12-STRING GUITAR...YOU'RE PLAYING IT WRONG! | FESLEY FDET280

[@TheGuitologist]

Buy a FESLEY FDET280: amzn.to/4bBLyHH 5%code：FesleyFG, Valid until February 29th.

[@EwetoobSucks]

What's the difference between the octave string first, or the base string first when string up a 12-string ? Personal preference, or is it an auditory thing ?

[@mars6433]

12 notes in the musical scale......12 strings on that guitar .......coincidence ??

[@54fighting5]

​@@mars6433 Don't forget 12 eggs in a carton, 12 months in a year. You can tune a guitar but you can't tune a fish!

[@jimsliverootsculturemusic]

@@54fighting5 And what were once vices are now habits. Whale meat again.

[@captainchaos3053]

His link does not work

[@Edward1312]

I always detune a full step, down to D then use a capo for songs in standard tuning. Detuning will also stop string tension ripping the guitar apart. The lower string tension due to detuning will also lower the action and make string breakages less likely.

[@jasonlee8497]

I did it as an experiment. Never went back. Fun to play

[@TheGuitologist]

That's a common thing a lot of players do. You're right it's smart from an engineering standpoint. Guitar is less likely to break. The only problem is the strings get so slack, especially if you're using light gauge to begin with, dropping a full step causes loss of power in the notes, loss of sustain, and more fret buzz.

[@jimsliverootsculturemusic]

Easier to play that wall of strings when they're under less tension too!

[@hoboroadie4623]

Lots of folks like the Guild 12-strings because they reputedly have solved the basic engineering issues.

[@ellenrugowski6255]

I've been playing 12-strings for a while, and I do the same thing. I know some players say that today's 12-strings can handle the string tension when to to Standard (Concert E), but ever since I bought a 70s Guild G212 at the Chicago Guitar Show 10 years ago, that I ended up realizing had always been tuned to Standard, and had a lifted bridge, a bulged top, and a neck that was pulling up, that needed a reset, I've always tuned down a full step (to Concert D). Besides, I like the darker tone of down tuned acoustics.

[@douglasncarter]

I must have watched 50 hours of guitar setups that didn't explain filing the nut, the angle towards the tuner, and what height above the first fret to set the slots at. You may say that there are tons of videos out there about setups, but for some reason the ones I've watched didn't do justice on filing the nut. This one did. Thanks.

[@johnny79309]

Yes , i have not seen the guages at the nut for filing purposes , it makes sense but it’s the first I’ve seen on youtube, regardless of what Stewart Macdonald as put on youtube

[@jpalberthoward9]

There was a guy who worked in a store in my neighborhood. He used to say: "Tuning a 12 string is like putting army boots on an epileptic centipede ".

[@TheGuitologist]

He was a wise man and a poet.

[@oldrrocr]

put on new strings and double lock them... makes a world of difference holding tune!!! (I also went very light strings)

[@MikePierce-u2p]

Epileptic Centipede? I remember them! Great band.....

[@ludwigfan3013]

Gordon Lightfoot never seemed to have this issue. That's probably why he was Gordon Lightfoot though.

[@jack002tuber]

@@ludwigfan3013A cheap 12 string would have changed that

[@WEdHarris]

Awesome review and I loved the cardboard box quote in closing! Gave me a chuckle! Thanks so much! Learned some great "set-up" tips!

[@thomaskafafian2871]

My dear friend Warren, RIP, always taught us to not pop a g string: tune up a little then back down a half, then up a little more, then down a half, that’s the way to not pop the string when you’re putting on new strings. Otherwise, you get a buildup between the nut and the tuners that can break. The other thing is, push down on the string above the nut to release the tension. You gotta wiggle it into tune.

[@JohnShalamskas]

If the nut slots were correctly filed in the first place, there would not be any uneven tension in the string between the tuning machine and the nut.

[@elusiveeskimo3013]

Like many guitarist I keep my 12-string guitars tuned down a full step and Capo 2 for standard tuning. It's less stress on the guitars, and my fingers during long sessions. A trick I was shown many years ago for new acoustic instruments is to place them on a stand in front of a stereo speaker, sound hole facing speaker, stereo playing music you like at a normal level. If you lightly touch the back of the instrument you will be able to feel the wood resonating with the music. Older wood instruments sound better than new cause their wood has been seasoned by the years of being played. What this resonate vibration is doing is helping speed up the seasoning process of the wood itself. 2-3 weeks (nonstop, 24/7) in front of a speaker this way will season the wood equally to what years of normal playing would eventually achieve. Works for all acoustic wood instruments. Brings out the truly beautiful sound the instrument will mature to have, years sooner.

[@tonyduncan9852]

What a smashing idea! _Of course_ it helps the wood settle under load and vibration. Thanks.

[@kevinmccann2294]

I keep mine Tunes to full 440 concert pitch without a capo. But I'm talking about a guild Westerly with a block reinforced neck at the body and double steel truss rods. Man this thing here fazeley or whatever it is $200 12 string😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@lbmeredith9839]

I've kept my 1971 Epiphone FT165 12 string in Standard E since buying it in Aug of 1975. Still play every Sundy for church.

[@brucefrye2292]

I have an Epiphone 12 string, with medium strings tuned to open C plays and sounds wonderful!

[@berniarmstrong]

I was advised to downtune and capo, some 40 years ago when I bought a Fender 12 and it has never given me any tension related problems since. I got it cheap because it had fallen over in the store and there was a minor dent on the lower edge of the fretboard. Unsure of whether any further damage would show itself over time, the guy in the shop reduced the price. It still sounds great to me and the dent has never been an issue.

[@jamestrotter3162]

I have a Takamine 12 string made with the Martin style headstock. My wife got it for me for Father's Day several years ago. She bought it used for $275.00 back in the 80's. It's a good guitar.

[@m1goodwin]

I had the same guitar I bought new (1978 F-400). Unfortunately it imploded and ripped itself apart after 12 years even though I had it tuned down one note. Keep an eye on the bridge and get a bridge doctor if you notice a bulge in the top. Part of my problem was that the action was too high and I was too inexperienced to realize it could be corrected.

[@BARNOWLFLEDGLINGS]

I have one too, bought it back in 1980, used for $175.00. However the guitar had challenges with the top lifting from the bridge. My luthier resolved the issue, but here’s the fun part. Several years ago, my producer turned me onto Nashville High String Tuning, stringing up a 6 string guitar, using only 12 string high strings (check out Keef’s acoustic guitar playing on the Sticky Fingers track “Wild Horses), so one day I decided to string up my 12 string Tak. in Nashville High String. The end result was… WOW! ❤ It’s like having a guitar version of a mandolin, love it so, we use it in the studio to enhance tracking. Check it out you’ll be glade you did. Also play around with 432hz tuning too. What was good for Mozart is good for all. 😊

[@ludwigfan3013]

I have one of these too. I had to pawn it a few years back and it's one of the few things that I pawned where the place was willing to offer me more money than what I was originally asking for. Luckily I got it back out and never pawned it since

[@DG-mv6zw]

You married your daughter? 😂

[@firebald2915]

Like they say about headstocks, you can't play a rosette, either. Cosmetics. We love natural patina and wear.

[@tylerpunkbassist]

I inherited an old Estrella 12 string from my great uncle and I always keep it in open d. Absolutely beautiful sounding in that tuning

[@VirginiaWolf88]

Great Pointers. I have a 12 string but I never thought about some of your pointers. Thank You!!! I like the way that you play!

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks! Usually people just tell me they’re doing fine by themselves and to F off.

[@DovidM]

On most of Lonnie Johnson’s recordings with a 12 string, he had two strings for each of the top three (G, B and E) and a single string for each of the three lower strings (E, A and D). This made it a 9 string.

[@DovidM]

I had put my source in a reply but KZbin doesn’t like URLs.

[@damienmaccearnaigh7958]

Weirdly, Brent Hinds of Mastodon and Matt Pike of Sleep/High On Fire have that same setup on custom First Act electrics to play nasty metal. Really is nothing new under the sun, is there?

[@denniswilliams2385]

I wrote many of my best songs with the exact same setup. And to think that I actually had an original thought! 🤪

[@solidtmj]

9 strings used to be a thing back in like the 80s. They have some on reverb.

[@TheOrigamiPeople]

You taught me a lot about 12 strings during this .thank you.i have a Maton 12 string and you inspired me to use it today instead of the 6 string

[@gullywompr]

Man, the amount of information you presented in this video went way beyond review. I learned a lot, and I've actually built an acoustic before! Thanks.

[@TheGuitologist]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Markuson3]

Truly love your A.D.D. tinged communicating tendencies. Seriously do. Not an insult. You do exactly what I do with the caveats, distractions and meandering. I find it just right for my own tendencies. PS. Tge most helpful ADD description is NOT an inability to pay attention. Instead, it’s closer to an inability to NOT pay attention to……EVERYTHING at the same time. Sometimes that’s super helpful! Sometimes not. 💪🏻🤷🏻‍♂️👍🏼

[@scottsweet501]

I’ve been playing 12 strings for 58 years. I have always tuned standard with no problems with one exception. I am a luthier and know how to set it up properly. Thank you for identifying the “idiot wrap” on the string posts. I tune starting with the D string then G then B then A then high E then low E. I go through this process at least three times at a gig and have very little re-tuning over the course of the gig. I play at least 50% of my tunes on my 12. Currently a Taylor jumbo that was not built with electronics. I’ve been putting pickups in acoustic guitars since the mid 70’s, so I disagree about piezos. BTW, everything forward of the X brace is dead as far as affecting the sound. All of the sound is produced from the X brace to the end block. I was glad to see you adjust the truss rod with full tension on the strings. Filing the nut requires finesse and making sure to file at a down angle so that the back edge of the nut towards the first fret is the point where the string touches the nut last, otherwise the string can vibrate somewhere along the slot and cause an irritating buzz.

[@AlexMillerCountry]

Jimmy Bryant tuned it in 3rds so you could twin yourself! I’ve really wanted to try that!

[@FesleyMusic]

Thanks for checking out every detail of it and giving it a new look! This has helped us with future design and production, and thanks to everyone in the comments section for your insights, we'll be looking at it and referencing it carefully, it's much appreciated🙏🙏

[@X-pe7ig]

I detune all of my guitars in a similar fashion; less string tension, and thus, easier to play. Many professionals employ this detuning method. Another consideration would be the ability to use a heavier gauge string set, offering a different dimension in overall tone produced by a particular instrument. Part of the fun is determining what works for your instrument; i.e, string, composition and manufacturer (flat wound versus round wound, phosphor bronze or nylon, etc). Cheers!

[@FesleyMusic]

@@X-pe7ig Thank you for sharing! Cheers!

[@zensational.]

This is a terrible review honestly, very unprofessional. Could of been a 5 minute video, and provided more information in that 5 mins then this guy did in almost a full hour. I have been a professional guitar player for 10 yrs, I do woodworking and make instruments as well. I'd be happy to review instruments and give feedback on simple things that would greatly improve quality.

[@zensational.]

Drying and curing your wood longer in general will help everything, especially the frets on fretboards - they pop out as the wood dries. The rosette and bindings mean nothing to the sound of the guitar, just an ego cosmetic touch. I'd suggest making a model with no pick guard and no rosette - for fingerstyle guitar. The nuts being properly slotted to the correct depth is crucial for intonation and playability. Quality of strings and nut/bridge materials are crucial to a decent sound as well.

[@AlanYeeOfficial]

The ending of the video is a perfect dismount---judge's score: 10/10 🤣

[@joeman5220]

Those unfinished frets and the nut slot fixes are an example of what Brad said. They cut corners to keep the price lower. After Brad fixed those parts it sounded great

[@xHadesStamps]

Better that than something that can’t be fixed

[@lancethrustworthy]

Man, ya had me tearin' up there near the end. Mighty fine pluckin'. I can see why the guitar company asked you to check out their stuff. Nice video.

[@devlin0208]

I've got a 50+ year old Alvarez I traded a tent for when I was a kid and embarked on my guitar journey. I've got way too many guitars now, but I will always love my 12 strings. That Alvarez is a great guitar and I I've since got a couple Ric 12s and a Gibson Hummingbird 12, they are fun and add a lot to the mix on the right song. And the strings usually last a long time.

[@cloudbudget]

Thanks for the excellent review!! The Fez sounds nice! The Cardboard Box wisdom had me laughing!! Thanks for adding that part to conclude matters!!

[@martyrocks2091]

I love 12 stringers. Spend half my time tuning it and the other half playing out of tune lol. Got a Yamaha in the 90s. Only took 10 years of playing in standard tuning before the bridge started to lift. I repaired it and don't tune it any higher than E flat now. Great, informative content. I enjoyed this, Brad. Liked and subbed. 👍

[@54fighting5]

Interpretation of the true words on the cardboard box:😉 "When you tune a Fesley you tune your soul...which we own...along with your electronics, your pharmaceuticals, your medical supplies, your musical instruments, everything you buy from Amazon/Temu/WalMart, and of course your President. Your Fesley guitar is your heartbeat. Please enjoy it and take it everywhere...we put a gps tracker in it 👀." Signed- Sook Mi Dong Fesley BTW loved the video. Watching the process as you were figuring it out was cool.👍

[@-dazz-]

Funny you would say that, considering that Trump is in Putin's pocket, who in turn is Xi Jingpin's bitch.

[@BIZARBIES]

Dong is a pretty honest guy 😂

[@CameraLaw]

Thanks. Been binging 12-string videos while awaiting delivery of my first one. Much useful info and advice.

[@rafaelcuadra5009]

I have been a fan for a while now, and I really like this demo of this guitar. I could tell by lookig at this vid that you like this 12 string and enoy playing acoustic guitars, a nice smoothe style...your time put into this is clear. Again, very nice!!!

[@pianoman4rent]

I don't know if you want feedback or not but I'll put some in and it can be ignored or used. Overall I think that this was a pretty good video. A couple things stood out that taught me some things and I saw some age-old rookie things that many people do and they aren't super bad things but here goes. I would guess that about 95% of people don't know how to properly use a file. A file generally has teeth or cutting edges and most people, when filing, move the file back and forth. This is something I learned many years ago so indulge an old man here. When you file, only put slight pressure on the file and know how the "teeth" on your file are. Usually, you file in only one direction and that is typically determined by holding the file in your hand and apply slight pressure and move the file away from the handle, if you have a handle and if not, move the file away from the gripping part. Picture holding the file in your hand with your index finger pointing towards the end of the file, away from the grip or handle. A file used in this type of work and even with metal is designed to only "cut" one way. The reason why this is important is that it extends the life of the file and if you want to go to the lengths of using the file best, in the way it's designed and have the file work the best is to have a cloth, like a rough washcloth draped over your leg or arm of a chair so you can wipe filings off your file. Keeping your file clean from buildup and filing in only one direction allows you accuracy and keeps any buildup from affecting your adjustments. This may seem like a lot of trouble but if you establish practices like this, you will not be hesitant to work on any guitar from a cheapie to an expensive Martin plus it becomes second nature and actually allows you to work faster, easier and more efficient and accurately. If you do this, you don't risk buildup to affect your adjustments in a negative way by having to file and measure as much and it eliminates the risk of buildup affecting your work. Trust me, you may hate it at first but will be glad you did it, down the road. Also wipe your files often and you can even buy a file cleaner, which is like a wire brush but designed to clean files so clean them often as properly cleaned and maintained tools are just a good practice. My preference in tuning a guitar is to press down on the string you are tuning with your fingers on your picking hand. Since I started doing this about 35 or 40 years ago, I think I may have broken one string. This takes the slack out while tuning and allows the string tension to be less and I find that when I am finishing the fine tuning it takes less time, the strings stay tuned better and the strings break less. I play both electric and acoustic guitar and I do pretty drastic bends and again, I don't break strings. Thanks for the tips on filing the nut towards the peg of the string. I appreciate your sharing your knowledge as even a 60 year pro learned something. I feel that sharing knowledge is how I learned and hope to pass my knowledge and experience along as I have worked on many guitars that people that have played for years wouldn't have attempted so for you younger guys, start on cheaper guitars and grow your experience. Never fear knowledge and share your successes and screw-ups with others as everyone wins. Thanks again for the video and hope I added and didn't piss you off.😂

[@kwright3929]

Great video. Nice to see a guy who knows what he's talking about. And his playing at the end section is really tasty. A real musician who knows the guitar 👏

[@colauty2598]

Brilliant ! we can always learn something by listening - I learned to tune the thicker strings first, alternating top and bottom, then I tune in thin strings, ending on the G thinnest, equates the tension - anyway, cheers, entertaining and very useful information you give !!

[@fredstevens799]

tuning is much simpler that way! - the Rickenbacker 12-strings are reverse strung and easier to tune for that reason - tune the fat string normally and the octave you can tune by ear!

[@djblanch]

Very thorough and comprehensive. I have to call "click bait" on your title, though. I've been playing my 12-string RIGHT since 1972. My first decent guitar was a Lyle Hummingbird 6-string, bought in 1966, but an 8th grade teacher brought his 12-string to play Civil War songs for the class, and I HAD to have one, so my folks got me a no-brand one (used) for Christmas. When I went away to college in 1972, someone in the dorms had a Lyle Hummingbird 12-string that they were willing to sell, so I sold mine and for $100 I had a matching pair of Humingbirds. I've played that 12-string for over 50 years, on and off, in standard tuning. The biggest revelation I've had related to playing it was when an older fellow student took out his 12-string and started playing it with banjo picks! (I found out later he also played 5-string banjo AND classical guitar.) We started a folk group together, and I've used banjo picks ever since (and also learned to play 5-string banjo, although not extremely well!) Since the thumb pick always strums down, it's easy to do the strokes you recommend for runs on the lower strings. The only problem I had with my Lyle 12 was when the trapeze bridge broke -- one of the dividers between two of the strings snapped. Since the strings are doubled at the lower end, and it had ball-end strings, more force was put on the slots. Fortunately, I was able to find a very similar trapeze bridge to replace it, since there was no way to repair it. Worth the effort!

[@YARNBARF]

I wish I knew all this stuff when I got my first 12 string guitar, an Epiphone, in 1970. I didn't know anything about truss rods, filing down the nuts, etc. But I had awesome calluses on the tips of my fingers, lol!!

[@MetalMalc]

I had wandered into the local guitar store, picked a guitar at random, and sat down to play. The store owner congratulated me on being a very accurate finger-plucker ('especially on a 12-string'). I squinted at the strings and them at the guitar head. I was so drunk I hadn't noticed. I bought the guitar.

[@guitfidle]

Not too shabby for about $200. I got lucky and scored a really nice barely used Alvarez 12 string for $350. I see high nut slots all the time on new and used instruments. Recutting those slots is one of the first things I do whenever I get an instrument or repair one for someone else. It's surprising to most people how much of a difference that can make. Fret ends are probably the second most common fix 😁😁

[@Ira88881]

Alvarez is a real guitar. This thing isn’t.

[@guitfidle]

@@Ira88881 haha! Can't argue with that 🤣 I am really impressed with the build quality on mine. It's set up better than lower priced guitars from the big name guys, especially for a 12 string. Someone along the way was paing attention when they made the nut and the bridge, and the fret ends are nice and neat. 100% would recommend.

[@finmac5548]

Great nut setup technique and demo! I have always been always scared of trying to alter mine myself in case I effed it up but now, having seen the way you do it, I feel like I could tackle this job armed with the right tools….nice one dude.

[@rubecork7102]

Very interesting and informative! The ending was a special treat of humor! I'm going right now to watch the ending again.

[@Michael777Simmons]

Thank you so much for what you're doing. Thank you for standing on your principles. Don't forget your songs have volume. Charging more or less for your tickets can get in the way money is evil and it works in a lot of different ways.. Don't let them use money. As a wall to keep your light in.

[@MegaTubescreamer]

brad this is brilliant stuff, i bought a 2nd hand fender 12 string years ago just to learn `life by the drop`that intro is killer, all you did here was exactly as i did my upgrades, even marking the files with a felt tip pen! lmao, i kid you not, (the shop in leeds uk was closing down) so i got a bargain , great video brad thankyou 😇👍👍

[@TheFman2010]

Brilliant presentation. I learned a lot.

[@TheGuitologist]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Rusty-METAL-J]

Right from the jump, I was born in 79 and I love that your opening sequence is modeled after 80s & 90s HBO sequences

[@Rusty-METAL-J]

The extra pick guard is for you to autograph or customize. Also if the 1 on there gets scratched up from strumming, you already have 1 nice, new, shiny 1 in reserve. I love the pick guard shape. It's unusual and METAL. The wood is nice.

[@Rusty-METAL-J]

When you showed the site, those other guitars looked nice at a glance.

[@Rusty-METAL-J]

Yeah dye is nothing like die. But there's chemical dyes that if taken internally, will make you die.

[@Rusty-METAL-J]

I like my strings Sooooooooooooo close to the fretboard that a 3 year old could easily fret the notes. I'm just above string buzz. I'm using Dunlop Heavy Core TRIVIUM and KoRn 7-String sets on my Ibanez RG 7-String.

[@Rusty-METAL-J]

For a sticker, that rosette does look decent. It's got a satin pearlescent shine to that changes with the light.

[@andyfeldman2590]

On my Guild F512 I put the strings on the tuning posts as shown in the manual you showed at 1:06, with the “wrap back”. I’ve been doing that for decades on my many guitars and never had a problem or issue, and have always had stable tuning. That “wrap back” locks the strings from slipping. Why are you adverse to the “wrap back?”

[@rcflyer2k]

It is called a luthier's knot, it it the only way to wind your strings. Proof that folks on the internet don't have to know anything about the subject they ar ediscussing.

[@greg3030]

It’s not really necessary. I did it for a long time, saw some actual luthiers complaining about it, so I quit doing it and haven’t had any issues. But it’s guitars, so everyone can do whatever they want.

[@rcflyer2k]

@greg3030 only fake luthiers complain. They are just too lazy when taking the strings off. It improves timing retention greatly.

[@greg3030]

@@rcflyer2k Fakes? Like Greg Voros, or Ted Woodford? All I’m saying is I don’t notice any difference at all, except less hassle with no knot.

[@anthonyrmay1502]

Thanks for showing how to dress the frets. Your lesson is very clear and it's a good tip regarding the movement of the strings.

[@geneedwards5639]

I just discovered your channel; I’m hooked! Excellent explanations and demonstrations. Thank you from Gilbert, AZ.

[@n8iws484]

I learned a lot of things I didn't know about 12 strings. Still my favorite guitar sounds. Thanks Brad.

[@Bbbbad724]

I have played 12 string up until I broke my left shoulder, shattered it actually. I love the 12 string, I wrote a lot of songs with a 1954 German made Hofner. It was destroyed by my nephew. I have an Epiphone 12 string that I had to go through Hell to set it up and make it playable. The nut had to be replaced, someone strung it left handed. I had to replace the nut and put a bone nut and filed it and put new strings on. It plays OK but not like the Hofner. I haven’t bonded with it yet. I have a MIM 52Reissue Tele. And a Silvertone Strat that I want to put a set of Cathybuckers in a twin H pickguard. The 12 string was the hardest setup I have ever done. But that Hofner was an old friend I could sing my soul to.

[@bretthibbs6083]

I love the sound of a 12 string guitar it really does sound great. I remember when I was a teen down in Florida there was a place at John's Pass near Treasure Island Florida that had a one man band there and he played the 12 string and he was really good in fact I think I still have one of his tapes that I bought from him.

[@luckyrocks1]

Nice work! I started watching your channel years ago for your amp repair knowledge and now find myself learning how to setup and play an acoustic 12-string guitar. Keep up the great content I really appreciate it!

[@jimsliverootsculturemusic]

I have a Seagull walnut 12~string of recent vintage. I tune it down to C# concert pitch but use heavier gauge strings because Leadbelly man.

[@m1goodwin]

I have the same guitar, but started noticing a bulge in the top, but a bridge doctor came to the rescue and rescued it.

[@tonyduncan9852]

You must have Arnie's fingers.

[@davegann4178]

Well, it took about 46 minutes to find out what I'm doing wrong, but you're right--I never thought about that so much--I'll take your advice about the downstrokes.

[@fredstevens799]

not all 12-strings are strung that way - ie Rickenbackers are strung "reverse" with the fat string closer to your face - they sound "different" for the same reasons, but really do not require changing strumming/picking patterns. I just acquired a fab Taylor T5z-12 "reverse strung" that is totally amazing. they are easier to tune also, just tune the closer fat string the ordinary way, then you can tune the octave by ear very easily.

[@bobberndt9744]

I'll happily wait for 'Brother, can you lend me a dime'. Boz & Duane !!! FANTASTIC 🤯

[@christopherohara68]

I have a Conrad made in Japan 12 string I bought in a Mississippi pawn shop. I made a tailpiece out of sheet metal from a water cooler. I have 6 string held in by bridge pins & 6 from the tail piece that go over the bridge to the saddle. So 6 strings hold the bridge down & 6 are pulling the bridge up. I cut grooves in the bridge to have a good angle on the saddle for the tailpiece 6. It works well. Whatdaya think?

[@LaudCranium]

thanks Brad. very informative. i have an aria 12string. i have detuned it to Db because of the immense string tension. i should look at that nut too.

[@rickeylee1488]

I HAVE watched plenty of other videos on tuning and setup....Dude THIS VIDEO JUST BECAME TOPS!!! Thank You for a Real Quality Video

[@wonderwomanguy]

Question: the guitar was pretty inexpensive, but you also put a good about of time into making it a quality instrument? How many hours (if you weren't filming) did you put into its improvement, plus the cost of tools used (assuming someone didnt have similar tools on hand)? What's the monetary value of this guitar then?

[@j_freed]

Every new guitar you can buy is priced based mainly on the amount of hand time put into it. That's the inescapable economic law. At some point, a set of Stewart McDonald nut and fret tools will pay for themselves, too but that's not the big reason people do their own set ups. They love doing it.

[@albert30300]

You are the number oneth guitar reviewer in the World

[@armchairzen]

I have a Framus and a Hofner 12 string from the early 70's with no warps or bridge pulling up. They feature a zero fret, invaluable an a 12-string.

[@TheGuitologist]

I had a Framus 12-string on the channel once.

[@kickcanlurky7147]

Brad i must say, if u were in the U.K., you would be my go to guitar/Amp fella, but im now 54, and i would struggle to swim that far, coz i hate flying, sober anyway, keep on keepin on pal

[@Larrymh07]

I like piezo pickups on acoustic guitars played thru a good bass amp with a horn. The sound is a close as possible to microphone usage, plus (and this is a quirky personal belief) the audience hears what they see. In other words, if they see an acoustic guitar, the brain will fill in any electronic flaws.

[@chickberth]

Interesting point of view. As primarily a studio guy I wouldn't want to use a piezo as a stand in for the real acoustic sound. Maybe for a specific effect, or a retro 90's sound.

[@Larrymh07]

@@chickberth Sure! For studio work, I heartily agree. That is go with the best sound for recording. Keep playin'!

[@SnifferCustoms]

I just really enjoyed listening to you play guitar! Very nice way to end evening, thank you for sharing! ✌🏻

[@samizdat113]

I sinch my strings like that but I put at most one wrap around the post. Works wonderfully.

[@Flamewalk]

The part about "playing it wrong" starts at 44:50

[@grizmt7779]

The silking on the top shows a very 90 degree straight, and that’s a real plus for sound and strength.

[@ESE3Z3]

Is this a chinese bug at 7:20, 4th fret first string? Also maybe one on the first fret, first string...

[@aloysiushopkins2274]

I noticed that also , thought it might be a small spider .

[@BobcatWolfenstein]

I'm reminded of my project Takemine I pulled out of my Bro-in-Law's garage, it's been a chore, but once it's set right, it sings like a bird

[@hadleymanmusic]

Hal lenord told me when I was 14 to tighten the string up till it quits buzzin then tune from there.

[@MrJohnnyDistortion]

Did he tell you which string? 😂

[@lovepeace8918]

Thanks nice educational video man, appreciate it.

[@carltonlarsen]

The rosette inlay is not a frill. It is there to stabilize the edge grain around the soundhole. That is a vulnerable area. Cheap guitars made in the Harmony factory had just a white line painted around the body edges instead of purfling. I have one. It is absolutely the best time in the world to be a guitar player. Never has there been more value available at the price. That said, I attempted to tune up a Chinese made guitar for a student once. On close inspection there were VISIBLE thick and thin spots along the length of the plain strings. They were not worth the wear on the side cutter it took to cut them off.

[@framusburns-hagstromiii808]

Excellent work Brad! You took a $200 guitar , put about $200 worth of setup into it and made it a pretty good sounding player...yeah! Sounds great!. Kudos to you and Fesly. Now cash that check!!

[@nellayema2455]

Excellent video, Brad. The guitar sounds great! I've wanted a 12-string for a long time because they sound so good, but the string changes and tuning seem like such a chore, and I'm kind of lazy, lol.

[@bluetopguitar1104]

Thank God for clip on tuners.

[@ppetal1]

Old guitarist carpenter here. Great info. Especially to learn what the proper tools look like.

[@diggy-d8w]

I had a 1970's Yamaha that was pretty nice..... been a long time since playing >> fingers/hand nerve system injury. But I still like to see what's out there.. thanks for the video. peace

[@aberration3869]

I’m sure we are all familiar with the video of Jimi playing Hear My Train a Coming on a twelve string and I either heard or read that he had tuned it down to a C in standard tuning. I tune mine to D but one of these days I’m going to take the time to set it up to give C a try.

[@CheestosParade]

Great video! Thanks for all the tips and showing us the right way to set 12 strings up 👍 I have a Carvin 12 string from the 90s it still has that beautiful new wood smell. It plays and sounds amazing.I am going to tune down to D from now on. I have a few electric 12 strings as well.

[@deanbartone8187]

Hey Brad, once again excellent video everything you said was spot on from start to finish and I actually love the cardboard box comment that was hysterical. I agree 100% with everything that you said, and did with this you are the man.

[@themopedmetallist]

Saved an Eko "Rio Bravo" from the dumpster with a reverse-engineered Bridge Doctor (using a fiberglass rod in place of the dowel) and an oversize neck screw

[@davidsolomon5857]

Excellent video, thank you very much, many interesting tips and nicely presented

[@robertclarkguitar]

I strangely learned my chords as a young teen borrowing friends dads 12 string. He would jam with me at my house since I had my drum kit at my house on base. He and I played a lot together and taught me the chords (cowboy) as they call it now. When I got to playing or messing with electrics OMG. Power steering. Funny that 35 plus years later I would buy my first electric of my own and learn a bit more lol.

[@CanadianDivergent]

for me the 12 string come into its own in alt and open tunings. I play Leo kottke, Don Ross, and some of my own similar pieces. The possibilities in open and altered tunings are endless.

[@MisterNiles]

Agreed. Some real magic can happen when you work in altered tunings on 12 string. So many options too. I even do some of the Pat Metheny style 12 string tunings where the unison sets are tuned to intervals. You are even more limited in what you can play in those tunings, but that's the nature of non standard tuning. An open field for experimentation and inspiration. And if you need to break out of a playing rut, changing to a Fahey or Hedges style tuning will do the trick every time. I'm doing some crazy experimental stuff this week. Last night I put my guitar in standard tuning for the first time in ~4 years. Man. It's so weird and sort of unpleasant. I've decided to learn a Chet Atkins piece and doing that in a gmaj7 tuning would be problematic to say the least.

[@rhsilverberg]

Yup, that second course G, typically an .008, gets me more than I care to admit. You called it, man.

[@davidflamee]

The knowledge that you share, is knowledge worth having.

[@charlespeck886]

I took the Piezo out of my Takamine and put a new bone bridge in it at the same time lowering the 12th fret clearances and 1st fret also. It now has a LR Baggs HiFi Pickup. Love it now, much better than the crap electronics that it came with! Kept the box on the side for housing the battery only.

[@pdxbohica]

FYI: Rickenbacker 12 strings have the low string before the high string. Strange but that's the way they do it. A different nut and bridge can be fabricated to make it high string low string.

[@ravenslaves]

Esteban needs a reboot. Bring them back! They're just as good as a $4k Martin. I know this because Esteban himself told me in the infomercial. The sound hole is _round_ . Just like a Martin. It takes a strap. Just like a Martin. It even comes with frets...just like a Martin. Plus, they're shiny (just like a Martin). Besides, who doesn't automatically look cooler when they wear a sombrero when they play guitar? I like to wear mine when I go bowling, and I get all the attention from the ladies when I hit the clubs. Snazzy!!!

[@PhantomOfTheMall]

Plus, as everyone knows, Eddie Van Halen learned to play guitar from Esteban! So, being a Guitar God that’s taught other Guitar Gods, you can trust everything that Esteban says about guitars…

[@ravenslaves]

@@PhantomOfTheMall Not just guitars, either. ...not just guitars.

[@lestergeez4349]

Hahahaha!!! 😂

[@Fixologist1]

Esteban was a warrior poet. And also possibly related to Gloria.

[@wilhelmrogue1]

yesssss!

[@micr0chap]

Boy, oh boy! That was a masterclass in setting up and playing a 12-string acoustic. Thanks, man! (sub'd)

[@davidwinokur2131]

Seems like a descent sounding guitar. How was the intonation? Your chording didn't sound odd when up a few frets. How was the action at 12?

[@TheGuitologist]

action great all the way up. Intonation great.

[@maylovelive4697]

Nice informative review. When he was talking about the spruce top (sound board) I was hoping he'd mention the difference between a plywood and solid top and how to easily determine by looking at the edge of the wood inside the sound hole. Many of us know the importance of this, and that a new guitar in this price range will always be a plywood top. This is probably a good thing to check when buying a used guitar if your seeking a better sounding and better quality instrument, because a "solid top" more efficiently transfers the vibration of the strings into the air and to our ears...making it a better sounding guitar.

[@BluesChoker01]

You lower the string action above the guitar neck by adjusting the nut and/or bridge course heights, or the entire height of one or both ends. The string heights are usually checked at the first, 7th and 14th frets. Temp fluctuations and relative humidity swings will age any guitar. My Taylor 12 and 6 strings were cured at 75°F and 47%RH. So aiming for 50% and 72°F is similar to how they were cured. I can't afford to replace my two electrics and four acoustics. So, we condition a room for them and Carolyn's piano. Tip: For humidifying a room during dry seasons, use a steam device, not a vaporizer. When it's wet use a room dehumidifier. Advice from the NYC Met Museum musical instrument restorers. Steam is water in a pure gaseous state; vapor is not and droplets will pick up crap in the air and deposit themselves onto the instrument wood finish and worm in. You can leave the guitars out of case in these conditions. For in the case storage, you can use two-way humidipacks that are rated for 50% RH. If the RH drops below 50%, the crystals release water, and absorb water above that point. They come in high 40s thru high 50s for this application. Put 1 pack in the sound hole and 1 near the headstock. They last about 3 months unless left to regulate the great outdoors or your entire house. And no icky, moldy old water to touch from older case water drips. The truss rod stiffens or loosens the neck to keep the string action at the correct distance up and down the entire neck fretboard. Think of it like rebar in concrete; the truss rod makes the neck less prone to moving out of plane. Unlike Boeing fuselage doors. 😢 As for string gauges, some of the best players used surprisingly thin gauges. B. B. King had both fluttering fingers and diabetes. He used 9s as his high treble string. Even talked Joe Walsh into doing the same. "The 9s allow my fingers to move and bend my sound easily, the hardware gives it volume and sustain when I can't." Even Eric Clapton has serious excema that cover his hands. He has to put steroid cream on his hands, bandage them and play from under those cloth bandages. We all have our own crosses to bear.

[@tonyduncan9852]

Nitro will shrink the most, being subject to oxygen, water, and sunlight. But virtually all polymers do it eventually, becoming brittle, cracking, etc. There's always at least 17% water in the air. PS subbed for nut job - task and joke - ah, the sweetness of a well-tuned twelve string. Go, country boy.

[@Doghowseman]

You are the first person to give me height at the nut measurement. I would have left it at 48. But like you said. Frets can go lower. So it good to have this benchmark

[@Bbbbad724]

What is the nut width and the fretboard radius? My Epiphone DR-212 has a 1.88 wide nut and a 12 inch radius. That thin G I’ve just left out. I tuned my 212 to D. The intonation will be off with that much action. You did an excellent job, and I actually play that way on 6 strings. You have the secret to the chime that in the words of Dave Gilmour. “ makes really good music fall out of the instrument…”

[@2dazetake]

Elvis fesley has left the building, and found a better home, Elvis quote: once a king always a king, once a knight is enough for me mama,thank ya thank you very much

[@jimromanski2702]

A very nice video about how to buy and cheap guitar and get it to sound quite good for the money. I suspect most people will just take it to a Luthier and get new strings and a good setup. I know that costs almost as much as the guitar but you really need to do it. Even some high end guitars need setups out of the box. I've found that Gibsons half the time need a setup and new strings. Talyor's almost never do. They put long lasting good strings on them and their setup seems perfect out of the box. Smart of Taylor to do that. My only critique is that I clicked on the video to find out how I might be playing my 12 string wrong only to find out that MOST of the video was unboxing and setting up the guitar. The last 2 minutes out of a 49 minute video you talked a lil bit about playing and nothing new there for me. Please refrain from "click bait" like "you're playing it wrong." How about "Unboxing and getting an inexpensive 12 string guitar to sound great!" Thanks again for a good video.

[@jbrobertson2758]

I have a Guild JF-30, made in Westerly, Rhode Island circa 1998. Dual truss rods in the neck handle medium gauge without any problem. It starts to buzz a little when tuned down to D standard! Also, Guild neck profiles feel awesome!

[@TheGuitologist]

No question Guilds are the best 12-strings.

[@patrickmersault4298]

Sick video, really digging your uploads recently. Literally nothing is better than a Schubb capo though. I will die on that hill.

[@TheGuitologist]

I might have been going too far that was better than my Schubb.

[@RPSchonherr]

When you started talking about the string tension on the bridge pulling it up, I took a look at my 6 string and sure enough the bridge is coming loose and I think it also warped the top. So, it's not just 12 strings that it's a problem. I was wondering why the action was so high at the higher frets and you gave me the answer. Don't know what to do about it except loosen the strings. The guitar was cheap enough that it's not worth putting any expensive repairs into it.

[@TheGuitologist]

Bridge needs to be removed and professionally clamped back with cauls. Or there are other band aid cheap fixes too like scraping out under the rear of bridge, shooting glue, clamping, install something like Bridge Doctor.

[@mickcrovo5238]

Warm up and dry out the guitar for a few days before filing down the frets. Dry air makes the wood contract and heat makes the metal expand so the frets will stick out more and you can shorten them more.

[@TheGuitologist]

It's already extremely dry.

[@mickcrovo5238]

@@TheGuitologist Ok, But is it 95 degrees?

[@dennisp4395]

Thanks for detailed info. It 's appreciated.

[@greg-warsaw4708]

You mentioned not having practice with electro-acoustic and seemed to mistake some dials on the tuner. The small Tuner button is the ON/OFF whereas the Pres. dial is abbreviation for Presence (not Press-It-Down).

[@mikeellis9720]

My 1970 EKO Ranger Xll has a Zero Fret and that makes a huge difference in the open string sounds.

[@RtaniDean]

This is truly a great instruction and teaching video. Nicely done. Learned a few tips here. Let the music play. Care. D

[@russellesimonetta9071]

Leo Kottke tuned down to C#. He said a 12 string tuned to standard sounds like a huge mandolin. I bought a twelve and it took me months to get it under control playing finger style. Very fun and challenging.