12-String
A Heritage of Easy-Playing 12-Strings
In the early days of Taylor Guitars, Bob Taylor's acoustic 12-strings proved to be game changers. Until then, playing a 12-string was a physical chore, between their chunky necks, extra string tension, and high action. Most had to be tuned down just to make them playable. But Taylor's 12-strings featured slim necks and low action, allowing them to be played comfortably at concert pitch. As word spread that Taylor made the most playable 12-strings around, many artists added one to their acoustic arsenal.
Neil Young in concert with a Taylor 855 in 1978
Making 12-Strings More Broadly Accessible
Fast-forward to the arrival of Andy Powers, Bob Taylor's handpicked guitar design successor, who has inherited a rich 12-string heritage and added to it, much like he did with the revoicing of Taylor's flagship rosewood 800 Series. The goal: to broaden the appeal of the 12-string playing experience to suit a diverse mix of players and musical applications. The result is an inspiring suite of new 12-string models, covering all five Taylor body styles and spanning nearly the entire line. "Each 12-string instrument can play a uniquely different role for each player," Andy says. "That's why we've pursued different designs. I think this collection gives players a lot of different and inviting options."
Video: Andy talks about Taylor's new 12-strings
Taylor 12-Strings by Shape
Grand Concert 12-Fret
A small-body 12-string offers a comfortable option for players who find a bigger body unwieldy. Standout traits include the slinky handfeel and responsiveness, along with a surprising amazing amount of tonal power, depth and warmth for a small body. The sonic focus and detail are ideal for recording or performance because the voice will fit cleanly into a mix.
Video: Andy Powers talks about small-body 12 strings
Browse Grand Concert 12-string models »
Dreadnought
The slightly broader waist of the Dreadnought shape helps bring out the lower midrange frequencies. On a 12-string, it generates a thick, husky midrange power that complements the crispness and shimmer of the octave strings.
Browse Dreadnought 12-string models »
Grand Auditorium
The comfortable body size and musical versatility of the Grand Auditorium form the foundation of a great utility 12-string guitar. One current offering, the 454ce SB, features solid rosewood paired with Sitka spruce, and makes a great option for someone looking to add some 12-string flavor to their musical toolbox for songwriting or adding sonic texture into recording or performance.
Browse Grand Auditorium 12-string models »
Featured 12-String Guitars
354ce
$2,599
PS54ce
$12,199
352ce
$2,599
362ce
$2,799
552ce
$3,599
Frequently Asked Questions - 12-String Guitars
What's included with a new Taylor 12-string guitar?
As with all Taylor acoustic guitars, our 12-string guitars include a few essential items:
- Strings: All 12-string guitars from Taylor are strung with a set of D'Addario XS Coated Phosphor Bronze Light (.010 - .047) guitar strings. These strings feature a protective coating that helps prevent dirt and oils from attaching to the guitar strings, which keeps them sounding fresh and clear for longer.
- Carrying case: All Taylor guitars include some form of guitar protection. Depending on the model you choose, your 12-string guitar will ship with a deluxe hardshell case (models from the 300 Series and above as well as DLX models from other series), an AeroCase or a gig bag. Our gig bags are crafted with a sturdy padding that gives them structure to protect your guitar from damage.
- Setup: Every Taylor guitar, including 12-string guitars, is meticulously set up at our factory before being shipped out to customers or dealers. That means we set the neck angle and string height (action) and tune your guitar to concert pitch (standard tuning), so when it arrives, it should be ready to play.
What is the Taylor Guitars return policy?
Taylor Guitars accepts returns on almost all products within 30 days of purchase. For more information on our return policy, visit our customer service section.
Does Taylor make custom 12-string guitars?
Taylor’s custom shop does craft 12-string acoustic guitars as well as a few T5z 12-string electric guitars. Our custom guitar program lets players work with an authorized dealer to select from a range of features to create your ideal Taylor guitar. Elements available for customization include body shape, back and side wood, top wood, and visual appointments (inlays, binding, pickguards, and more).
Please note that certain features, such as uncommon tonewoods or appointment materials, may not always be available through our custom shop. We recommend working directly with a sales representative at your favorite local Taylor retailer to determine available features and build your custom guitar.
Is there a significant difference between 12-string and 6-string guitars?
Yes and no.
It’s true that 12-string acoustic guitars offer a unique playing experience with a highly distinctive sound that sets them apart from standard 6-string acoustic guitars. A 12-string guitar features six paired string courses—the first and second string pairs (high E and B) are tuned in unison (identical pitch), while the rest of the string pairs are tuned in octaves. The result is a singular tone voice with a rich, shimmering sound, serving up lush chords and sparkling individual notes. When you sit down to play a 12-string guitar, you’ll immediately hear the difference—it’s unmistakable.
However, while the sound of a 12-string guitar is quite different from that of a 6-string guitar, the two are actually played in virtually the same way. When you fret a note on a 6-string guitar, you hold down a string against the fretboard to alter its pitch; fretting a note on a 12-string guitar involves pressing down both strings of a pair with the same finger. So while it will feel slightly different to fret and pick or strum notes on a 12-string guitar, the basic technique is the same.
Some 12-string guitars are built with a longer scale length than 6-string guitars. However, Taylor has always emphasized comfort and playability in our acoustic guitars, so we build our 12-string guitars to the same scale length as their 6-string counterparts with the same body shape. So a Grand Auditorium 12-string model has a scale length of 25-½”, just like a 6-string guitar with the same body shape, and a 12-string Grand Concert guitar has a slightly shorter scale length of 24-⅞”, identical to a 6-string Grand Concert guitar.
Are 12-string guitars harder to play?
Depending on your skill and experience level as well as the strength and size of your fretting hand, you may find a 12-string acoustic guitar slightly more challenging to play than a 6-string guitar. For some players, pressing down a pair of strings can be slightly more difficult than holding down a single string. Many 12-string guitars, including those built by Taylor, also have a slightly wider fretboard to accommodate the additional strings. However, most players will adjust to the feel of a 12-string guitar with time and practice. And we think that our slender neck profile and low action helps compensate for any additional pressure required to hold down a pair of strings, so opting for a 12-string guitar from Taylor over another manufacturer is likely to minimize the challenge.
How do the different body shapes of Taylor's 12-string guitars affect their sound and playability?
You’ll find that different body shapes affect the tone and feel of 12-string guitars more or less as they do with 6-string guitars. As a general rule, you can expect a larger body to produce more projection and volume, usually with a deeper low-end response, while a smaller body shape will have a more articulate sound—which is why we often recommend smaller shapes like the Grand Concert for fingerstyle players.
Taylor currently produces 12-string guitars in our Grand Concert, Grand Auditorium, Dreadnought and Jumbo body shapes, as well as the 657ce Doce Doble (a Grand Pacific dreadnought). Here’s what you can expect from each.
Grand Concert:
- Our most compact full-scale body shape
- Offers an intimate feel that sits comfortably in your lap while seated
- Generates an articulate sound with pristine trebles; notes are clear and distinct from each other
- Ideal for fingerstyle play and recording applications
Grand Auditorium:
- An original Taylor body shape known for a highly versatile tone that performs well across a wide range of styles, genres and applications
- Narrower waist than Dreadnought or Jumbo bodies, but slightly larger than the Grand Concert
- Clear, balanced sound across the frequency spectrum
- Yields enough projection and volume for almost any scenario
Dreadnought
- The “classic” acoustic guitar body shape; most traditional design offered by Taylor
- Wider waist than the Grand Concert and Grand Auditorium; sits a bit higher when you play while seated
- Big, commanding voice with a high volume ceiling and strong projection; expect more low-end presence
- Ideal for aggressive strumming and chord work
Jumbo
- Taylor’s largest body shape; only available in our Legacy Collection
- Wide lower bout with a narrower waist than the Dreadnought
- Yields a rich, bold sound with plenty of volume and projection; similar low-end response to the Dreadnought
- Also a great option for strummers and flatpickers
Are Taylor 12-string guitars good choices for live performances?
Taylor’s 12-string acoustic guitars are excellent options for a wide range of applications, including as an addition to your live sound. Because of their shimmering, octave-rich tone, 12-string guitars make a great tool for live shows, particularly as an accent sound or in accompaniment with six-string guitars and other instruments. However, many musicians feel that 12-string guitars are not appropriate for every style or musical scenario—if you attend a live performance where acoustic guitars are heavily featured, you’ll probably notice that 12-string guitars only appear in specific songs or arrangements. That doesn’t mean you can’t use a 12-string however you like; it just means that they have a unique sound that might not suit some applications. Some guitar players will use effects pedals or modeling amps to simulate the sound of a 12-string, even while playing an electric guitar. However, most players prefer the genuine sound of a 12-string acoustic guitar.
Most Taylor guitars, 12-string and otherwise, are equipped with electronics that make it easy to amplify your sound for live performances and recording applications. All Taylor 12-string models are currently equipped with Expression System 2 (ES2) electronics, which include a built-in pickup, preamp and volume/tone controls (with the exception of the Legacy 855e, which features the LR Baggs Element VTC pickup). The ES2 is famed for its clarity and sonic detail, authentically capturing your acoustic guitar’s sound and translating it through a guitar amplifier or PA system. It’s important to note that you’ll want to use a guitar amplifier specifically designed for acoustic sound, as electric guitar amplifiers will not accurately reproduce acoustic tone.
Which 12-string guitars are Taylor’s best sellers?
Our acoustic guitar lineup evolves often, so available 12-string models will change periodically. That said, there are a few models that are usually featured in our line that tend to be our best sellers in the 12-string range.
- 150e: This affordably priced Dreadnought acoustic-electric 12-string model features a solid spruce top paired with layered sapele back and sides. The solid spruce top is treated with our torrefaction process, a roasting procedure that adds a touch of aged-in warmth to the guitar’s tone. The 150e comes with built-in ES2 electronics and a gig bag.
- 250ce BLK-Plus: Featuring a striking all-black glossy finish and faux pearl dot inlays,, this Dreadnought 12-string acoustic-electric guitar features a solid spruce top paired with layered maple back and sides.
- 454ce SB: This newer 12-string model combines a solid spruce top with solid Indian rosewood back and sides. With our V-Class bracing inside, it yields a rich, blooming overtone profile along with warm low-end character and clear trebles. This Grand Auditorium guitar is available in natural gloss and sunburst gloss finishes, and includes a deluxe hardshell guitar case.
- 854ce: Hailing from our best-selling 800 Series, this Grand Auditorium 12-string acoustic electric features a solid Sitka spruce top and solid Indian rosewood back and sides. It also includes a smooth radius-style armrest for enhanced playing comfort and is appointed with Element fretboard inlays in mother of pearl, a rosewood pickguard, a green abalone rosette, and a full-body natural gloss finish. It ships with ES2 electronics and a deluxe hardshell guitar case.