Flatwounds transformed my Dano 12. Can't imagine playing an electric 12 without them now. Much more body and separation between normal and octave strings
@@humanfly2044 LOL! EVERY sting eventually fatigues and will get loose and floppy! Had Dunlop SS string on my EB3. Lasted 2 years! Strings got dead and fretted out on lower frets! New set of nickel wounds and bang, way better. ALL strings will need to be changed eventually!
DMSProduktions i‘d say that you have to change roundwounds because they wear out after time... but flatwounds ”get better“ with time because of the fact that they get loose and floppy as far as I know. But tbh I’ve only put flatwounds on my bass and never on a guitar so dude what do I know lol
There is very much a definite difference in the stringing order. Most 12 strings are strung with the high string before the low. John Hall of Rickenbacker intended for his guitars to be strung the opposite way. I believe it was Carl Wilson who first changed the order on his Rickenbacker, inspiring me to do same. What made it very difficult was the nut slotting. I had to use folded aluminum foil shims to get the high / octave strings up high enough to keep from buzzing or fretting out. I kept my 360 this way for about 35 years then decided to go back to John Hall's intended way. And I discovered something very significant. I was having a lot of trouble getting the high / octave strings to fret with the low ones, and it was because of the way my fingertips were pressing the strings. The convex curvature of my fingertips and their tangential contact and pressure on each pair of strings was far better suited to reverse-stringing. I am going back to reverse, but am trying to find a nut for a Rick 360-12 that is cut that way.
The Danelectro is the only 12 string with separate bridge adjusters for each string. If you have a standard 12 string set of strings on the danelectro the intonation will be fine except for the two plain g strings. Two plain strings of different gauges will never intonate properly but on the danelectro they can each be adjusted separately until they match.
This is the principle in tuning a 12-string. 1. Find the string that's out, and 2. tune the other 11 strings to that. Why? Because that's what you're going to end up doing anyway.
Just want to note that my Harley Benton 12 string is really growing on me. Keeps tune very well. Took me a bit of time to find pickup height and pole piece height, but it's nice. I put a new set of ernie ball 8's on it.. I can even bend a full step on some strings. I just have no complaints at all for it!
Wow, a $230 12 string electric, amazing! Looks and sounds great to me. I sold my LTD PC-212 12 sting awhile back and am looking for something but not as expensive.
I would choose the Danelectro, it has ,in my opinion, the sound that goes pretty close to the 60's, without spending a lot of money. The Italia 12 sounds great too ,but they are not cheap, too bad! But, price apart, they seems well built.in any case, to obtain the best sound with a 12 string guitar, use a good compressor!
The Italia (from Italia USA) is the Jeffery Foskett signature 12, and the controls are crazy. Master volume, master tone, pickup blend knob instead of selector switch, individual on/off switches for each pickup (with LEDs to indicate which pickups are on/off), plus a boost switch and two knobs labelled "boost" and "jangle". With price to match. For a couple hundred less, the Italia Rimini 12 has two Wilkinson minihumbuckers, individual volume for each, and master tone... plus an interesting output jack that's angled into the body like a strat jack, but raised up so you can use a wider array of cables. Nice guitars, love the styling and the metal Italia name badge on the headstock (ok, might be just chromed plastic... but a nice name badge like an old Italian scooter).
It's a great guitar in the hands of someone who knows how to play a 12 i.e. me - I learned on a Fender F55-12, in 1983. I use that guitar live too, with a Vox Ace pickup sealed into a one of those hum stoppers... bit of compression and eq and you've got that Ricky sound.
That's the case on The Roger McGuinn model Rickenbacker issued decades ago but McGuinn wasn't crazy about it. You had to take all the stings off each time you needed to replace the 9volt battery in the onboard compressor. He switched to the "Jangle Box" foot pedal he still uses to day. I have one it's fantastic.
Can i give an humble tip ? There is a simple pedal hand made in Spain , the brand is " Ananashead " , and it is called " Byrd song treble booster pedal " . I've got one for my electric 8 string ( 4+4) bouzouki, and really makes the difference! If you don't believe me, go on my channel and search for the video " Byrd song treble booster pedal " english language ( there is another video in italian language) . As amplifier i have a Vox . The price of the pedal is reasonable. On request , Pedro Garcia, the owner of this brand , can make some modifications, as you prefer . Greetings from Italy, Patrick
The Danelectro had the clearest and most authentic 12-string tone... it's in those quiet, lower output lipstick pickups. My first electric was a 1966 Fender Electric XII - a Jazzmaster body with 2 split pickups and 4-way switching. Difficult to stay in tune or play a clean first fret F barre chord. I traded it in 1999 for a 25th Anniv Taylor acoustic/electric and never looked back. But I'd look for a 12-string Danelectro again...
Have had the Dano version for 3 years. No regrets. Plays so easy and it’s so comfortable to play compared to other heavy giant 12 strings. Best value too.
The prices are too different. It's comparing an Audi with a seat. The Italia costs around 3 times more thanthe Benton. I'm a huge fan of Italias but own a Benton 612
@Samí Warrior you seem to be forgetting tone from the amp and speaker. Also, set up. are the pups all well set up? are the strings all new? I don't think the Harley has inferior anything. unless you like silly lights on your guitar.
@Samí Warrior Are you 12 ? anyone who disagrees with you deserves that sort of reply? Do you realize you just outed yourself, not me? I build guitars and amps. I've been playing since 1965. You're just a rude snob with a potty mouth. Grow up and join the world of people who love music and guitars.
Years ago in a store, I ran across a solid body Rickenbacker 12 string. It was natural finish, two toaster pickups, with the "curling wave" upper cutaway horn. It was probably the finest 12 string electric I have ever encountered. It played beautifully and sounded great. But I felt I had bought too many guitars, and talked myself out of leaving a deposit for it. A few days later, I had second thoughts, and went back to that store. The Rick was gone. I'm kicking myself. One doesn't often run across used Rickenbackers for sale in stores. I had my chance to get a real sweet one at a nice price, and had blown it! I picked up a Japan Fender Strat XII (one of the second generation ones). The string spacing is crowded around the lower positions. But the neck is incredibly rigid, making for stable tuning. Was curious if anyone knows if the Japan Fender Strat XII first generation models (with a slightly shorter scale neck and a different bridge) had less crowded string spacing around the lower positions?
I had a Rickenbacker 450/12 for years but the neck was tiny. Sold it and later purchased an Italia Rimini 12, (the standard model) and love it! It has Wilkinson P-90s and sounds amazing! I also have an OLP doubleneck that I completely reworked. It’s the cheapest of the three by far but is the only one with a 12 saddle bridge! In my humble opinion, the three guitars you showed us all could benefit from minor setups. 12 string guitars, acoustic and electric all need dialed in, as you said. I know you didn’t have time to try different strings, make pick up height adjustments and the like, so I completely understand why you didn’t care for the Italia. The price for that sig model is pretty high but still half or less than a comparable Ric! I paid around $550 for mine as a demo guitar from a big national warehouse store. I got lucky! Trying to find the “Real” case has been the issue for the past ten years or so lol!
I have early 70's Rickenbackers a 360/6 and a 360/12 ... And I have big hands and fat fingers playing this tiny flat necks.. you get a certain knack of playing them as you'll know.. but wouldn't trade either of them for anything opened them both since, well, 1971..
Fun video shoot out. I have the Danoelectric 12 String Semi hollow, so it was no surprise to me that it was the closest to being in tune(It's the brass nut). to my ear it also sounded the best, but of course I love the Dano lipstick pick up sound. After that I thought the Italia sounded better than the Harley Benton. It had better resonance an sustain. I think that the levels of 12 String electrics goes #1 Rickenbacker is the best by far (but costly) #2 Danoelectric (affordable, great sound, Very good quality) #3 Anything costing less than the Dano (save your money and get a 12 String effect pedal).
Thanks for the vid. I noticed you don’t put any tension on the strings after you tune them. If the slots are tight the first bend you do will pull the string out of tune. If you just give them a little tug and and recheck, you’ll stay in tune longer...
The Italia is strung like a Rickenbacker. The Lights on the Italia tell you the active pickup(s). My 1968 330/12 Rick holds tune for days at a time and after that just needs very minor fine tuning
Was thinking that - very surprised he doesn't know or pick up (pardon the pun) on that. I'm also surprised that Harley Benton don't string their very obvious 360/12 copy in the same way as the original, unless it's a licensing thing maybe? I really want the 660/12, but it's a little out of my budget...
“ I had an Italia and the neck warp was an issue. So people tune down one semi tone and capo the first fret, only that method throws off the fret markers. I had a Rickenbacher as well and I thought it was not worth the $1500 I paid. Then in 2015 I bought a Danelectro and have been totally happy with the intonation and playability. But I prefer the Dan with the one hollow F hole”.
I just received the one I ordered and overall I was happy with the fit and finish, tone, etc. , especially for the price. However the G strings seemed difficult to get in tune …. before buying I had read that changing strings on these is crazy hard… with only 6 slots for 12 strings, each pair of strings having to share one hole in the tailpiece …. so I also bought a WD 12 string trapeze tailpiece with 12 slots for less than $30, it cost$37.84 with shipping… The 12 slot tailpiece fit on the existing trapeze and I was able to restring the guitar with the original strings because I’m cheap lol…. it worked! Something about not having to share a hole solved the G string problem… so I highly recommend to all purchasers of this guitar, spend the extra 30 bucks and you won’t have restringing problems, and if you’re having tuning issues maybe that will help as well. GREAT review, great playing BTW… but there IS another review worth watching… on “Jon is just TOO loudD“ TH-cam channel.
I just bought the Harley Benton. this review was very good, I think I chose right. I have owned Dano's and they tend to sound a bit ... unique... if not kinda cheap. Can you describe tone as cheap? Why not, some say there's rich tone! all jokes aside, materials and style, the HBenton seems to be the one for me. Good reviews, good tones, good action. Yep! thanks!
Got a Dean Boca 12 in black a few years ago at 350 still in love with the feel and the sound especially middle position. Nails that sound for me. The hb looks prettiest to me, the italia is too, but too much chrome and doo dads
If I had to guess the Italia is more based on (loosely) Rodger McGuinn’s Ric model from the late 80’s that had built in boost and compression. Also on a Ric the octave string and regular string is swapped over vs how it normally is on a 12
Good comp Ryan. That Italia is by Trev Wilkinson. It sounded the most 'Rick' like but it was NOT $800 better than the Harley or the Dano! Bit disappointed you didn't do middle pos on those guitars. Usually WHERE you get the most jangle from a 12! I think that Blue Italia has the option of a passive/active tone circuit, probably to get it closer to a Rick, & everything in between! Nice job!
A Rickenbacker for $800 ? Americans always moan about prices of American guitars ... Try buying quality US made guitars over here 🇬🇧 ... some of the prices would astound you ! 😬
I enjoy youre channel. And you’re the only TH-cam channel I’ve found that showed anything about the Jeff Foskett Italia. I think since Jeff Was a touring musician that did Carl Wilson’s parts, that often used a Rickenbacker 12 that should explain the strings and controls. It’s supposed to do the thiiiing, but at a better price than a Rickenbacker. That’s my understanding.
Ryan I love the sound of 12 strings, captivating vibes resonating. However. I'm waiting for them to get a self-tuning 12 string. I like the way you sounded on the Italian guitar and Dan Electro. 12 strings are a cruel and unforgiving invention for people like myself who love the sound...but tuning incessantly would drive me crazy. Italians make nice 12 strings Vox. They have that engineering mind. I believe Rickenbacker came from Germany too? In the 60s they got into building a sound effects into the guitars. I have a Vox Ultrasonic 6 hollow body guitar made in Italy...iove it. Your 12-string playing has years of months on end doing nothing but playing. Music is habit forming and addictive but so is food and something else. I think you're breaking new ground with the 12 with fuzz. It kind of reminded me of Bob Dylan at the Newport folk festival when he did his songs with an acoustic guitar and they loved it. He came out with an electric guitar and they booed Dylan like he shot their dog. Dylan was amazing from the start, but after he picked up the electric guitar his music and songs appealed to an even bigger international audience... and the fuzz has a catchy appeal. Great music chops can make a song. Give it a shot. You're on that level. I have to check out your play list of videos... Do you play slide on 12 ? Leo kottke, Duane Allman. I like your videos and I subscribed. Thank you 🙏.
For those who love tuning Harley Benton should come out with a 12 string that has a knock-off Floyd Rose floating trem, a cheap non-locking tuners and a plastic nut.
And then ship it with "reliced" strings, you know that's got a dull green colour to them and leaves a rusty residue on your fingers after touching it, the unwound g string has been paired with a wound d string by mistake and someone's deliberately stripped the screw heads off of half the screws on the bridge...
I bought the HB 12 String a few days ago from the Thomann factory in Germany. It took 3 days to get to the US, I'm not joking, amazing fast shipping via UPS. The HB 12 Is a real nice guitar. However, It needed new strings and a fret polish from the factory. Also some tweaking on the action. Other than that for a $329 guitar, it ain't half bad.
Do shootout between a Ric and the others and you might be surprised how well the Dano stacks up against the one that started it all. Probably the Harley Benton too. But if you include the basic maintenance, like changing strings, the Ric will lose every time.
The maintenance is worth it for the sound & tuning stability . Used Ric 12 Strings can be found for around £1000 in the UK. It's a no brainer , but I wanted a Ruby 330/6 when they appeared in the UK 2013 ,so I bought that & a Digitech Mosaic pedal ...bit of a cheat lol 🤭
@@shaunw9270 Trust me on this one. The tuning stability is just as bad on a Ric. The dual truss rod is its own beast too. But changing the strings on a Ric...that's torture. Plus the necks are so skinny that when Tom Petty wanted a signature model he insisted on a wider neck. I played a 1966 450/12 for years to get the jangle (and a few others). Never again. If you want to cheat, though, lacquer the fretboard of the cheaper alternative then scrape the lacquer, gently, off of the frets. Which is what Rickenbacker does. This helps with the jangle and feel of a Ric. Try some _cheap_ gold foils for the pickups and reverse the bass/octave strings and you might just end up with a Ric killer.
I still want a Danelectro 59X12 so bad it hurts when I pee. I checked with my urologist, had he said I was fine and that I meant that more in a metaphorical way that expresses my longing for a decent, inexpensive 12 string electric.
I bought the Harley Benton Rick-a-Like a couple of years back but I just didn't like it, so I sold it on and bought the Eastwood Classic 12 which is a much sturdier guitar....semi hollow but weighs a ton, but I don't mind that because it's a nice guitar. The only problem I have with manufacturers of electric 12 strings is why oh why do they insist on putting a 6 saddle tune o matic on them? Most of them do it and it makes it impossible to get perfect intonation. When you realise this, good luck trying to find an after market tune o matic with 12 individual saddles.....why? Come on, if you can't make 12 string electric guitars properly then don't bother because it's almost like they put 12 strings on as an afterthought 🤷♂️
I have the Eastwood tenorbaritone, the weight of this instrument requires an orthopedic visit once in a while .... but i like it ! Sounds like a war tank
Love the Harley Benton. Just got mine about a month ago. Upgraded the pots and capacitors, but kept the pickups. Its sweet, just make sure to keep it tuned with 10’s. Tried it with lighter gauge and it sounded terrible. Very good guitar for the price.
the Benton is quite pretty and sounds great. Get yours soon before Rickenbacher sends HB a C&D :) I own the Dano DC59 12. One of the best set-up and playable electric 12s out there, and sounds so good.
The best mod for a 12 string is to buy a bridge for around $100 that has individual saddles for each string. Even most $1500 models dont have this. It goes a long way for keeping tune and intonation on a 12 string.
Not only that you get what you pay for the controls are like a rickenbacker and quality is close enough for a 3rd to 1/2 the price... If you go look at videos on the Harley Benton for all the hype the most important thing is that the tuning machines are crap for me this is a nogo!
Loved the Italia. I've been on the hunt for a decent 12 string electric since hearing Wayne Hussey's Aria Pro Ii RS-800 12 with the Sisters of Mercy. Since those are impossible to find I settled on an (also impossible to find) Schecter Stargazer 12 which I'm loving
Get the primary stings tuned, and the harmony strings are easy to tune in. It takes a bit of practice, though. A LOTS of strings(12 string sets aren't the most common thing in guitar stores).
@@shckltnebay Well I don't think anyone would expect a $500 danelectro to compare to a $3000 rickenbaker. But out of the guitars compared in the video the Dan is the best.
Italia is not made in Italy. And the lights? When the pickup is on, the light turns on. It does have a compressor/boost, but not quite as nice as the McGuinn Rickenbacker. He's playing a signature model, but Italia also has a regular 12 string Remini (without the lights, onboard electronics and chrome). I've had this model for a few years and love it.
I inherited a Guild acoustic 12, which needed new strings badly. It was the worst minor guitar maintenance chore I’ve ever experienced, hands down. Unless you love tuning or have a specific need for a 12 string, there is no reason to put yourself through that.
I'm loving these TGU videos, but I'm just curious, did you do any collaboration videos? Almost all of your TGU videos seem to be you sitting on your own. Not that these videos aren't great! I'm just wondering because you have all those other youtubers there to do stuff together with. I was super hoping for you to do something with the TPS guys since you do so much with reverb pedals etc! :D Loving the videos as always!
That sounded the most like a RIC to me. Maybe a combination of string sequence, pickup type and any built in active circuits (does it have a built in compressor/jangle box?). Curious that the HB has a RIC theme going on, but it is not strung like a RIC?
The HB ric style shock the hell out of me. I played one expecting garbage and got blown away, couldn't put it down. When I went back to buy it a couple days later it was gone. Pretty bummed but I'll defiantly order one soon.
Although it was cheap as borscht, I could not get the low e string octave pair to resolve together at any fret or even open, I found the options very thin out there and ended up buying of all things a Rickenbacker 12 saddle bridge (a brand new product I think) which added more than 1/2 the original guitar cost to my total. Huge difference in the overall sound of the instrument though after spending a frustrating several hours intonating it. It is nice to have an electric 12 for that shwingy floating on clouds strummed rhythm guitar cushy background for a solo artist to sing over.
The size of the HB's headstock makes the body look tiny by comparison. VERY surprised by how much it sounds like a Ricky, and at half the price of the Dano. I think the HB wins by a hair over the Danelectro. The Italia was just meh.
@@darrellmcdonald7883 yes I got a metallic red danelectro 12 string from reverb ..all ready set up by someone that knew what they were doing .I love it my only 12 string electric..i have 2 acustic with pick ups added but nothing like the danelectro jungle jangle forever
Don't overlook a Cozart 12 string. You may have to do a little work (finish the neck) and maybe replace the tuners (I did on mine) but they're a great buy for the money.
I have a 12 string Danelectro, it's reduced the amount of bending I do, regardless of the guitar I'm playing. Can't really get that vibrato on the 12 string, so I've kinda stopped. It's interesting. I'm sure if I spent a full day just on a regular 6 string I'd go back to how I played before, but still
I really liked the dano 59xt version i played in another video, it has the double lipstick bridge and p-90 in the neck, i thought it sounded the best and played the best.
“ The Harley is great but hard to find. I have a Dan but prefer the f-hole( gives better tone). Most famous song that used fuzz on a twelve was ‘ Psychotic Reaction”.
I have this Italia guitar and it is awesome. It blows the other two out ofvthe water. Not a very good "review" if you don't have a clue what the controls do. The control plate mentions the functions though.
Yay tuning! I don't own a 12-string or a Rickenbacker anything so the Harley Benton gets my vote. I have several Danelectro guitars and can't afford a Rick; faux-Rick will have to do. Fuzz, except on "In-a-Gadda-Da-Veda", is evil and should never be used for a demo.
I don't understand how you can dismiss a guitar after playing one chord on it and not bothering to figure out how the electronics work. I'm not sure if that Rimini was a special model, but their 12-strings normally retail for well under $1000.
Thanks for good review, really helpful. Do either Dane Electro or Harley Benton have left-hand version? I like both. I have been looking for similarly priced left-hand electric12 string some time, but difficult to find.
I'm left handed, i think that you can find the Harley Benton 12 string for your needs. Otherwise, for left handed, i think that Eastwood guitars has the widest selection for lefties. Greetings from Italy, Patrick
Keithrisk5476, i forgot to tell you that Gear4Music has the " Knoxville " 12 string for lefties , looks almost like a Telecaster. It's a low cost instrument, search in internet. Looks very nice , and when you listen to the sound while watching the videos, seems pretty enjoyable, but , i repeat, it's a low cost level guitar . 👋
Ryan (or Steve).. I'm getting it into my head that I need to build a 12 string electric. Tell me why this is stupid and should just be happy with my 6 strings. Or why I must build a 12. Thanks!
If u love tuning then buy a 12 String with a trem
You know what they say about 12 string players.... They spend half their time tuning, and the other half playing out of tune.
Floating trem specifically, then take the locking nut off
@@mouse_eater ahhh yess
If you value your sanity, don't buy a 12-string with a trem.
The dream.
Flatwounds transformed my Dano 12. Can't imagine playing an electric 12 without them now. Much more body and separation between normal and octave strings
GOOD tip! More expensive to restring however!
DMSProduktions dude just leave them on there forever I mean they’re flatwounds
@@humanfly2044 LOL! EVERY sting eventually fatigues and will get loose and floppy! Had Dunlop SS string on my EB3. Lasted 2 years! Strings got dead and fretted out on lower frets! New set of nickel wounds and bang, way better.
ALL strings will need to be changed eventually!
DMSProduktions i‘d say that you have to change roundwounds because they wear out after time... but flatwounds ”get better“ with time because of the fact that they get loose and floppy as far as I know. But tbh I’ve only put flatwounds on my bass and never on a guitar so dude what do I know lol
Lipstick pickups scoop mids anyway.
A Danelectro will find a niche in a band that is heavy on mids.
There is very much a definite difference in the stringing order. Most 12 strings are strung with the high string before the low. John Hall of Rickenbacker intended for his guitars to be strung the opposite way. I believe it was Carl Wilson who first changed the order on his Rickenbacker, inspiring me to do same. What made it very difficult was the nut slotting. I had to use folded aluminum foil shims to get the high / octave strings up high enough to keep from buzzing or fretting out. I kept my 360 this way for about 35 years then decided to go back to John Hall's intended way. And I discovered something very significant. I was having a lot of trouble getting the high / octave strings to fret with the low ones, and it was because of the way my fingertips were pressing the strings. The convex curvature of my fingertips and their tangential contact and pressure on each pair of strings was far better suited to reverse-stringing. I am going back to reverse, but am trying to find a nut for a Rick 360-12 that is cut that way.
The Danelectro is the only 12 string with separate bridge adjusters for each string. If you have a standard 12 string set of strings on the danelectro the intonation will be fine except for the two plain g strings. Two plain strings of different gauges will never intonate properly but on the danelectro they can each be adjusted separately until they match.
Do you have a Dano 12? If, so… Would restringing base/tone strings on the Dano to match the Ric 12s, make it more Ric sounding?
"Fuzz on a 12 strings is my new favourite thing"
Couldn't agree more
This is the principle in tuning a 12-string. 1. Find the string that's out, and 2. tune the other 11 strings to that.
Why?
Because that's what you're going to end up doing anyway.
so it's like tuning a Floyd rose equipped guitar? that said: is there a 12 string Floyd rose?
forschen I hope there’s not a 12 string floyd, that’s a nightmare worthy thought
Haaaaa haaaa lmao and own a12 string Ricky
Just want to note that my Harley Benton 12 string is really growing on me. Keeps tune very well. Took me a bit of time to find pickup height and pole piece height, but it's nice. I put a new set of ernie ball 8's on it.. I can even bend a full step on some strings. I just have no complaints at all for it!
Wow, a $230 12 string electric, amazing! Looks and sounds great to me. I sold my LTD PC-212 12 sting awhile back and am looking for something but not as expensive.
I would choose the Danelectro, it has ,in my opinion, the sound that goes pretty close to the 60's, without spending a lot of money. The Italia 12 sounds great too ,but they are not cheap, too bad! But, price apart, they seems well built.in any case, to obtain the best sound with a 12 string guitar, use a good compressor!
The Italia (from Italia USA) is the Jeffery Foskett signature 12, and the controls are crazy. Master volume, master tone, pickup blend knob instead of selector switch, individual on/off switches for each pickup (with LEDs to indicate which pickups are on/off), plus a boost switch and two knobs labelled "boost" and "jangle". With price to match. For a couple hundred less, the Italia Rimini 12 has two Wilkinson minihumbuckers, individual volume for each, and master tone... plus an interesting output jack that's angled into the body like a strat jack, but raised up so you can use a wider array of cables. Nice guitars, love the styling and the metal Italia name badge on the headstock (ok, might be just chromed plastic... but a nice name badge like an old Italian scooter).
Yeah, hark back to the old Vespas!
@Trunk McEight Totally agree! Usually GOOD, wherever Trev Wilkinson is involved!
It's a great guitar in the hands of someone who knows how to play a 12 i.e. me - I learned on a Fender F55-12, in 1983. I use that guitar live too, with a Vox Ace pickup sealed into a one of those hum stoppers... bit of compression and eq and you've got that Ricky sound.
Folks should know that Roger McGuinn had a treble boost and a compressor built in to the Rickenbackers he plays. It is a big part of his sound.
That's the case on The Roger McGuinn model Rickenbacker issued decades ago but McGuinn wasn't crazy about it. You had to take all the stings off each time you needed to replace the 9volt battery in the onboard compressor. He switched to the "Jangle Box" foot pedal he still uses to day. I have one it's fantastic.
JangleBox makes an onboard unit now that fits in the Ric 300-series, JBOB, JangleBox On-Board, just a pickguard swap out.
In the studio he used rack compression big time, back in the day.
Can i give an humble tip ? There is a simple pedal hand made in Spain , the brand is " Ananashead " , and it is called " Byrd song treble booster pedal " . I've got one for my electric 8 string ( 4+4) bouzouki, and really makes the difference! If you don't believe me, go on my channel and search for the video " Byrd song treble booster pedal " english language ( there is another video in italian language) . As amplifier i have a Vox . The price of the pedal is reasonable. On request , Pedro Garcia, the owner of this brand , can make some modifications, as you prefer . Greetings from Italy, Patrick
The Danelectro had the clearest and most authentic 12-string tone... it's in those quiet, lower output lipstick pickups.
My first electric was a 1966 Fender Electric XII - a Jazzmaster body with 2 split pickups and 4-way switching. Difficult to stay in tune or play a clean first fret F barre chord. I traded it in 1999 for a 25th Anniv Taylor acoustic/electric and never looked back.
But I'd look for a 12-string Danelectro again...
Have had the Dano version for 3 years. No regrets. Plays so easy and it’s so comfortable to play compared to other heavy giant 12 strings. Best value too.
How's the tuning stability?
I just came here to hear some 12 strings through a fuzz, I knew you'd deliver.
The Italia sounded leagues better than either of the others to my ear.
The prices are too different. It's comparing an Audi with a seat. The Italia costs around 3 times more thanthe Benton. I'm a huge fan of Italias but own a Benton 612
Sadly I have champagne taste and beer pockets so I’ll take the Benton.
@Samí Warrior you seem to be forgetting tone from the amp and speaker. Also, set up. are the pups all well set up? are the strings all new? I don't think the Harley has inferior anything. unless you like silly lights on your guitar.
@Samí Warrior Are you 12 ? anyone who disagrees with you deserves that sort of reply? Do you realize you just outed yourself, not me? I build guitars and amps. I've been playing since 1965. You're just a rude snob with a potty mouth. Grow up and join the world of people who love music and guitars.
Why would you put a fuzz on a 12 string??
Years ago in a store, I ran across a solid body Rickenbacker 12 string. It was natural finish, two toaster pickups, with the "curling wave" upper cutaway horn. It was probably the finest 12 string electric I have ever encountered. It played beautifully and sounded great. But I felt I had bought too many guitars, and talked myself out of leaving a deposit for it. A few days later, I had second thoughts, and went back to that store. The Rick was gone. I'm kicking myself. One doesn't often run across used Rickenbackers for sale in stores. I had my chance to get a real sweet one at a nice price, and had blown it!
I picked up a Japan Fender Strat XII (one of the second generation ones). The string spacing is crowded around the lower positions. But the neck is incredibly rigid, making for stable tuning.
Was curious if anyone knows if the Japan Fender Strat XII first generation models (with a slightly shorter scale neck and a different bridge) had less crowded string spacing around the lower positions?
I had a Rickenbacker 450/12 for years but the neck was tiny. Sold it and later purchased an Italia Rimini 12, (the standard model) and love it! It has Wilkinson P-90s and sounds amazing! I also have an OLP doubleneck that I completely reworked. It’s the cheapest of the three by far but is the only one with a 12 saddle bridge! In my humble opinion, the three guitars you showed us all could benefit from minor setups. 12 string guitars, acoustic and electric all need dialed in, as you said. I know you didn’t have time to try different strings, make pick up height adjustments and the like, so I completely understand why you didn’t care for the Italia. The price for that sig model is pretty high but still half or less than a comparable Ric! I paid around $550 for mine as a demo guitar from a big national warehouse store. I got lucky! Trying to find the “Real” case has been the issue for the past ten years or so lol!
I have early 70's Rickenbackers a 360/6 and a 360/12 ... And I have big hands and fat fingers playing this tiny flat necks.. you get a certain knack of playing them as you'll know.. but wouldn't trade either of them for anything opened them both since, well, 1971..
I’m sold on the Harley Benton. Great Price. Great Looks. Great Tones!!
Fun video shoot out. I have the Danoelectric 12 String Semi hollow, so it was no surprise to me that it was the closest to being in tune(It's the brass nut). to my ear it also sounded the best, but of course I love the Dano lipstick pick up sound.
After that I thought the Italia sounded better than the Harley Benton. It had better resonance an sustain.
I think that the levels of 12 String electrics goes #1 Rickenbacker is the best by far (but costly) #2 Danoelectric (affordable, great sound, Very good quality) #3 Anything costing less than the Dano (save your money and get a 12 String effect pedal).
I have the DANO 59 12 with a p-90 on the neck and two lip sticks on the bridge and it sounds great and stays in tune just fine.
Thanks for the vid. I noticed you don’t put any tension on the strings after you tune them. If the slots are tight the first bend you do will pull the string out of tune. If you just give them a little tug and and recheck, you’ll stay in tune longer...
Let’s try it with some fuzz... now that’s a catch phrase 😂
Octavia without the synthy shit sound!
The Italia is strung like a Rickenbacker. The Lights on the Italia tell you the active pickup(s). My 1968 330/12 Rick holds tune for days at a time and after that just needs very minor fine tuning
Was thinking that - very surprised he doesn't know or pick up (pardon the pun) on that. I'm also surprised that Harley Benton don't string their very obvious 360/12 copy in the same way as the original, unless it's a licensing thing maybe? I really want the 660/12, but it's a little out of my budget...
“ I had an Italia and the neck warp was an issue. So people tune down one semi tone and capo the first fret, only that method throws off the fret markers. I had a Rickenbacher as well and I thought it was not worth the $1500 I paid. Then in 2015 I bought a Danelectro and have been totally happy with the intonation and playability. But I prefer the Dan with the one hollow F hole”.
I just received the one I ordered and overall I was happy with the fit and finish, tone, etc. , especially for the price. However the G strings seemed difficult to get in tune …. before buying I had read that changing strings on these is crazy hard… with only 6 slots for 12 strings, each pair of strings having to share one hole in the tailpiece …. so I also bought a WD 12 string trapeze tailpiece with 12 slots for less than $30, it cost$37.84 with shipping… The 12 slot tailpiece fit on the existing trapeze and I was able to restring the guitar with the original strings because I’m cheap lol…. it worked! Something about not having to share a hole solved the G string problem… so I highly recommend to all purchasers of this guitar, spend the extra 30 bucks and you won’t have restringing problems, and if you’re having tuning issues maybe that will help as well. GREAT review, great playing BTW… but there IS another review worth watching… on “Jon is just TOO loudD“ TH-cam channel.
I just bought the Harley Benton. this review was very good, I think I chose right. I have owned Dano's and they tend to sound a bit ... unique... if not kinda cheap. Can you describe tone as cheap? Why not, some say there's rich tone! all jokes aside, materials and style, the HBenton seems to be the one for me. Good reviews, good tones, good action. Yep! thanks!
Got a Dean Boca 12 in black a few years ago at 350 still in love with the feel and the sound especially middle position. Nails that sound for me. The hb looks prettiest to me, the italia is too, but too much chrome and doo dads
I believe you said “hungbucker” at the end of the video. I want a guitar with “hungbuckers” so bad.
And now I need to pull my brain out of the gutter hahaha
If I had to guess the Italia is more based on (loosely) Rodger McGuinn’s Ric model from the late 80’s that had built in boost and compression. Also on a Ric the octave string and regular string is swapped over vs how it normally is on a 12
Good comp Ryan. That Italia is by Trev Wilkinson. It sounded the most 'Rick' like but it was NOT $800 better than the Harley or the Dano! Bit disappointed you didn't do middle pos on those guitars. Usually WHERE you get the most jangle from a 12!
I think that Blue Italia has the option of a passive/active tone circuit, probably to get it closer to a Rick, & everything in between!
Nice job!
A Rickenbacker for $800 ? Americans always moan about prices of American guitars ... Try buying quality US made guitars over here 🇬🇧 ... some of the prices would astound you ! 😬
I don't know what a "thousand-dollar vibe" is, but I'm concerned whether it's even legal outside of Nevada.
"If you LOVE tuning...get yourself a 12-string. You'll be tuning all day." 😆 I loved that.
I enjoy youre channel. And you’re the only TH-cam channel I’ve found that showed anything about the Jeff Foskett Italia.
I think since Jeff Was a touring musician that did Carl Wilson’s parts, that often used a Rickenbacker 12 that should explain the strings and controls. It’s supposed to do the thiiiing, but at a better price than a Rickenbacker.
That’s my understanding.
Ryan I love the sound of 12 strings, captivating vibes resonating. However. I'm waiting for them to get a self-tuning 12 string. I like the way you sounded on the Italian guitar and Dan Electro. 12 strings are a cruel and unforgiving invention for people like myself who love the sound...but tuning incessantly would drive me crazy. Italians make nice 12 strings Vox. They have that engineering mind. I believe Rickenbacker came from Germany too? In the 60s they got into building a sound effects into the guitars. I have a Vox Ultrasonic 6 hollow body guitar made in Italy...iove it. Your 12-string playing has years of months on end doing nothing but playing. Music is habit forming and addictive but so is food and something else.
I think you're breaking new ground with the 12 with fuzz. It kind of reminded me of Bob Dylan at the Newport folk festival when he did his songs with an acoustic guitar and they loved it. He came out with an electric guitar and they booed Dylan like he shot their dog. Dylan was amazing from the start, but after he picked up the electric guitar his music and songs appealed to an even bigger international audience... and the fuzz has a catchy appeal. Great music chops can make a song. Give it a shot. You're on that level. I have to check out your play list of videos... Do you play slide on 12 ? Leo kottke, Duane Allman. I like your videos and I subscribed. Thank you 🙏.
For those who love tuning Harley Benton should come out with a 12 string that has a knock-off Floyd Rose floating trem, a cheap non-locking tuners and a plastic nut.
And then ship it with "reliced" strings, you know that's got a dull green colour to them and leaves a rusty residue on your fingers after touching it, the unwound g string has been paired with a wound d string by mistake and someone's deliberately stripped the screw heads off of half the screws on the bridge...
I'm getting a real Byrds vibe from these guitars.
Duhh!
Jesus. No shit?
Keep saving and get the real thing! Nothing competes with a Rickenbacker 12 string.
Tune 12's starting from the D strings,work your way outwards with the hi E's tuned last.
I bought the HB 12 String a few days ago from the Thomann factory in Germany. It took 3 days to get to the US, I'm not joking, amazing fast shipping via UPS. The HB 12 Is a real nice guitar. However, It needed new strings and a fret polish from the factory. Also some tweaking on the action. Other than that for a $329 guitar, it ain't half bad.
Do shootout between a Ric and the others and you might be surprised how well the Dano stacks up against the one that started it all. Probably the Harley Benton too.
But if you include the basic maintenance, like changing strings, the Ric will lose every time.
The maintenance is worth it for the sound & tuning stability . Used Ric 12 Strings can be found for around £1000 in the UK. It's a no brainer , but I wanted a Ruby 330/6 when they appeared in the UK 2013 ,so I bought that & a Digitech Mosaic pedal ...bit of a cheat lol 🤭
@@shaunw9270 Trust me on this one. The tuning stability is just as bad on a Ric. The dual truss rod is its own beast too. But changing the strings on a Ric...that's torture. Plus the necks are so skinny that when Tom Petty wanted a signature model he insisted on a wider neck.
I played a 1966 450/12 for years to get the jangle (and a few others). Never again.
If you want to cheat, though, lacquer the fretboard of the cheaper alternative then scrape the lacquer, gently, off of the frets. Which is what Rickenbacker does. This helps with the jangle and feel of a Ric. Try some _cheap_ gold foils for the pickups and reverse the bass/octave strings and you might just end up with a Ric killer.
I still want a Danelectro 59X12 so bad it hurts when I pee. I checked with my urologist, had he said I was fine and that I meant that more in a metaphorical way that expresses my longing for a decent, inexpensive 12 string electric.
GOOD to hear you have no bladder stones or cancers!
I bought one and never looked back, sounds way better than this video gives justice.
@@happybenjful A Dano or a HB?
Benjamin Smith, I just placed an order for a Blood Red 59x12 with my Christmas gift money.
Just to clarify in case u are still wondering, in the Italia the switches turn the Green lights on/off, that's what they are for.
I bought the Harley Benton Rick-a-Like a couple of years back but I just didn't like it, so I sold it on and bought the Eastwood Classic 12 which is a much sturdier guitar....semi hollow but weighs a ton, but I don't mind that because it's a nice guitar.
The only problem I have with manufacturers of electric 12 strings is why oh why do they insist on putting a 6 saddle tune o matic on them? Most of them do it and it makes it impossible to get perfect intonation. When you realise this, good luck trying to find an after market tune o matic with 12 individual saddles.....why? Come on, if you can't make 12 string electric guitars properly then don't bother because it's almost like they put 12 strings on as an afterthought 🤷♂️
I have the Eastwood tenorbaritone, the weight of this instrument requires an orthopedic visit once in a while .... but i like it ! Sounds like a war tank
Love the Harley Benton. Just got mine about a month ago. Upgraded the pots and capacitors, but kept the pickups. Its sweet, just make sure to keep it tuned with 10’s. Tried it with lighter gauge and it sounded terrible. Very good guitar for the price.
the Benton is quite pretty and sounds great. Get yours soon before Rickenbacher sends HB a C&D :)
I own the Dano DC59 12. One of the best set-up and playable electric 12s out there, and sounds so good.
The headstock on the HB is no where near the Rick. I don't think a C&D will get very far.
I always tune the unwound strings with one slightly flatted giving a fuller sound.
The best mod for a 12 string is to buy a bridge for around $100 that has individual saddles for each string. Even most $1500 models dont have this. It goes a long way for keeping tune and intonation on a 12 string.
superjet113 mind pointing me in the right direction? I’ve never seen one so can you share the name of a company that produces one?
A 12 string player spends half of his time tuning the guitar and the other half playing out of tune Lol
Actually the Dano does have one!
That's the beauty of the Dano, independent saddle adjustments for intonation.
The Italia sounds four times better than the HB. Well substantially better anyway.
LOL!
Costs 4 times as much too
Not only that you get what you pay for the controls are like a rickenbacker and quality is close enough for a 3rd to 1/2 the price... If you go look at videos on the Harley Benton for all the hype the most important thing is that the tuning machines are crap for me this is a nogo!
Harley Benton for the Win on this one.
Agree.
I had a Kimbra 12 string acoustic from the 70's it hardly ever went out of tune perhaps because I stretched the strings!
FINALLY a 12 string demo with fuzz... said no one ever! Lol. But I enjoyed the comparison👍
Been waiting on this. That blue one makes me happy
Loved the Italia. I've been on the hunt for a decent 12 string electric since hearing Wayne Hussey's Aria Pro Ii RS-800 12 with the Sisters of Mercy. Since those are impossible to find I settled on an (also impossible to find) Schecter Stargazer 12 which I'm loving
is that black guitar in the back right (left) a Yamaha EG-112C also the first guitar on the neck sounded really nice and calm
Get the primary stings tuned, and the harmony strings are easy to tune in. It takes a bit of practice, though. A LOTS of strings(12 string sets aren't the most common thing in guitar stores).
The danelectro is the best. It's got that sweet jangle. I bet it would cut through a mix like nobody's business.
Played one nothing special, ive owned Rics
@@shckltnebay Well I don't think anyone would expect a $500 danelectro to compare to a $3000 rickenbaker. But out of the guitars compared in the video the Dan is the best.
@@Darm0k You missed my point and you know what they say about opinions? I dont agree that out of those three the Dano is the best
@@shckltnebay Sokath! His eyes uncovered!
@@shckltnebay perhaps you should have said which one in the video you preferred instead of bringing up irrelevant Ric's.
Once you get proficient at tuning a 12 string a six string is a breeze
"Todd the 12-string King"
Italia is not made in Italy. And the lights? When the pickup is on, the light turns on. It does have a compressor/boost, but not quite as nice as the McGuinn Rickenbacker. He's playing a signature model, but Italia also has a regular 12 string Remini (without the lights, onboard electronics and chrome). I've had this model for a few years and love it.
You did a great job on these GU videos, Ryan - really useful.
I inherited a Guild acoustic 12, which needed new strings badly. It was the worst minor guitar maintenance chore I’ve ever experienced, hands down. Unless you love tuning or have a specific need for a 12 string, there is no reason to put yourself through that.
I'm loving these TGU videos, but I'm just curious, did you do any collaboration videos? Almost all of your TGU videos seem to be you sitting on your own. Not that these videos aren't great! I'm just wondering because you have all those other youtubers there to do stuff together with. I was super hoping for you to do something with the TPS guys since you do so much with reverb pedals etc! :D
Loving the videos as always!
7:25 Old-school octave fuzz.
The Italia is strung like a RIC!! The correct way imo
That sounded the most like a RIC to me. Maybe a combination of string sequence, pickup type and any built in active circuits (does it have a built in compressor/jangle box?). Curious that the HB has a RIC theme going on, but it is not strung like a RIC?
I didn’t even know people stung 12 strings any other way besides the way the Italia is strung.
@@altrock86 Gibson and most manufacturers put the root sting on the top, Rickenbacker puts the octave on the top
@@SaxJockey I would restring it like that, lower string course 1st, then the octave course below it.
@@altrock86 'Copy' Ricks often do it that way. I think Fender strung it that way too, higher course on top, lower course below.
The HB ric style shock the hell out of me. I played one expecting garbage and got blown away, couldn't put it down. When I went back to buy it a couple days later it was gone. Pretty bummed but I'll defiantly order one soon.
Although it was cheap as borscht, I could not get the low e string octave pair to resolve together at any fret or even open, I found the options very thin out there and ended up buying of all things a Rickenbacker 12 saddle bridge (a brand new product I think) which added more than 1/2 the original guitar cost to my total. Huge difference in the overall sound of the instrument though after spending a frustrating several hours intonating it. It is nice to have an electric 12 for that shwingy floating on clouds strummed rhythm guitar cushy background for a solo artist to sing over.
The size of the HB's headstock makes the body look tiny by comparison. VERY surprised by how much it sounds like a Ricky, and at half the price of the Dano. I think the HB wins by a hair over the Danelectro. The Italia was just meh.
Agreed!
i think the best one was the 12 string danelectro from the other video
I have played a danelectro 12 string... for the money it's the best one.
@@darrellmcdonald7883 yes I got a metallic red danelectro 12 string from reverb ..all ready set up by someone that knew what they were doing .I love it my only 12 string electric..i have 2 acustic with pick ups added but nothing like the danelectro jungle jangle forever
I have a 2003 Yamaha Pacifica 12 string electric that I absolutely love and they no longer make....great electric guitar! Mine stays in tune
From this comparison, I'm all for the H.B.. Love the looks and the tone. Thanks for the comparison.
Don't overlook a Cozart 12 string. You may have to do a little work (finish the neck) and maybe replace the tuners (I did on mine) but they're a great buy for the money.
That Harley Benton was in an old baroque temperament. You messed it all up ;-(
Leo of Red Keep ah damnit
432 Hz?
you are clumsy on all guitars, its a miracle u have a yt channel
You have no idea.
I have a 12 string Danelectro, it's reduced the amount of bending I do, regardless of the guitar I'm playing. Can't really get that vibrato on the 12 string, so I've kinda stopped. It's interesting. I'm sure if I spent a full day just on a regular 6 string I'd go back to how I played before, but still
What timing. I’m in the market for one of these right now, actually. I enjoyed hearing your thoughts. I’m leaning towards a Danelectro at the moment.
I really liked the dano 59xt version i played in another video, it has the double lipstick bridge and p-90 in the neck, i thought it sounded the best and played the best.
“ The Harley is great but hard to find. I have a Dan but prefer the f-hole( gives better tone). Most famous song that used fuzz on a twelve was ‘ Psychotic Reaction”.
Dan Electro 12 sounds like White stripes when on Fuzz.
Brilliant.
Italia thing is wild, gotta love it, I think it sounded a bit better than the HB, but maybe not enough to warrant the price
Thought the dano sounded better than the HB too, probably the best choice, if a bit spartan looking by comparison.
Certainly NOT $800 better that's for sure!
I have this Italia guitar and it is awesome. It blows the other two out ofvthe water. Not a very good "review" if you don't have a clue what the controls do. The control plate mentions the functions though.
I have that HB model in a six string and play it more than my tele that was three times the price. Prefer the danelectro as a 12 string though.
I keep watching 60 Cycle Hum Harley Benton videos and now I want 5 new guitars...
What model of danelectro 12 is that one?
It's not the Vintage 12 that's linked in the description.
Thx
Yay tuning! I don't own a 12-string or a Rickenbacker anything so the Harley Benton gets my vote. I have several Danelectro guitars and can't afford a Rick; faux-Rick will have to do. Fuzz, except on "In-a-Gadda-Da-Veda", is evil and should never be used for a demo.
Habe leider noch kein Case dafür gefunden sonst hatte ich mir die HB RB612 schon gekauft
WHat amp etc are using on the Line6 box? Great and elusive 12 string sound.
i want to make a 12 string with a trem, so yeah i guess i really just want to tune all day
I think the Harley Benton is the best choice.
I don't understand how you can dismiss a guitar after playing one chord on it and not bothering to figure out how the electronics work. I'm not sure if that Rimini was a special model, but their 12-strings normally retail for well under $1000.
Let’s see, the one I would buy is a Rickenbacker 370, which is the one I did buy, and which is the gold standard. 😁
Thanks for good review, really helpful. Do either Dane Electro or Harley Benton have left-hand version? I like both. I have been looking for similarly priced left-hand electric12 string some time, but difficult to find.
I'm left handed, i think that you can find the Harley Benton 12 string for your needs. Otherwise, for left handed, i think that Eastwood guitars has the widest selection for lefties. Greetings from Italy, Patrick
Keithrisk5476, i forgot to tell you that Gear4Music has the " Knoxville " 12 string for lefties , looks almost like a Telecaster. It's a low cost instrument, search in internet. Looks very nice , and when you listen to the sound while watching the videos, seems pretty enjoyable, but , i repeat, it's a low cost level guitar . 👋
@@patrickbuzzo1970 Thank you! Greetings from England.
Still just use a delay, flanger, or chorus pedal and save the guitar stand space
Darrell Mcdonald for like 100ish bucks you can get a pog which basically does the same thing
@@EliseOfTheValley No it's never the same!
God that Italia is fricking sweet looking
Oh yeah.
HB is so sweet. Thanks for your job. You did cool. Thank you x 1000!
Can anyone answer, that might have a Dano 12? Would restringing base/tone strings on the Dano to match the Ric 12s, make it more Ric sounding?
Danelectro has its own cool thang going on, that said I like the HB too.
Ryan (or Steve).. I'm getting it into my head that I need to build a 12 string electric. Tell me why this is stupid and should just be happy with my 6 strings. Or why I must build a 12. Thanks!
Dan Electro is too bright, IMO. Btw, you should tune the primary strings first and then the secondary strings. It works a lot better that way.
The only 22 string that’s not out of tune is the one tucked away in your case. It immediately goes out of tune the moment you pick it up to play it.
tbf you can get a 12 string sound style from an octrave pedal boss OC-5 which ive got because i didnt want to spend it on just a new guitar lol
I have the Harley Benton and I love it!
hows the action on it?
Before you appear, you must already tuned your guitar first
what's the worst part in tuning a 12 string, the octave pairs or the unison strings?
Burns 12 string? Korean edition..what would be a fair price?