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"12 String Guitars"

Right, this is something that's bothered me for a while. I know little about 12 strings other than that they have 12 strings and how to differentiate between the sound of 6 & 12 string guitars but ... How the hell do you play one of these?

Are all the strings on the same neck? What's the standard tuning for them, are the strings double tuned? Do you play it like a normal 6 string but only strumming the bottom/top 6 strings? How do you play barre chords? What's the standard range of the notes?

Ack.

Very_Metal wrote:
> a little, not so you'd really notice though.
> the string pairs are very close together so you don't have to modify
> your playing style, you just kinda hit the 2nd string without
> noticing

Ah. So what's the actual range of it then? From what I understand the biggest range on the open strings is 3 octaves?

whch is what makes them a "99% for rhythm parts"
> instrument, as i said, they're not really for lead work.

Heh, tell that to Big Star. Those guys were/are genii.

never heard of Big Star, but i'm intrigued now :)

not sure what the range is, i've only ever used them to provide harmonious backing.

I can't even play 6-string, but I want an 18-string.

Mind you, who doesn't?

Very_Metal wrote:
> a 12 string bass?!?!?!?!
> HAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
> i knew you guys had "extra 2 string" envy, but that's a
> ridiculous way of trying to even it all out ;)

John Paul Jones now plays one, and by the way I'm far too intelligent to be a bassist :p