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Are 12 fretters unpopular for some reason? Looking in Guitar Center I found not a single one… Many people comment about how great they sound... that the bridge is in the sweet spot. Why don't you see more of them?

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Everyone wants to play high notes, and it's easier with more frets clear of the body.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I had an accomplished jazz player over once to try some of my 12 fret guitars and he was comfortable all the way up to the 17th fret (no cutaway). Many fingerpickers I know are just as comfortable on a 12 as a 14, and they play all over the scale. Many would sacrifice a fret or two for a fatter tone.
Moreover, Guitar Center is not where I would be looking for guitars. They probably wouldn't stock a 12 fret because it cuts out part of their consumer crowd. I would be surprised if they had anything besides dread-nots...
I also know folks that won't touch a 14 fret guitar.

I love 12 fretters too and really like the bridge placement as well.

When considering the market for anything demand drives what's available.... er..... that's how it usually works.

I want to say that since 12 fretters often, not always but traditionally have slot heads the manufacturing processes are a bit more complex adding cost and risk to manufacturers. But then again if folks were asking for them I doubt that this little bit of added complexity would be a concern that could not be addressed in MSRP.

Another charteristic of 12 fret guitars is a wider nut again not always but often in terms of the ones out there these days and in the past. It also may be that folks just can't get into the wider nut either.

Who knows, certainly not me, but I too would like to see more of them as well - good question!

+1 to what Hans said about GC - that place is evil.....

GC has a warehouse that buys guitars from the manufacturers by the thousands and ships them off to the stores for inventory from there.
I doubt they would buy any 12 fretters since they aren't in any particular demand or even well known. Most consumers don't even know they exist.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

I know that Guitar Center is not the ideal place to find different kinds of guitars... But I generally don't see 12 fretters in "boutique" guitar shops either. Maybe they look old fashioned. On the other hand, you see 14 fret 000s that look kinda old fashioned... It seems even parlors are gaining interest lately and many of the parlors have slot heads, but they are 14 fret... Is it that the guitar heros aren't seen with 12 fretters?

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

I'd say that between 30-40% of my total self built output gas been 12 fretters..

No slot heads though. Not ever.

John plays em.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=chLFi2cFxzo

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Wake up and smell the rosewood!

I'm not sure what the market demand is, but I love them. I am currently putting the final touches on a new L-00 style, 12-fret, maple body, mahogany neck, and red spruce top. I know....maple is for pancakes or arch tops, but I like maple guitars, wide necks, small body guitars, 12-frets, and watermelon wine.

James

I'm interested in seeing your L-00 12 fret James... like you I love 12 fretters... please post pictures of your results...

A few classical and flamenco players are known to prefer 12 frets to the body. (and many classical guitars now go to 20 frets with no cutaway)

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I've never built a 14 fret acoustic.... I guess the people I run with get the vintage mojo of a 12.

Ninety-eight percent of my builds are 12 fret. Only have one 14 fret mold and don't build with it much. My 12 strings are all 12 fret.

I've built 12, 13, and 14 fret acoustics and think there is a place for all of them. In all honesty if things were right in the world there would be mostly 12 fretters, the guitar is shorter and more balanced, they're easier to play, and it's certainly worked for many spanish guitars. I will also echo the disdain for GC, spent about 2 minutes in one once, that was enough.

I have to say the guitar in that Mayer clip has a striking resemblance to a Brentrup.

TIm

Not too many years ago it seemed like anything other than a 14 fret neck Dreadnought was unpopular. Recently people have become interested in smaller guitars, many of which are 12 fret neck designs. To me, the longer soundboard of the 12 fretter improves the sound of the smaller bodied guitars over that of the corresponding 14 fret models.

I have built 12 fret guitars as both traditional with slotted head stocks both with and without cutaways and my last one was a modern style with solid headstock, cutaway, sound port, and armrest bevel and it was not with me very long.



Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

i've heard people comment at GC that:

-they look like toy guitars.
-they don't look right
-why does it cost so much?
-where did the frets go?

i go to the hollywood GC for used guitars and often they'll have something cool. if fact we saw a robbie o'brian a few weeks ago. (not a 12 fret though) they're around you just have to look. the people who know, know where to go looking. i don't really see it as an issue.

I got to try a 12 fret one of these days..............Next build for sure

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

LOVE 12 fretters - just sayin'.

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Thank You and Best To All

Love Em. Built several.Even kept one or myself.

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

I would bet that "consumers" that walk into GC don't even know what a 12 fretter is, let alone an 0 or some other designation like grand concert. They want those guitars with the long neck and "sack dress" look.
I think they are very popular with real guitar players...

"sack dress" a very apt description for a body shape I assure you I will never make.

Tim

My sentiments exactly, Tim, although I was sorely tempted for a moment to build one for my wife with ladder bracing!
Think I will make a Stella auditorium 6 instead...

I'm a big fan. However, even at high end shops I find their numbers limited. Which is a shame, as most players I know can't stop smiling once they start messing with a 12-fretter. There tends to be more there there.

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George :-)

I'm working on a Stella right now... 12 fret to the body and ladder bracing...

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com