods on a stand where the synthetic padding comes into contact with the neck and body - it tends to react with the laquer finish, which can become discolored over time.

As far as string gauges on a 12 string are concerned, try a mixed gauge. I use a light set but replace the 10s with 12s, the 14s with 16s or even 17s, and the octave G with an 11. This will keep your action relatively low while maintaining a fuller sound with less buzzing when you play hard. The best of both worlds.

 

[MarkRobertD225]

Leo Kottke tunes to C# with medium gauge strings, but he isn't playing a Guild and his 12's have specialized light bracing on the top. I did like the idea of mixing the guages on a std. light 12 string set. Do a search on here- I think I saw where someone gave the string dimensions of a couple different "custom" sets.

 

[capnjuan]

Do a search on here- I think I saw where someone gave the string dimensions of a couple different "custom" sets.

Hi Mark ... you did see it ... all the way to page 5 of Maestro David's 12-String thread. As I suggested to another BBer, if you have something to add on the subject of custom string sets and gauges, put it in that thread ... doing so will bump it to the top. Best regards, CJ