Is a 12-String difficult to learn for a beginner?

[octagon]

I've only been playing my 330 a short time but I love the sound of Rick 12-Strings and hope to have one someday.Is it difficult to learn to play a 12-string?I mean it's difficult to play my 330 but that is because of my lack of talent and coordination not because the 330 is hard to play.Maybe I should learn to play it better before I start thinking about a 12-String,but still,if you have any sage advice about learning 12 string and which 12 string would complement my 330 I would appreciate it.

[leftyguitars]

In a word - No! But if is a Rickenbacker 12 string make sure that you can fit your fingers in before you buy one! Oops, thats 21 words isn't it? My fingers are not big but I can't cleanly fret a 300 series, and I can only manage my 660/12 with care. Finger picking takes a bit more care on a 12 string than a 6 string, but strumming is easy peasy and sounds great!

[Scastles]

A twelve should be no problem, just a matter of getting use to it. I have small hands/fingers and can play my 12 just as easy as my 6's.

[ozover50]

Going from a 330/6 to a 660/12, I found that I had to concentrate a lot more in order to 'nail' the finger positions with the left hand. It was all very frustrating at first, but persistence helped a lot! I started by not looking at my left hand when chording and slowly hitting the 12 strings individually to see how many I was muting. Small adjustments after that (and remembering that I was playing the 12 and not the 6!) sorted it out to a reasonable degree.

I also found that using a lot of upstrokes made the right hand work a lot easier (and it sounds better, too, IMO).

[wints]

Well, here's the last word on it. Always good to find an expert opinion. One man and his "wisdom" about neck width.
http://cgi.ebay.com/1966-Fender-Electric-12-XII-blows-away-Rickenbacker_W0QQitemZ7343529525QQcategoryZ33039QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


No chance of trying to trade your 1993 or OS 12 for that either guys...
Now that's "anoying"...

[leftyguitars]

Well! that told us, didn't it? Andrew!

[octagon]

Ebay didn't agree and so they pulled his ad.

[octagon]

Any recommendations on which 12 to get(when I get one)?By the way I been playing my 330 thru my new AD30VT and it sounds great with the compressor on.

[seoigh]

To answer your first question, 12 strings on a nut that is 1 5/8" is undeniably tight. Most of us get used to it and/or adjust our styles accordingly because it's worth it to us.

If playability is what you're after, most non-Rickenbacker players I know agree the 660 is the easiest playing 12 because of the wider fingerboard. I probably would've done a 660 myself, but I have a weird hangup about solid body guitars. I just don't like 'em. A Rickenbacker without a cat's eye soundhole? Humbug!

[brammy]

660/12
neck width at nut = 44.45 mm (1 3/4")
neck width at 12th fret = 53.52mm (2.107")

330/12 and 360/12
neck width at nut = 41.4 mm (1.63")
neck width at 12th fret = 49.05 mm (1 .931")

.... I have a 660/12 and when I pick up a 330/12 or a 360/12 (in a store), I can feel the difference. Even the 660/12 is fairly tight but I think the extra width makes for a better feel than the 300 series. However, I suppose the most important things are a combination of what you get used to and how fat your finger are. For instance, my fat fingers just cant deal with a 325.

[valenti]

Here's my two cents:
As a teacher, I usually recommend NOT learning on a 12--if for no other reason than the extra effort required, particularly when learning bar chords. Most beginners have a tough enough time making a decent F, let alone a Bb. Of course, you may be past that point, in which case my point is moot. Yes, picking on a 12 is different, and it depends on your picking style. I play my 12 more often than my 6 stringers, and find it takes a few progressions to get acclimated to the different feel. Having short, thin fingers, I like smaller necks (almost died trying to learn on a full-sized classical back in the '60s--

Bottom line: if you practice regularly with your 12, you'll probably do fine.

Valenti

[fergs40]

I'll go with Seth here - I didn't play a 12 until well after I'd learnt to play a 6, and I was glad I'd waited. Not only could I do the basics, but my fingers were a bit stronger...I think if I'd started on a 12 the difficulty of fretting and tuning the 12 strings, added to the usual frustrations of learning to play guitar at all, might well have meant I just gave up.

I keep meaning to look into things like Roger McGuinn's 12 string DVD and some old Leadbelly recordings to get more of a feel for what makes the 12 special. But I never get round to it, and have to settle for fronting our band with a 620/12 and believing that it makes a real contribution to our sounding different from the next set of guys with guitar/bass/drums...

[octagon]

Thanks to all for info and sage advice.You are both right that I would be better off waiting until I can play my 330-6 better.I have really only been taking lessons for a couple of months and being over 50 I find it challenging to say the least but I have a good teacher and I enjoy learning(or trying to).Still I do think that someday I would like to have a 12 and that is why I posed this question so that I could learn as much as possible about the different Rick 12-Strings.Thanks again to all.

[fergs40]

Mitch,

It's not just someday you'd like to - you absolutely must do! You hit a chord and it sings - but only if you've done the work to fret it right!

A lot of people like the 660/12 neck 'cos it's a bit wider than the usual Ric 12 neck (which is narrow compared to just about any other 12 string neck - acoustic or electric - which you'll come across) and thus easier to play. I reckon that you should just try some out when the time comes. And it will.

Good luck, keep practicing!

[brammy]

One option is to tune down and then capo up.... string tension is then much less.

Naturally you may encounter other unwanted things like fret buzzing, but I did this on a 12-string acoustic with great results. (capo is on 2nd fret and the top string is still E)