12 string ------> 6 string

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6_strings_for_life
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12 string ------> 6 string

Unread post by 6_strings_for_life » Mon Mar 28, 2005 10:19 pm

ok this may be a stupid question. Has anyone had a 12 string guitar and just put 6 strings on and tuned up to standard, like a normal guitar. I am assuming that you could do this, but I was just wondering. Has anybody done this? Does it make the guitar uncomfortable to play?
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Unread post by czech » Mon Mar 28, 2005 10:33 pm

I would assume it would fuck up the tension on the neck.
the spacing would be fucked, and it wouldn't sound right.
It would be like putting a 4cylinder in a silverado.

btw, I have no idea what i am talking about.

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Unread post by 6_strings_for_life » Mon Mar 28, 2005 10:45 pm

well i know that some people keep their 12'ers tuned a step down. So I thought maybe if you had 6 strings tuned to normal than it would be ok. but i guess that is why I started the thread, cause i have no idea either.. .. ...

but hey, thanks for the reply!
-Scott

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Unread post by Kahn » Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:50 pm

i think it would be uncomfortable

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Re: 12 string ------> 6 string

Unread post by sunglassesatnight » Tue Mar 29, 2005 5:59 pm

6_strings_for_life wrote:ok this may be a stupid question. Has anyone had a 12 string guitar and just put 6 strings on and tuned up to standard, like a normal guitar. I am assuming that you could do this, but I was just wondering. Has anybody done this? Does it make the guitar uncomfortable to play?
I would first imagine it'd fuck up the neck real nice. Second, it would be weird to play. Third, what's the point?

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Re: 12 string ------> 6 string

Unread post by a1075dd63aa12 » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:49 pm

slimerdmb24 wrote:
6_strings_for_life wrote:ok this may be a stupid question. Has anyone had a 12 string guitar and just put 6 strings on and tuned up to standard, like a normal guitar. I am assuming that you could do this, but I was just wondering. Has anybody done this? Does it make the guitar uncomfortable to play?
I would first imagine it'd fuck up the neck real nice. Second, it would be weird to play. Third, what's the point?
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Unread post by DT » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:51 pm

The fretboard on a 12 is much wider. It would be weird. And it would screw up the neck eventually.

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Unread post by 6_strings_for_life » Tue Mar 29, 2005 11:04 pm

well I was just wondering if it could be done. I guess it would cause more harm than good, and sounds like it might put the guitars safety into jeporady. Thanks for all the replys folks!
-Scott

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Re: 12 string ------> 6 string

Unread post by el Jammo » Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:18 am

6_strings_for_life wrote:ok this may be a stupid question. Has anyone had a 12 string guitar and just put 6 strings on and tuned up to standard, like a normal guitar. I am assuming that you could do this, but I was just wondering. Has anybody done this? Does it make the guitar uncomfortable to play?
I've done it before

I had an old 12 string (my dads) that was pretty much worthless, so i put 6 strings on it and gave it to a friend for christmas who was wanting to learn guitar. Its workin fine for him now.
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Unread post by aleceiffel » Fri Apr 15, 2005 3:21 pm

i've done it before too. the guitar i learned on was given to me by someone who didn't want it any more. he had six nylon (ew) strings on there and clearly didn't play it that often. i had six strings on there for a while while i was learning, then switched to twelve, and now that i have a new twelver i went back to six to meddle around in alternate tunings. nothing untowards has happened to the neck, it is still straight like arrow.

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Unread post by 6_strings_for_life » Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:48 pm

aleceiffel wrote:i've done it before too. the guitar i learned on was given to me by someone who didn't want it any more. he had six nylon (ew) strings on there and clearly didn't play it that often. i had six strings on there for a while while i was learning, then switched to twelve, and now that i have a new twelver i went back to six to meddle around in alternate tunings. nothing untowards has happened to the neck, it is still straight like arrow.
How is it to play? With the neck being wider does it make some songs more difficult to play? thanks for responding
-Scott

Martin D-2R (618256)

http://www.myspace.com/scotttokarz

Time is just a melody...

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Unread post by aleceiffel » Tue Apr 19, 2005 4:15 pm

6_strings_for_life wrote:
aleceiffel wrote:i've done it before too. the guitar i learned on was given to me by someone who didn't want it any more. he had six nylon (ew) strings on there and clearly didn't play it that often. i had six strings on there for a while while i was learning, then switched to twelve, and now that i have a new twelver i went back to six to meddle around in alternate tunings. nothing untowards has happened to the neck, it is still straight like arrow.
How is it to play? With the neck being wider does it make some songs more difficult to play? thanks for responding
actually, i find it easier to play since i have more room, and i don't even have very big hands. now, that's probably because i learned on this guitar and so i'm used to having lots of room. but i find sometimes if, say, i'm switching between open chords really fast sometimes on a regular 6 string my fingers will fall off the fretboard. for other songs i find it a bit easier too, like on warehouse. i feel like i have more freedom. gives my fingers room to breathe, so to speak.

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Unread post by 6_strings_for_life » Wed Apr 20, 2005 8:08 pm

aleceiffel wrote:
6_strings_for_life wrote:
aleceiffel wrote:i've done it before too. the guitar i learned on was given to me by someone who didn't want it any more. he had six nylon (ew) strings on there and clearly didn't play it that often. i had six strings on there for a while while i was learning, then switched to twelve, and now that i have a new twelver i went back to six to meddle around in alternate tunings. nothing untowards has happened to the neck, it is still straight like arrow.
How is it to play? With the neck being wider does it make some songs more difficult to play? thanks for responding
actually, i find it easier to play since i have more room, and i don't even have very big hands. now, that's probably because i learned on this guitar and so i'm used to having lots of room. but i find sometimes if, say, i'm switching between open chords really fast sometimes on a regular 6 string my fingers will fall off the fretboard. for other songs i find it a bit easier too, like on warehouse. i feel like i have more freedom. gives my fingers room to breathe, so to speak.
cool, thanks for posting. I kinda want to play a 6 string 12 string guitar now (that sounds confusing). But I guess I will just wait till I break a string on my 12er. As soon as I get my 12er that is. Thanks again.
-Scott

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http://www.myspace.com/scotttokarz

Time is just a melody...

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Unread post by DMBFan63 » Wed Apr 20, 2005 9:19 pm

checkii wrote:I would assume it would fuck up the tension on the neck.
the spacing would be fucked, and it wouldn't sound right.
It would be like putting a 4cylinder in a silverado.

btw, I have no idea what i am talking about.
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Unread post by banker69 » Fri May 20, 2005 12:56 pm

I first learned to play guitar on a 12-string with six strings and actually think it helped me learn better. In my opinion, it helps for beginners b/c of the wider fret board. Once I learned what I was doing I bought a six string and strung my 12-string like it should be and it's turned out really well. A 12-string is a great asset to have, especially if you're playing as a duo.

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