Good job, Mark. This last year, I finally decided to get an instrument I've wanted forever: a decent 12 string electric. So, first I ordered a Chickenbacker from China. It looked great but was a terrible player. It sounded like muffled junk, and I swear I had to order an Uber to get from the strings to the fretboard! So then I upped my game and sent for a Harley Benton classic 12. Much better but still a bit of a beast. Went to Carter Music in Nashville to play a Roger McGuinn Rickenbacker. Smooth as silk but way too expensive, plus I don't like those narrow necks at the nut. But then, I stumbled on a used Reverend Airwave with case and bit the bullet. Finally I have a great 12 string that plays like butter with plenty of room for chords and great sound. I've come to the realization that it's the best way to go electric 12-string for under $1,500. Plus, the intonation is perfect and it really never goes out of tune! ps I haven't played the Eastman 12-string but would love to.
Hey Carson. I really enjoyed your email. Not that my opinion is any more valuable than anybody else's but I agree with you on everything you said except I'm not a fan of the Rick. For the price, I think it's a rip off. They're beautiful to look at but I'm a pretty experienced player and I don't know who the heck is able to downstroke with the reversed strings and get any consistent string strikes. You have either upstroke or reverse the strings. I also found restringing to be an absolute nightmare. Not because of the floating tailpiece. That's a non issue. It's the cool looking but totally idiotic tuning peg configuration. Even after having one for over a year, I was still crossing strings and having to go back. The other bad idea that Rick has is the heavily lacquered fingerboard. I mean, if the guitar was $800, I would say, cool guitar. But I had the C63, which sells for $3800. That's insane for what you get. I had great luck with my Harley Benton. You're one of the few people I've talked to with a modest opinion. I've found that about 80% love them, and 20% hate them. Most of the haters talk about tuning nightmares. I have to tell you, my HB stays in tune better than maybe ANY guitar I own. The thing never goes out. I got lucky for sure. I have my guitars out of their cases in the basement and it continues to hold tune. Cold, warm, humid or not. Remarkable. Cool looking too but limited in sound and only pretty good playability. The Eastwood Classic 12 plays reasonably. It's biggest asset is the sound. It gets a beautiful woody tone but it's a big semi hollow so that's not a surprise. Anyway, i'm going on and on. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I'm glad somebody else out there that plays the electric 12 has validated what I think to be the case. Pretty amazing guitar. Take care. Mark
Thank you for this, Mark, Great playing as usual. Before I was gifted with a Rickenbacker 330-12, a Reverend 12 was on my list as I looked for a less expensive 12 than a Rik which cost more than I could really justify spending. A Gretsch Electromatic 12 was also a candidate as were an Eastwood Classic and a Fender Alternate Reality series 12 which had a limited run a few years ago. I really liked the looks of the Fender's offset body which in white with a tortoiseshell pickguard was really quite stunning. But I was intrigued too by the Reverend both for its sound and appearance (I rather like offsets) but also partly because I thought the name was appropriate for someone in my line of employment. I am an Anglican (Episcopalian in the USA) clergyman.
Always a bright spot in my Saturday. I just love that beautiful guitar and it sounds great. Like I said before mark you rock. Have a great weekend and take good care of yourself. Peace and much love to us all. ❤🎸🧘♀️🕊
Hey Mal. I'm not sure what you have available to you in the Philippines. Reverend sells them on Sweetwater and Wildwood guitars for $1299. I'm thinking that's about $1700 in Australian dollars. And about 4 billion pesos. Seriously, it much be 10s of 1000s of pesos. When you buy online, what currency do you use? FYI, between you and me, the guitar seriously kicks ass. I play it for at least an hour everyday. One of the best guitars I've ever owned. Take care. Talk soon. Mark
Hey Michael. It really is a special guitar. And I don't get anything for saying that. I don't even get to keep the guitar although I will definitely buy one when it's time to give it back. I should have included the price in the video as a lot of people are thinking that it's a $500 guitar. It sells for $1300. I think that's more than fair for what you get. It's super light too. I think it weighs just under 7 lbs. Thanks so much for checking out the video. Have a great week! Mark
Great video! Love that jangle sound. p90's sound great. Really a nice 12 string and it's load enough to play without an amp. You played great like always.
Hey Bob. Thanks so much for the kind words. It's always nice when you can pick up an electric and not have to plug it in every time! Take care. Talk soon. Mark
Very much enjoy the video, thanks for all the variety, great job of showcasing the sound palette of this instrument. One of the guys I play with regularly uses an acoustic 12-string, I recently sent him a link to this guitar and now he is searching for one.
Hello Mark. About two months ago, I bought an Airwave from a UK retailer (online, unfortunately... so 'sight unseen'... but brand new, serial no. 54024) for around about £1,000 - partly on the recommendation of your video (which I think is a perfectly fair one, incidentally... and thank you for posting it). I do like the guitar, and do agree that it's suprisingly playable (and does feel 'designed-from-the-ground-up'), but really don't think the finish is up to scratch for the price. On my guitar, the paint finish around the sound hole is rough, there appears to be a crack in the bass end of the nut, there's quite an unsightly blemish visible on the timber visible through the sound hole (it seems to be weeping sap, but I guess it can't be), the fret ends seem uneven, one of the screws holding the jack-plate has been inserted at an odd angle... and so on. There's just a whole list of minor, but quite disappointing, issues. I have a Chinese Squier 'Affinity' strat which was 1/10th of the price that's actually better finished. Sad to say, I think I'll be selling my Reverend when my current project's over, and I don't reckon I'd buy another. I enjoyed your video, though... 🙂
I am a total 12-string addict, on the several occasions over a long life scratching out a place on the peripheries of the music biz where I have been reduced to a single guitar, on all bar one of these the one guitar I could not part with has been a 12-string. I know we all say (where our spouses can't hear us) that the right number of guitars to own is exactly one more than we already have, but the "gap" in my fluctuating collection has always been a decent electric 12. The indulgence of guitar shops over the years has let me get my hands on a Rickenbacker for an hour or so at a time but honestly, wonderful guitars that they are, there was something about them I found difficult to get on with. (probably a combo of neck geometry, the reversed string pattern and the spacing of the courses of strings under my right hand, since 12-string fingerstyle has always been "my thing", never having gained any great ability with a flat pick - I'm what you might describe as a "skilled faker" - if my left can find the right chord voicings I can rely on the fingers of my right to find the melody I want in there somewhere :) It's just a matter of striking that finger a tad harder to make the melody rise above the accompaniment) As a result, I'd been searching for a midrange electric 12 that would suit me as well as the Ovation that served me well for 35+ years before being reluctantly retired, too far gone for any luthier to get back into proper shape at any price I could afford, or the Takamine that replaced it in my lineup. The Revered popped up on my radar a few months ago. There was something about it that caught my eye. No guitar shop anywhere near me (and there are a couple of quite big ones within reach of Edinburgh) had one I could sit down and play but I scoured youtube for videos of it being played (by much better guitarists than I) and the rest of the 'net for written writeups of it. In the end I just said "F it" and ordered one sight unseen. As it happened, I was unboxing mine - also in metallic alpine - on the same day you posted your first short take on it. Talk about "love at first strum" - I didn't put it down for several hours. While exploring its sound myself I've been eagerly anticipating your promised longer review of it. I cannot disagree with a single iota of your opinion. For any guitarist who loves 12-strings this is definitely one to check out and enjoy. At only a few weeks in I'm still exploring all of the possible tone ranges this guitar can produce but I'm loving every minute of the journey.
Hey David. This is one of the most enjoyable comments I've ever read. Certainly the most enjoyable lengthy comment. So many things stick out. Your description of the Rick (nice but uninspiring and a one trick pony even of the trick is to sound like the greatest band of all time). Jusf so you dont mistake me for the worlds greatest Byrds fan, I am talking about the Beatles. Ah! One of the flaws of answering comments on the phone is that you cant refer to it once you start responding without having to start over. I love the way you described your music career. At one time I was a huge baseball fan so I use the term 'double A' career for mine. Never in the big leagues, never flirting with the big leagues (triple A), but two major record deals (both without the coveted promotion), backing up a litany of big groups (great to brag about at parties but mostly crappy gigs as nobody is there to see the opening act albeit a few stand out as really fun, usually because the headliner or their fans were gracious), an internet hit too late in the game to still have the emotional energy to get back on the road. What else...oh, I had an ovation custom legend from 1989 until 2018. I met Charlie Kaman in 2003 (I was helping a friend do a remodel of a basement, owner was Charlie, aviation legend and founder of Ovation). Even though I played the ovation at a million shows, as soon as I got a Taylor, I realized how little I liked the O and put it in its case for the next 15 years until finally selling it to someone who could appreciate it. I know this was about 12 string guitars but I've lost my way here. Shoot me an email at anytime at markaranalli@gmail.com. I do get about 100 a week, but I respond to them all, usually within 48 hours. Either way, thanks for checking out the video. I sincerely appreciate your time and comment. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe I'm not even double A ball. In "little leagues" I was a chorister, principal treble soloist for three choirs (school, church and a local semi-pro outfit that specialised in Bach) but when my voice changed my dreams of growing up to be a decent tenor went "poof" quite spectacularly. I ended up a folkie, haunting the music circles down the pub as soon as I got big enough to not be chucked out on my ear as obviously underage. I'm never going to fill a stadium or have a big label put my tunes out there. My ideal venue is some waterfront dive where most of the patrons smell of fish and they know all the choruses :) Along the way I got hugely lucky in meeting and learning from much greater folks than I, although I stopped playing steeleye span tracks for years after my cousin got married - her new mother in law was Maddie Prior and I didnt want her to catch me massacring one of her tunes! Foolishness, I know, but it was what got me though the inhibitions of "I cant play it like the original" to the point of "Heck, I play it like me and I think it works, so...."
I'd like to try one out after watching. I'm pretty much after an affordable Rick alternative. The Danelectro is nice but this one seems like the perfect middle ground. Seems like it captures that 60's 12 string mojo I'm after. Thanks for the demo.
That's the sound I was looking for 30 years ago. Magnificent. So clean it sounds almost artificial. Up to you, you can de-tune it just so slightly that it sounds real.
Love the hardware aspects of this 12 string. The intonation aspect especially. Looks great too. However the tone seems to be more rounded and less jangly than a Ric at least in this video. Maybe just the settings but not sure. Would want to try it out first or demo before committing.
Hey Harry. First off, the Reverend can definitely get a huge rounded sound. You can literally almost get it sounding like an ovation. It's so versatile. You can also get it to sound jangly. Maybe not just like a ric but pretty darn close to the point where unless you're playing in a Byrds cover band, you'd be ok. I always advise people to do their own investigating though. There's no way you can ever get the feel of anything from a youtube video. First the guitar has to be captured by my mics. Then the video is significantly compressed when it's rendered. Then the real bastardization happens when it's uploaded to youtube and 3gig becomes 40mb. I laugh when people make very specific assumptions based on youtube videos. There's simply no way to tell. Sounds like you know that and you know what you're talking about. I wish you luck. Take care and have a great day. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Thanks for your explanations. Still am interested but wonder about those custom P90 pups that may be somewhat warmer with less edge and brightness. That could account for the tonality I was commenting on. Maybe replace the bridge pickup with a Toaster type that might still work with the neck P90 or replace both. Like the idea of the 12 not being a one trick pony but still would want a more closer sound to the Ric. Not interested in the Ric itself as too many down sides that the Airwaves model has addressed.
Good morning. Thanks so much for checking out the video. First off, I am not a paid endorser of ANY COMPANY. I do get guitars on loan or for slightly discounted prices occasionally, but that's it. I love the Airwave 12. I've never own ANY guitar that had the ability to shape a wider array of tones and that includes my American made PRS with split coils. Im able to get a pretty close Ric sound with the Eastwood and both are small companies (when you call you can speak to the each company's president...and they are both very passionate). That being said, if you have the money, the Reverend knocks it out of the park. I sometimes play it and forget thet I have a 12 in my hands. Check out my video One Guitar to Rule Them All where I play 20 classic 6 string riffs on it. I'm not a huge fan of the Danelecteo and the fact that they're owned by a large conglomerate and interacting with them usually includes dealing with form letters from non musicians make the brand even more of a turn off for me (but its primarily the guitars themselves that I dont think have much range and the playability is ok at best). I hope this helps. Have a great week. Take care. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe hi mark! i just wanted to tell you i got myself a reverend and it sounds fantastic! thanks very much for your words and for the great review! i'm really looking forward to plugging in and playing this beauty!
I’m curious about the locking tuners: I do like them on my D’Angelico Deluxe Bedford 6-string, except they weigh quite a bit and make the guitar fairly head-heavy. Do you find this even more so on a 12-string?
I like the sound of it very much but I don't like the body shape. It would look better if the lower half was mirrored and a little smaller towards the back.
Hey Johnny. Musicians Friend, GC, and Russo music have it new and there are several for sals on Reverb (mostly new). If you're thinking of getting it, I highly recommend it. It may be my favorite guitar ever. They did a short run of Red Sparkle. Last time I checked the wait was over a year. Thanks for checking out the video. Have s great holiday. Mark
So, "the ultimate test of a 12-string is that you can play it just like a 6-string"? You're nuts. The ultimate test of a 12-atring is that it does musically valid things things that you can't do a 6-string. That's also why McGuinn is the definitive electric 12-string player, and all the other are also-rans.
Mark - An impressive range of tones! Jangle is a critical element of an electric 12 so I am glad to see that this one succeeds. I also appreciate the locking tuners, especially on a 12! Dave
Hey D H. And honestly, I didn't even do the jangle justice. I was able to absolutely nail Ticket to Ride, Turn Turn Turn, and Mr T Man the evening before I recorded. Then I did too much tweaking, ran out of time and did the best I could. But, yes, it can get plenty of jangle in many different settings and the guitar is phenomenal. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I appreciate your time and comment. Take care. Mark
You're the first person I've heard use sinestral to describe a guitar (or use as a noun for that matter). It's primarily used to describe symmetry, or rather asymmetry (more specific to that, chirality). A good example of chirality are the two release arms of the Rok-Lok. They are not identical mirror images. I'm guessing since the hands are also a good example of chirality, you crazy Australians use it to describe left handed objects (hence using the word as a noun rather than an adjective). You use fancy words around a trained linguist, you're going to get taken to school. LOL
@@8MinuteAxe actually the word is derived from Latin according to my Uncle, and was used to refer to left handed people, who were thought to be of Satan. Hence thed term sinister
@@markhill9275 The Italian word for left is "sinistra" and you are correct about the Satanic reference, that is why I said that you were possessed by evil spirits. I think that the othe Mark may have some connection with the devil to as in trading his soul to be able to play guitar like he does, a bit like Charlie Daniels 🤣 th-cam.com/video/wBjPAqmnvGA/w-d-xo.html
I think I am going to try to add locking tuners to my 12 string just because. The existing tuners are OK but string changes are always something I loath.
Hey Patrick. It's funny. As far as real shredding goes, I haven't done much in the past 10 years but I have two students that are really into Maiden and Metallica so I've had to work on my dexterity to keep up. Trust me, the finger style piece takes a hell of a lot more practice and skill than breaking out a few quick patterns. Take care and have a great Sunday. Mark
Wow, I'm really impressed with the Reverend Airwave 12 string. She sounds great and the guitarist makes her "pop". Thanks for sharing the review, Mark.
Great to hear from you CT. Very well made pin-lock tuners so it's super easy to string. I also love the 6 top loading and 6 through the body strings. 12 individual adjustable saddles. Joe thought of everything. And no neck dive. He took care of offsetting the extra weight of the locking tuners with the body design. I need to try a fender. This one plays easier than any 12 I've ever played but I haven't played a Fender. Thanks for checking out the video. Take care and have a great Sunday. Mark
I've been waiting for this video since you put out the last one. Sold! Is there a place I can buy it through where you get a commission. Please let me know. Incredible playing. Incredible guitar!
Hey Stan. I asked Ken Haas, owner of Reverend, if they had any preferred retailers. He gave me Wildwood and Sweetwater. I don't make a commission. Ken's a cool guy and they've been kind to me so if/when you pull the trigger just let me know. I'd like to think these videos are generating some interest.
Wow Mark That was Another great demonstration of a fine Guitar. Your chicken pickin was top shelf. This seems quite a versatile 12 string. Those P-90s sound great. Locking tuners a great feature .The only negative for me is the Jaguar body style. I prefer symmetrical body shapes . She does sound wonderful and you did a great variety of musical styles .Thumbs up again.
Hey Al. Thanks so much. I'm not a Jaguar guy either. This guitar is really comfortable to play though and the reason for the offset is to be able to have the locking tuners without neck dive. Great guitar. Have an awesome week and take care. Mark
Hey Randy. I wonder if anybody appreciated how hard it was to pull off that second to last song. It sounded the roughest but it's a challenging piece on the 12. Thanks again and again for all of your support. Take care. Mark
Definitely! It had straight 16th note runs that went into a triplet swing feel. It was awesome! I was trying to get one more comment on the chat about that piece and the finger picking piece at the end. It was brilliant. I knew you had said you were working on finger style and it sounded great. I’m curious about the bridge on that guitar. Have you ever seen one like that? The locking tuners are a huge plus. I would think that bridge plus the locking tuners virtually eliminates tuning issues. What do you think of that versus the Harley? I like the look of the Harley but the Reverend sounded so good. You played the heck out of it too! Great job!!
Man, I thought I was in love with the Eastwood (?) 12's, but this one blows me away. That chickin pickin you did was great and really showed the playability of this guitar, regardless of genre. Mark, you did it again! Great video!
Hey Tom. Thanks for pointing out the picking. The second to last tune is probably the most complex song I've ever played on the channel and I feel like I put it in as an afterthought. I appreciate the shout out for it. Have a great week and take care. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Hi Mark. I'm not a very good player. All self taught but I can get by. But finger picking I just don't get. I can't make my fingers do what I need them to. I love listening to a bit of picking.
Hey Kevin. No doubt about it. A lot of people have been asking me about the red sparkle color. I need to check that out. I would be very interested. I love this guitar. Take care and be well. Mark
You can contact Ken Haas, the owner of the company. He makes himself available and he's a super nice guy. I had the same experience with Eastwood. Michael Robinson was very gracious and available. I like these company owners who are passionate about what they do. Sweetwater and Wildwood Guitars are their preferred national vendors. I believe Ken mentioned that True Tone Guitars are also good people. I don't have any kind of deal with them. I don't even own the guitar. My feelings about it are 100% genuine. Thanks so much for always supporting the channel Mark. I really do appreciate it. Take care and have a great week. Mark
Shredding on a 12 string! Awesome. Fantastic guitar. I can't get over how much tone shaping you can do with it. And who doesn't love p90s? I've been looking to buy another electric 6 but with this guitar being so versatile I'm going to give it serious consideration. Thanks for putting in the work to let us know about it. I appreciate you.
Hey Burt. It's a great question and I'm kicking myself for cutting it out of the video (it was literally the very last cut I made). The offset body gives it great balance. I cut the part because I made the statement that it has absolutely no neck dive. And while that is true, it does favor forward if you just set it on your knee and I didn't want anybody saying that I misled them. The answer to your question is, Joe thought about the added weight of the locking tuners when he designed it and balanced the guitar nicely. Thanks again for all of the support. Take care and be well. Mark
Hey Brother. It really is a sweet guitar. Definitely the best 12 I've ever played. The Eastwood is really nice but this thing does everything, looks cool, and is so easy to play. Thanks for checking it out. Have a great Sunday and take care. Mark
If, when finger-picking, would one be able to exchange the 2nd and 4th strings for the upper 2 bass strings and tune them lower (way lower - hint- hint- nudge- nudge- ) to get that "Chester" sound? Oh, BTW could you swing the giveaway my way, just a tad? Anyway, Mark I love the channel. You are a really good player.
Hey Steven. You make a good point. There are a few modern 12 string players that play outstanding finger style. Todd Albright comes to mind. Tuning an acoustic 12 down a full step or more makes a big difference. The lower and looser notes sound less out of place in the finger style context. Most, if not all, of the finger style 12 playing I've seen is blues based and derivative of Blind Willie Mctell or Leadbelly. About 9 months ago I spent A LOT of time transcribing what I hear Blind Willie playing on the original recording of Statesboro Blues. David Hamburger did one that while not note for note, sounds great and captures the style. Mine is more of an attempt to play it note for note (I'm not in David's league, he's a first rate pro in every sense). It's hard getting the timing down because Blind Willie played by feel and not in any kind of definitive time. Playing a 12 chet style was really just to show how good the action is on the guitar. I played Careless Love very sloppy but I think I got the point across. It's funny because I'm sure nobody will take any note of that tune but it's probably the most technically complex of anything that I've done on the channel. The Kid Charlemagne solo may look and sound more impressive but any semi advanced player can play it easily. I started playing finger style in 2019. I've put a ton of time into it. I took both of Tommy Emmanuels courses and I'm finally at the point where I can play some of his songs. I've been trying to find a good Chet style teacher. I'd like to know if I'm any good. I can play a lot of stuff but I'm sure my enunciation of the melody is pretty rudimentary. I really don't know. FYI, I give away at least one guitar every month. I have a couple irons in the fire and I thought that I would be at 2 per month by now but I think another company is going to come through soon. I also do little giveaways on my live show and I've given aways pedals, audio interfaces, books. I always do it fairly. Some people think that I just give to friends but every month another winner tells everybody that I really do give one away to a random person. There are about 25 people out there that have won something good (guitar or at least something over $100 in value) and only one of them had a personal relationship to me prior. And he just happened to be a student that won. He lives in Wales so it was no easy task getting him a guitar. Anyway, I'm rambling. I really appreciate your time and I apologize for going on and on. Have a great week and take care. Mark
Thanks to your vid I bought the Reverend Airwave 12. It’s a brilliant guitar. LIving in Sweden I had to wait for it for a month but it was so worth it. Best 12 I’ve ever had. Thanks and love your vids👌
I'm not a big knob user myself. The range you got from that was impressive, I may have to start fiddling. Looks good and you made it sound very very clean and precise... well played sir... ☮💗
Hey Jah. I was never a knob user until I watched how much Tim Pierce uses it. Now I use it all the time. It's really effective live and in settings like this video, where I let the camera just roll. And trust me, I simply couldn't do it justice without making a 30 minute video. The tones in the room were amazing. You lose the woodiness and natural resonance by the time the video is recorded, compressed twice and then uploaded to youtube only to get more data compression. Check the Reverend website and see if any stores near you carry Reverend Guitars and ask them to get one for you to try. It's worth it to check out. It's a brilliant guitar. Mark
So you've kicked the Vangoa 12 to the curb, and now you're down with the Reverend? But I bet your new 'gal' costs more! OK, the Vangoa is primarily an acoustic, with pickups, and this is an electric; but you do mention that it sounds good even without amplification. Seriously, awesome review, but I was waiting for a price or price range. Guess I'll just check the links given in the Description . . . And hey, thanks for bringing this to our attention! Fred
Hey Fred. The Vangoa is and probaly always will be the best entry level 12 out there. Similar to the lot BUT lots of extras, always trying to improve the design, and great customer service. You can't even buy the case for the Reverend with what a Vangoa costs. Vangoa, HB, and Eastwood, all great guitars in their lane, perhaps each THE best (I cant say for sure, I'd have to play several more to make a truly informed decision). For now I try to be as honest and sincere as I can but I'm human so I'm inevitably going to be biased too. I can say unequivocally, the Reverend is the best 12 string that I've played. It sells for $1300 so the only competition is the Rick and I dont like Ricks. I dont do a lot of reviews, although I've done a lot, probably too many, lately. The reason is that after 35 years of playing, I'm not very picky. I think people that go on and on about how much the Spark sucks are out of their minds. Its $250. It sounds great, it's so convenient, it replicates all of the most popular sounds and 100,000 more. It can jam with you, analyze songs in real time. But people complain about the grade of rubber they use for the knobs. Lol. 🤯. As always I appreciate your thoughtful comments. Yours are always enjoyable and thought provoking. Take care Fred. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Thanks for the additional info. I hope it's understood by all who are reading these remarks, that I was joking, albeit a bit badly. I really appreciate what you (and Simon, when you two collaborate) are doing here. This is a frightfully valuable channel you're operating in this space, and the episodes you do as reviews are really well done, too. I will say that we come from somewhat different musical genres, although with a lot of overlap. You (and Simon) are on top of your game when it comes to electric rock; I, OTOH, entered the guitar universe through the folk & acoustic sounds of the late '60s, about a decade after finding I was unable to comprehend the instrument during the Elvis-boom of the late 50's. So my ears prick up (re: _Daydream,_ John Sebastian, 1966) when you showcase an acoustic guitar (e.g., the Vangoa 12), or, like the Reverend, a hollow-body electric that fares well as an acoustic. Both of these appeal strongly to me, as I'm looking for a good acoustic that can "plug in." As for the 12 at issue here, thanks for the links you gave in the Description; they were very helpful, and I feel that I have a solid foundation on which to base a possible purchasing decision. So by all means, keep on doin' what you do! (re: _Jerks on the Loose,_ The Roches, 1980) Fred
It really is a special guitar. I have no relationship with Reverend other than loving the guitar. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I appreciate your time and comment. I hope you have a great week. Mark
I just got one of these this week in red sparkle. It won’t go out of tune! And it sounds spectacular in every way! It’s a total home run, and now I no longer lust after the Ric 1993 model that would cost me around $4000 with taxes and everything. $1600 to my door is just a perfect price point, and this guitar is quality throughout.
Hey JJ. I'm so glad you like yours. I have both and the the Rick isn't even in the same league. It's a one trick pony that even a seasoned 12 string player like me finds near impossible to strike the string sets evenly unless I reverse the strings back to the way they logically should be. The lacquered neck is a nightmare (It makes the neck feel like a toy). What really caught my attention is red sparkle. I love red guitars. I didn't realize they have it in that. I'm heading to the Reverend website right now. LOL. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I really do appreciate your time. Have a great week and take care. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Hey Mark, the red sparkle is a Wildwood Guitars exclusive color. I’m not sure if they have any left, but they are awesome, and I heard they are getting blue and also black sparkle in later this year!
Hi Mark, I've watched every utube video on the Airwave for months,trying to decide on this vs a Dano 59X12.Your demo is by far,the best to date.All the other vids,are either manufacturer vids with the same players over and over,or people showing off their ambient skills and not really demonstrating the Range of sounds this guitar is capable of.A 12 Definitely must have the jangle,as well as not be a "one trick pony".I think the features and build quality,are outstanding. Thanks for taking the time to put out this awesum demo.You are a top knotch player and I really enjoy all of your' Content! Also looking forward to the next "name that riff" video! Take care,brother! Rick McFarland.
Hey Rick. I read your email last week. Did I not respond? I'm off my game. I'm getting ready to turn in but I will respond tomorrow if I haven't already. I appreciate all of the positive feedback and I'm very grateful for your time. I remember that you had a couple of comments and a couple of questions that I want to address. Talk to you tomorrow. Take care. Mark
That Gotoh bridge is great, but it's on just about every 12-string that isn't named 'Rickenbacker' these days, including Squiers and Danelectros. Not exactly 'unique.'
Hi, I really liked your reviewed. I watched some of those reviewing 12 string guitars. But if you have budget for these three, which one do you prefer? Reverend Airwave 12, Danelectro 59 12, or Eastwood Classic 12. Why these three? Because I am lefty and there are not many options for us. Thanks!
Hey Prismo. It's a Dr. Z Maz18. Handwired point to point. Dr. Z is a boutique amp company that's been around for about 30 years. I lucked out and got this one used with the Z brake (Dr. Zs attenuator) and a custom M-75 scumback speaker. Honestly, I can't tell any difference in the speaker but it adds to the value. I believe they run about $2300 new. The Z brake is around $300. My brother had a Zenith stereo as a kid. I believe LG bought them out many years ago. Not sure if they kept the company intact or folded into LG. Anyway, thanks for checking out the video. I appreciate your time and your comment (you've reminded me that I need use my amp more often. LOL. Take. care and be well. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe ok right on.. yea all I saw was the "Z" and it looked like the Zenith logo I always saw growing up. My Dad used to collect old transistor radios so it stuck out to me. There's a small store in Kansas City area that sells those Reverend guitars and they really are beautiful. But yea dude thanks for the reply. New sub here. Take it easy bro ✌
Certainly sounds like a versatile 12 string. You seem to be getting a lot of great tones out of the thing. It sounds like one of those instruments that is a "Jack of all trades. Master of none." Which is fine if you are after that sort of thing. To my ears it lacks that special something that only Rickenbacker 12 string guitars posses. Sure, a decent RIC 12 is three to four times the price of this instrument. But a RIC is a RIC. If I was going to spend Airwave money on a 12 string electric, I'd probably search out a decent Greco RG-95 or RG-120. Cheers from the Land Down Under.
This is a perfectly nice guitar. I wonder how you record this. In another video i hurt a lot of room Sound instead of the amplifier sound. Is it possible for you that you could do a Mike right in front of the loudspeaker? make it even Sound better
Sounds are great. What put me off on that guitar is a demo I saw by the owner. He moved around and the neck seems very easy to bend out of tune. It didn't seem that strong.
Nice! Sounds killer. I have a Schecter Ultracure XII. It has a lot of the same features. It's the only 12-string I have ever owned and is pretty sweet sounding too.
Hey Bio. I was just combing reverb for a schecter last night! They have some really nice mid priced 12 strings. I really appreciate you checking out the video. Have a great day and take care. Mark
I came very close to selling my Rick 360/12 because I couldn't pick well between the strings. I also almost replaced the nut because some say that a better spaced nut helps with the picking. If I had been aware of this guitar, I may have sold and swapped! This is a compelling video though, so my next big task is convincing my wife that this is necessary - lol!
Hey Kenny. I had the 360/12 C63 and there wasn't much that I liked about it other than it's storied past and the ability to get great Beatles tones. McGuinn used to go direct into the board with a couple of nice analog compressors in front of the signal. I came closer to that sound with the Eastwood than I did with the Rick. I'm a pretty experienced 12 string player and I don't know how anybody is able to get an even strike on the reversed strings with a downstroke. I reversed mine. The reversed strings defies the laws of physics and just makes it that much harder to play. And don't even get me started on the headstock. It may look cool, but there's nothing practical about it. It makes restringing a total bitch. I never had a problem with the trapeze tailpiece, it's the illogical order of the tuning peg/string configuration that always required me to go back and undo a string. The worst part for me is the heavily lacquered fretboard. There are a bunch of old timers out there that do it justice but it's not for me. I absolutely love the Reverend. Thanks so much for checking out the video. Good luck with your wife. Mark
Reverend really did it right there. Looks great, sounds great, and all at a decent price. If I didn't already have an electric twelve I liked, I would definately buy the Reverend. Hope your keeping that one! Great review, and I appreciate you using a miked amp instead of a sim on a computer (I'm old school).
Hey Darvin. I meant to mention how I recorded the stuff. I had the Dr. Z close mic'd and the Spark close mic'd. Both with a 58. I also ran a line direct but I had it too hot so it was all unusable. So what you're getting is 100 live mic'd amps. I opened up the mic I was using for talking on a couple of the tracks so you could hear the acoustic properties of the guitar a bit. You can hear it on Mr. T Man, Dead or Alive, and the two fingerstyle tunes. Everything else is the Dr. Z with a little of the Spark mixed in. Even when I go direct, I use a pedal for gain and compression. I use logic now and I know there are a ton of guitar effects but I haven't really dug into them at all. And I would never use them on a review. For the first 18 months, I only did a couple of reviews because they are the hardest to make. And that's simply because any other video I make I have the attitude 'it's my channel, I can do whatever I want as long as I'm not being offensive or an ass' but with the review videos I feel a sense of responsibility as I know people watch review videos (mine or other people's) and may base a purchase off of it. A few ground rules I have. Try not to get too enthusiastic unless I really am. Don't modify the 'out of the box sound' in any way (a good example of this is that when I do the Vangoa guitar reviews, I use the cheap strings that come with the guitar). And up to this point, I don't do any paid endorsements. That being said, I really liked the Eastwood Classic 12 but Reverend is in a different league. It's literally everything I want in a guitar. When it's time to give it back I will definitely buy one. I will probably buy a 6 string as well. I did tell Ken Haas, the owner of Reverend that I'm so passionate about the guitar that I'd be interested in being a brand ambassador. The thing is, it's hard for me to measure how much my endorsement is worth. My wife and I still have a good laugh about the fact that after years of trying to "make it", I finally broke through on TH-cam of all things. I didn't even really watch TH-cam up until I started making videos a couple of years ago. Anyway, I'm going on and on with no direction. Thanks so much for your time. I appreciate it very much. Mark
Good job, Mark. This last year, I finally decided to get an instrument I've wanted forever: a decent 12 string electric. So, first I ordered a Chickenbacker from China. It looked great but was a terrible player. It sounded like muffled junk, and I swear I had to order an Uber to get from the strings to the fretboard! So then I upped my game and sent for a Harley Benton classic 12. Much better but still a bit of a beast. Went to Carter Music in Nashville to play a Roger McGuinn Rickenbacker. Smooth as silk but way too expensive, plus I don't like those narrow necks at the nut. But then, I stumbled on a used Reverend Airwave with case and bit the bullet. Finally I have a great 12 string that plays like butter with plenty of room for chords and great sound. I've come to the realization that it's the best way to go electric 12-string for under $1,500. Plus, the intonation is perfect and it really never goes out of tune! ps I haven't played the Eastman 12-string but would love to.
Hey Carson. I really enjoyed your email. Not that my opinion is any more valuable than anybody else's but I agree with you on everything you said except I'm not a fan of the Rick. For the price, I think it's a rip off. They're beautiful to look at but I'm a pretty experienced player and I don't know who the heck is able to downstroke with the reversed strings and get any consistent string strikes. You have either upstroke or reverse the strings. I also found restringing to be an absolute nightmare. Not because of the floating tailpiece. That's a non issue. It's the cool looking but totally idiotic tuning peg configuration. Even after having one for over a year, I was still crossing strings and having to go back. The other bad idea that Rick has is the heavily lacquered fingerboard. I mean, if the guitar was $800, I would say, cool guitar. But I had the C63, which sells for $3800. That's insane for what you get. I had great luck with my Harley Benton. You're one of the few people I've talked to with a modest opinion. I've found that about 80% love them, and 20% hate them. Most of the haters talk about tuning nightmares. I have to tell you, my HB stays in tune better than maybe ANY guitar I own. The thing never goes out. I got lucky for sure. I have my guitars out of their cases in the basement and it continues to hold tune. Cold, warm, humid or not. Remarkable. Cool looking too but limited in sound and only pretty good playability. The Eastwood Classic 12 plays reasonably. It's biggest asset is the sound. It gets a beautiful woody tone but it's a big semi hollow so that's not a surprise. Anyway, i'm going on and on. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I'm glad somebody else out there that plays the electric 12 has validated what I think to be the case. Pretty amazing guitar. Take care. Mark
Thank you for this, Mark, Great playing as usual. Before I was gifted with a Rickenbacker 330-12, a Reverend 12 was on my list as I looked for a less expensive 12 than a Rik which cost more than I could really justify spending. A Gretsch Electromatic 12 was also a candidate as were an Eastwood Classic and a Fender Alternate Reality series 12 which had a limited run a few years ago. I really liked the looks of the Fender's offset body which in white with a tortoiseshell pickguard was really quite stunning. But I was intrigued too by the Reverend both for its sound and appearance (I rather like offsets) but also partly because I thought the name was appropriate for someone in my line of employment. I am an Anglican (Episcopalian in the USA) clergyman.
Always a bright spot in my Saturday. I just love that beautiful guitar and it sounds great. Like I said before mark you rock. Have a great weekend and take good care of yourself. Peace and much love to us all. ❤🎸🧘♀️🕊
Another great video, Mark. As you have discussed this guitar thru your videos, it has really grown on me.
Another great one today! Tks! 🤠
Thanks Johnny. As always, I sincerely appreciate your time and support. I hope you have a great Sunday. Mark
Another awesome video! Thanks for all of your hard work. Time to go buy myself a Reverend!
You can't go wrong.
I wonder how this would stack up against the Gretsch G5422G-12 Electromatic Hollowbody. Similar specks except the locking tuners and the P-90s.
Would you like a different configuration on the pickups if you coulkd Mark? Think Gretsch FilterTron + P90 combo?
Nice review buddy, I want one... like how much snd where from please??
They are all over ebay for 1,299 without case. A lot of the regular online vendors have them also.
Hey Mal. I'm not sure what you have available to you in the Philippines. Reverend sells them on Sweetwater and Wildwood guitars for $1299. I'm thinking that's about $1700 in Australian dollars. And about 4 billion pesos. Seriously, it much be 10s of 1000s of pesos. When you buy online, what currency do you use? FYI, between you and me, the guitar seriously kicks ass. I play it for at least an hour everyday. One of the best guitars I've ever owned. Take care. Talk soon. Mark
It sounds great! Great playing, good coverage of questions we might have. You know what we are looking for! I will definitely look at one!
Hey Michael. It really is a special guitar. And I don't get anything for saying that. I don't even get to keep the guitar although I will definitely buy one when it's time to give it back. I should have included the price in the video as a lot of people are thinking that it's a $500 guitar. It sells for $1300. I think that's more than fair for what you get. It's super light too. I think it weighs just under 7 lbs. Thanks so much for checking out the video. Have a great week! Mark
Great video! Love that jangle sound. p90's sound great. Really a nice 12 string and it's load enough to play without an amp. You played great like always.
Hey Bob. Thanks so much for the kind words. It's always nice when you can pick up an electric and not have to plug it in every time! Take care. Talk soon. Mark
Very much enjoy the video, thanks for all the variety, great job of showcasing the sound palette of this instrument. One of the guys I play with regularly uses an acoustic 12-string, I recently sent him a link to this guitar and now he is searching for one.
Most Important thing that you didn’t mention is the price, so I will. It’s around £1100 in the UK and in my humble opinion that’s good value.
Hello Mark. About two months ago, I bought an Airwave from a UK retailer (online, unfortunately... so 'sight unseen'... but brand new, serial no. 54024) for around about £1,000 - partly on the recommendation of your video (which I think is a perfectly fair one, incidentally... and thank you for posting it). I do like the guitar, and do agree that it's suprisingly playable (and does feel 'designed-from-the-ground-up'), but really don't think the finish is up to scratch for the price. On my guitar, the paint finish around the sound hole is rough, there appears to be a crack in the bass end of the nut, there's quite an unsightly blemish visible on the timber visible through the sound hole (it seems to be weeping sap, but I guess it can't be), the fret ends seem uneven, one of the screws holding the jack-plate has been inserted at an odd angle... and so on. There's just a whole list of minor, but quite disappointing, issues. I have a Chinese Squier 'Affinity' strat which was 1/10th of the price that's actually better finished. Sad to say, I think I'll be selling my Reverend when my current project's over, and I don't reckon I'd buy another. I enjoyed your video, though... 🙂
I am a total 12-string addict, on the several occasions over a long life scratching out a place on the peripheries of the music biz where I have been reduced to a single guitar, on all bar one of these the one guitar I could not part with has been a 12-string. I know we all say (where our spouses can't hear us) that the right number of guitars to own is exactly one more than we already have, but the "gap" in my fluctuating collection has always been a decent electric 12. The indulgence of guitar shops over the years has let me get my hands on a Rickenbacker for an hour or so at a time but honestly, wonderful guitars that they are, there was something about them I found difficult to get on with. (probably a combo of neck geometry, the reversed string pattern and the spacing of the courses of strings under my right hand, since 12-string fingerstyle has always been "my thing", never having gained any great ability with a flat pick - I'm what you might describe as a "skilled faker" - if my left can find the right chord voicings I can rely on the fingers of my right to find the melody I want in there somewhere :) It's just a matter of striking that finger a tad harder to make the melody rise above the accompaniment)
As a result, I'd been searching for a midrange electric 12 that would suit me as well as the Ovation that served me well for 35+ years before being reluctantly retired, too far gone for any luthier to get back into proper shape at any price I could afford, or the Takamine that replaced it in my lineup. The Revered popped up on my radar a few months ago. There was something about it that caught my eye. No guitar shop anywhere near me (and there are a couple of quite big ones within reach of Edinburgh) had one I could sit down and play but I scoured youtube for videos of it being played (by much better guitarists than I) and the rest of the 'net for written writeups of it. In the end I just said "F it" and ordered one sight unseen. As it happened, I was unboxing mine - also in metallic alpine - on the same day you posted your first short take on it. Talk about "love at first strum" - I didn't put it down for several hours. While exploring its sound myself I've been eagerly anticipating your promised longer review of it.
I cannot disagree with a single iota of your opinion. For any guitarist who loves 12-strings this is definitely one to check out and enjoy. At only a few weeks in I'm still exploring all of the possible tone ranges this guitar can produce but I'm loving every minute of the journey.
Hey David. This is one of the most enjoyable comments I've ever read. Certainly the most enjoyable lengthy comment. So many things stick out. Your description of the Rick (nice but uninspiring and a one trick pony even of the trick is to sound like the greatest band of all time). Jusf so you dont mistake me for the worlds greatest Byrds fan, I am talking about the Beatles. Ah! One of the flaws of answering comments on the phone is that you cant refer to it once you start responding without having to start over. I love the way you described your music career. At one time I was a huge baseball fan so I use the term 'double A' career for mine. Never in the big leagues, never flirting with the big leagues (triple A), but two major record deals (both without the coveted promotion), backing up a litany of big groups (great to brag about at parties but mostly crappy gigs as nobody is there to see the opening act albeit a few stand out as really fun, usually because the headliner or their fans were gracious), an internet hit too late in the game to still have the emotional energy to get back on the road. What else...oh, I had an ovation custom legend from 1989 until 2018. I met Charlie Kaman in 2003 (I was helping a friend do a remodel of a basement, owner was Charlie, aviation legend and founder of Ovation). Even though I played the ovation at a million shows, as soon as I got a Taylor, I realized how little I liked the O and put it in its case for the next 15 years until finally selling it to someone who could appreciate it. I know this was about 12 string guitars but I've lost my way here. Shoot me an email at anytime at markaranalli@gmail.com. I do get about 100 a week, but I respond to them all, usually within 48 hours. Either way, thanks for checking out the video. I sincerely appreciate your time and comment. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe I'm not even double A ball. In "little leagues" I was a chorister, principal treble soloist for three choirs (school, church and a local semi-pro outfit that specialised in Bach) but when my voice changed my dreams of growing up to be a decent tenor went "poof" quite spectacularly. I ended up a folkie, haunting the music circles down the pub as soon as I got big enough to not be chucked out on my ear as obviously underage.
I'm never going to fill a stadium or have a big label put my tunes out there. My ideal venue is some waterfront dive where most of the patrons smell of fish and they know all the choruses :)
Along the way I got hugely lucky in meeting and learning from much greater folks than I, although I stopped playing steeleye span tracks for years after my cousin got married - her new mother in law was Maddie Prior and I didnt want her to catch me massacring one of her tunes! Foolishness, I know, but it was what got me though the inhibitions of "I cant play it like the original" to the point of "Heck, I play it like me and I think it works, so...."
I'd like to try one out after watching. I'm pretty much after an affordable Rick alternative. The Danelectro is nice but this one seems like the perfect middle ground. Seems like it captures that 60's 12 string mojo I'm after. Thanks for the demo.
That's the sound I was looking for 30 years ago. Magnificent. So clean it sounds almost artificial. Up to you, you can de-tune it just so slightly that it sounds real.
Love this guitar SO much, it hurts..🤕😂... Thanks for the awesome review (new subscriber).
Love the hardware aspects of this 12 string. The intonation aspect especially. Looks great too. However the tone seems to be more rounded and less jangly than a Ric at least in this video. Maybe just the settings but not sure. Would want to try it out first or demo before committing.
Hey Harry. First off, the Reverend can definitely get a huge rounded sound. You can literally almost get it sounding like an ovation. It's so versatile. You can also get it to sound jangly. Maybe not just like a ric but pretty darn close to the point where unless you're playing in a Byrds cover band, you'd be ok. I always advise people to do their own investigating though. There's no way you can ever get the feel of anything from a youtube video. First the guitar has to be captured by my mics. Then the video is significantly compressed when it's rendered. Then the real bastardization happens when it's uploaded to youtube and 3gig becomes 40mb. I laugh when people make very specific assumptions based on youtube videos. There's simply no way to tell. Sounds like you know that and you know what you're talking about. I wish you luck. Take care and have a great day. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Thanks for your explanations. Still am interested but wonder about those custom P90 pups that may be somewhat warmer with less edge and brightness. That could account for the tonality I was commenting on. Maybe replace the bridge pickup with a Toaster type that might still work with the neck P90 or replace both. Like the idea of the 12 not being a one trick pony but still would want a more closer sound to the Ric. Not interested in the Ric itself as too many down sides that the Airwaves model has addressed.
Impressive. Very versatile instrument.
ahoy hoy - which would you consider the "best bang for the buck? this Reverend Airwave 12, or, the Eastwood Classic 12, or the Danelectro 12sdc? TIA!
Good morning. Thanks so much for checking out the video. First off, I am not a paid endorser of ANY COMPANY. I do get guitars on loan or for slightly discounted prices occasionally, but that's it. I love the Airwave 12. I've never own ANY guitar that had the ability to shape a wider array of tones and that includes my American made PRS with split coils. Im able to get a pretty close Ric sound with the Eastwood and both are small companies (when you call you can speak to the each company's president...and they are both very passionate). That being said, if you have the money, the Reverend knocks it out of the park. I sometimes play it and forget thet I have a 12 in my hands. Check out my video One Guitar to Rule Them All where I play 20 classic 6 string riffs on it. I'm not a huge fan of the Danelecteo and the fact that they're owned by a large conglomerate and interacting with them usually includes dealing with form letters from non musicians make the brand even more of a turn off for me (but its primarily the guitars themselves that I dont think have much range and the playability is ok at best). I hope this helps. Have a great week. Take care. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe thank you for your speedy reply! i will check out that video, thank you! love from canada!
@@8MinuteAxe hi mark! i just wanted to tell you i got myself a reverend and it sounds fantastic! thanks very much for your words and for the great review! i'm really looking forward to plugging in and playing this beauty!
I’m curious about the locking tuners: I do like them on my D’Angelico Deluxe Bedford 6-string, except they weigh quite a bit and make the guitar fairly head-heavy. Do you find this even more so on a 12-string?
I like the sound of it very much but I don't like the body shape. It would look better if the lower half was mirrored and a little smaller towards the back.
Is it worth twice the cost of the eastwood classic 12?
What is the signal chain?
Have you ever played the VOX 12 ?
Wow,.. ever thought about calling yourself Professor 12 String?
I'm convinced that is the best Electric 12 ever!
Wow
#18
I don’t mind offset bodies… I just don’t like THAT one. Oh well
This guitar is nowhere to be found... Any sign for Europe ??
Hey Johnny. Musicians Friend, GC, and Russo music have it new and there are several for sals on Reverb (mostly new). If you're thinking of getting it, I highly recommend it. It may be my favorite guitar ever. They did a short run of Red Sparkle. Last time I checked the wait was over a year. Thanks for checking out the video. Have s great holiday. Mark
sounds amazing
So, "the ultimate test of a 12-string is that you can play it just like a 6-string"? You're nuts. The ultimate test of a 12-atring is that it does musically valid things things that you can't do a 6-string. That's also why McGuinn is the definitive electric 12-string player, and all the other are also-rans.
Mark - An impressive range of tones! Jangle is a critical element of an electric 12 so I am glad to see that this one succeeds. I also appreciate the locking tuners, especially on a 12! Dave
Hey D H. And honestly, I didn't even do the jangle justice. I was able to absolutely nail Ticket to Ride, Turn Turn Turn, and Mr T Man the evening before I recorded. Then I did too much tweaking, ran out of time and did the best I could. But, yes, it can get plenty of jangle in many different settings and the guitar is phenomenal. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I appreciate your time and comment. Take care. Mark
Great comment. There's definitely a lot of us pop fans that want to get that 60's jangle without breaking the bank on a Rick.
Great demo .. you got a head full of great stuff.. wish I wasn’t so old and worn out but I enjoy your skills …
Yeah, and still the bastards don't make a Sinestral!
That's because lefties are possessed by evil spirts Mark 😂
You're the first person I've heard use sinestral to describe a guitar (or use as a noun for that matter). It's primarily used to describe symmetry, or rather asymmetry (more specific to that, chirality). A good example of chirality are the two release arms of the Rok-Lok. They are not identical mirror images. I'm guessing since the hands are also a good example of chirality, you crazy Australians use it to describe left handed objects (hence using the word as a noun rather than an adjective). You use fancy words around a trained linguist, you're going to get taken to school. LOL
@@8MinuteAxe actually the word is derived from Latin according to my Uncle, and was used to refer to left handed people, who were thought to be of Satan. Hence thed term sinister
@@markhill9275 The Italian word for left is "sinistra" and you are correct about the Satanic reference, that is why I said that you were possessed by evil spirits. I think that the othe Mark may have some connection with the devil to as in trading his soul to be able to play guitar like he does, a bit like Charlie Daniels 🤣 th-cam.com/video/wBjPAqmnvGA/w-d-xo.html
Locking tuners? Nice! The guitar looks very nice, has a good energy. Thanks for making another 12 string video Mark.
Mark, that was a fantastic review of what that guitar is capable of doing. Your playing was totally awesome.
Great review Mark. This guitar looks great and sounds awesome.
I think I am going to try to add locking tuners to my 12 string just because. The existing tuners are OK but string changes are always something I loath.
#Ultimate electric 12 string... My favorite parts, designed as 12 string ground up and individually adjustable saddles.
Me too Stanley. It's amazing how much nicer it is to play a guitar that was meant to be a 12 from the start. I hope you're well. Take care. Mark
12 string shredding in this video!
Hey Patrick. It's funny. As far as real shredding goes, I haven't done much in the past 10 years but I have two students that are really into Maiden and Metallica so I've had to work on my dexterity to keep up. Trust me, the finger style piece takes a hell of a lot more practice and skill than breaking out a few quick patterns. Take care and have a great Sunday. Mark
Really nice guitar!! Considering the price, I'll stick with the HB though...
Wow, I'm really impressed with the Reverend Airwave 12 string. She sounds great and the guitarist makes her "pop". Thanks for sharing the review, Mark.
Hey brother. No doubt about it that this is absolutely a killer guitar. Thanks for always supporting. Mark
Too bad I already have my 12 Fender. I think this one would be easier to play.
And it has locking tuners?
Great to hear from you CT. Very well made pin-lock tuners so it's super easy to string. I also love the 6 top loading and 6 through the body strings. 12 individual adjustable saddles. Joe thought of everything. And no neck dive. He took care of offsetting the extra weight of the locking tuners with the body design. I need to try a fender. This one plays easier than any 12 I've ever played but I haven't played a Fender. Thanks for checking out the video. Take care and have a great Sunday. Mark
I've been waiting for this video since you put out the last one. Sold! Is there a place I can buy it through where you get a commission. Please let me know. Incredible playing. Incredible guitar!
Hey Stan. I asked Ken Haas, owner of Reverend, if they had any preferred retailers. He gave me Wildwood and Sweetwater. I don't make a commission. Ken's a cool guy and they've been kind to me so if/when you pull the trigger just let me know. I'd like to think these videos are generating some interest.
Wow Mark That was Another great demonstration of a fine Guitar. Your chicken pickin was top shelf. This seems quite a versatile 12 string. Those P-90s sound great. Locking tuners a great feature .The only negative for me is the Jaguar body style. I prefer symmetrical body shapes . She does sound wonderful and you did a great variety of musical styles .Thumbs up again.
Hey Al. Thanks so much. I'm not a Jaguar guy either. This guitar is really comfortable to play though and the reason for the offset is to be able to have the locking tuners without neck dive. Great guitar. Have an awesome week and take care. Mark
Awesome job as usual Mark. Very interesting guitar. Your playing was great and the video and chat were as well. Excellent!
Hey Randy. I wonder if anybody appreciated how hard it was to pull off that second to last song. It sounded the roughest but it's a challenging piece on the 12. Thanks again and again for all of your support. Take care. Mark
Definitely! It had straight 16th note runs that went into a triplet swing feel. It was awesome! I was trying to get one more comment on the chat about that piece and the finger picking piece at the end. It was brilliant. I knew you had said you were working on finger style and it sounded great. I’m curious about the bridge on that guitar. Have you ever seen one like that? The locking tuners are a huge plus. I would think that bridge plus the locking tuners virtually eliminates tuning issues. What do you think of that versus the Harley? I like the look of the Harley but the Reverend sounded so good. You played the heck out of it too! Great job!!
Man, I thought I was in love with the Eastwood (?) 12's, but this one blows me away. That chickin pickin you did was great and really showed the playability of this guitar, regardless of genre. Mark, you did it again! Great video!
Yeah, Reverend is a fair few steps ahead of Eastwood.
Another Great Video.....I'm not wild about the Jaguar shape of the body, but there's no denying that it sounds great....a wide range of tones.
I like the cat's eye going to a blob better than having an F hole on it Blake but like you I prefer a less angular shape, but it does sound good.
I don't like the Jaguar shape at all. This feels different. Maybe because it's so light, it feels so much more comfortable.
Great video Mark. Very fair review. It looks beautiful alright. Nice bit of picking at the end. Be well
Hey Tom. Thanks for pointing out the picking. The second to last tune is probably the most complex song I've ever played on the channel and I feel like I put it in as an afterthought. I appreciate the shout out for it. Have a great week and take care. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Hi Mark. I'm not a very good player. All self taught but I can get by. But finger picking I just don't get. I can't make my fingers do what I need them to. I love listening to a bit of picking.
The tuning and intonation on that Reverend are so tight that part of the time it sounds like a six string with just a touch of chorus.
Well put Jeffry. It's effortless to play too. Thanks for checking it out and weighing in. Mark
Sounds great
Thanks Zach. It may be my favorite guitar. I pick it up for at least an hour everyday.
Hell of a nice guitar.
Hey Kevin. No doubt about it. A lot of people have been asking me about the red sparkle color. I need to check that out. I would be very interested. I love this guitar. Take care and be well. Mark
Nice job Mark. Really like the hollow sound, and love P90s
Anxious to try one, will have to look around town and see who handles Reverend. Thanks!
You can contact Ken Haas, the owner of the company. He makes himself available and he's a super nice guy. I had the same experience with Eastwood. Michael Robinson was very gracious and available. I like these company owners who are passionate about what they do. Sweetwater and Wildwood Guitars are their preferred national vendors. I believe Ken mentioned that True Tone Guitars are also good people. I don't have any kind of deal with them. I don't even own the guitar. My feelings about it are 100% genuine. Thanks so much for always supporting the channel Mark. I really do appreciate it. Take care and have a great week. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Thanks so much!
Great stuff!
Thanks Suj. No car. That's weird.
Great video Mark
This guitar sounds really great, pickups and controls make it really versatile!
Rock on 🤘
Thanks Andy. Let's get together and do the Eastwood Dano video soon. Enjoy your Sunday. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe for sure!
Shredding on a 12 string! Awesome. Fantastic guitar. I can't get over how much tone shaping you can do with it. And who doesn't love p90s? I've been looking to buy another electric 6 but with this guitar being so versatile I'm going to give it serious consideration. Thanks for putting in the work to let us know about it. I appreciate you.
I'll talk to you tomorrow or Monday. Thanks for checking this one out.
Looks and sounds great! Love those locking tuners. Have to ask, do they make the headstock heavy?
Hey Burt. It's a great question and I'm kicking myself for cutting it out of the video (it was literally the very last cut I made). The offset body gives it great balance. I cut the part because I made the statement that it has absolutely no neck dive. And while that is true, it does favor forward if you just set it on your knee and I didn't want anybody saying that I misled them. The answer to your question is, Joe thought about the added weight of the locking tuners when he designed it and balanced the guitar nicely. Thanks again for all of the support. Take care and be well. Mark
Man! I want me one of those! Badly!!! Great review Mark, thanks 😊
Hey Brother. It really is a sweet guitar. Definitely the best 12 I've ever played. The Eastwood is really nice but this thing does everything, looks cool, and is so easy to play. Thanks for checking it out. Have a great Sunday and take care. Mark
If, when finger-picking, would one be able to exchange the 2nd and 4th strings for the upper 2 bass strings and tune them lower (way lower - hint- hint- nudge- nudge- ) to get that "Chester" sound? Oh, BTW could you swing the giveaway my way, just a tad?
Anyway, Mark I love the channel. You are a really good player.
Hey Steven. You make a good point. There are a few modern 12 string players that play outstanding finger style. Todd Albright comes to mind. Tuning an acoustic 12 down a full step or more makes a big difference. The lower and looser notes sound less out of place in the finger style context. Most, if not all, of the finger style 12 playing I've seen is blues based and derivative of Blind Willie Mctell or Leadbelly. About 9 months ago I spent A LOT of time transcribing what I hear Blind Willie playing on the original recording of Statesboro Blues. David Hamburger did one that while not note for note, sounds great and captures the style. Mine is more of an attempt to play it note for note (I'm not in David's league, he's a first rate pro in every sense). It's hard getting the timing down because Blind Willie played by feel and not in any kind of definitive time. Playing a 12 chet style was really just to show how good the action is on the guitar. I played Careless Love very sloppy but I think I got the point across. It's funny because I'm sure nobody will take any note of that tune but it's probably the most technically complex of anything that I've done on the channel. The Kid Charlemagne solo may look and sound more impressive but any semi advanced player can play it easily. I started playing finger style in 2019. I've put a ton of time into it. I took both of Tommy Emmanuels courses and I'm finally at the point where I can play some of his songs. I've been trying to find a good Chet style teacher. I'd like to know if I'm any good. I can play a lot of stuff but I'm sure my enunciation of the melody is pretty rudimentary. I really don't know. FYI, I give away at least one guitar every month. I have a couple irons in the fire and I thought that I would be at 2 per month by now but I think another company is going to come through soon. I also do little giveaways on my live show and I've given aways pedals, audio interfaces, books. I always do it fairly. Some people think that I just give to friends but every month another winner tells everybody that I really do give one away to a random person. There are about 25 people out there that have won something good (guitar or at least something over $100 in value) and only one of them had a personal relationship to me prior. And he just happened to be a student that won. He lives in Wales so it was no easy task getting him a guitar. Anyway, I'm rambling. I really appreciate your time and I apologize for going on and on. Have a great week and take care. Mark
Thanks to your vid I bought the Reverend Airwave 12. It’s a brilliant guitar. LIving in Sweden I had to wait for it for a month but it was so worth it. Best 12 I’ve ever had. Thanks and love your vids👌
I like that color! sorry I wasn't able to make the premiere, was traveling
no worries and certainly no apology necessary. I hope you got to or back from your destination safely. Great color! Mark
Excellent job as always, Mark. The guitar looks and sounds great.
Hey Bob, it really is a great all around guitar. I've probably averaged over an hour of playing every single day since it arrived!
I do like it. Still like the Rickenbacker better, but Reverend is a good one!
I'm not a big knob user myself. The range you got from that was impressive, I may have to start fiddling. Looks good and you made it sound very very clean and precise... well played sir... ☮💗
Hey Jah. I was never a knob user until I watched how much Tim Pierce uses it. Now I use it all the time. It's really effective live and in settings like this video, where I let the camera just roll. And trust me, I simply couldn't do it justice without making a 30 minute video. The tones in the room were amazing. You lose the woodiness and natural resonance by the time the video is recorded, compressed twice and then uploaded to youtube only to get more data compression. Check the Reverend website and see if any stores near you carry Reverend Guitars and ask them to get one for you to try. It's worth it to check out. It's a brilliant guitar. Mark
So you've kicked the Vangoa 12 to the curb, and now you're down with the Reverend? But I bet your new 'gal' costs more!
OK, the Vangoa is primarily an acoustic, with pickups, and this is an electric; but you do mention that it sounds good even without amplification.
Seriously, awesome review, but I was waiting for a price or price range. Guess I'll just check the links given in the Description . . .
And hey, thanks for bringing this to our attention!
Fred
Hey Fred. The Vangoa is and probaly always will be the best entry level 12 out there. Similar to the lot BUT lots of extras, always trying to improve the design, and great customer service. You can't even buy the case for the Reverend with what a Vangoa costs. Vangoa, HB, and Eastwood, all great guitars in their lane, perhaps each THE best (I cant say for sure, I'd have to play several more to make a truly informed decision). For now I try to be as honest and sincere as I can but I'm human so I'm inevitably going to be biased too. I can say unequivocally, the Reverend is the best 12 string that I've played. It sells for $1300 so the only competition is the Rick and I dont like Ricks. I dont do a lot of reviews, although I've done a lot, probably too many, lately. The reason is that after 35 years of playing, I'm not very picky. I think people that go on and on about how much the Spark sucks are out of their minds. Its $250. It sounds great, it's so convenient, it replicates all of the most popular sounds and 100,000 more. It can jam with you, analyze songs in real time. But people complain about the grade of rubber they use for the knobs. Lol. 🤯. As always I appreciate your thoughtful comments. Yours are always enjoyable and thought provoking. Take care Fred. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Thanks for the additional info. I hope it's understood by all who are reading these remarks, that I was joking, albeit a bit badly. I really appreciate what you (and Simon, when you two collaborate) are doing here. This is a frightfully valuable channel you're operating in this space, and the episodes you do as reviews are really well done, too.
I will say that we come from somewhat different musical genres, although with a lot of overlap. You (and Simon) are on top of your game when it comes to electric rock; I, OTOH, entered the guitar universe through the folk & acoustic sounds of the late '60s, about a decade after finding I was unable to comprehend the instrument during the Elvis-boom of the late 50's. So my ears prick up (re: _Daydream,_ John Sebastian, 1966) when you showcase an acoustic guitar (e.g., the Vangoa 12), or, like the Reverend, a hollow-body electric that fares well as an acoustic. Both of these appeal strongly to me, as I'm looking for a good acoustic that can "plug in."
As for the 12 at issue here, thanks for the links you gave in the Description; they were very helpful, and I feel that I have a solid foundation on which to base a possible purchasing decision.
So by all means, keep on doin' what you do! (re: _Jerks on the Loose,_ The Roches, 1980)
Fred
Great looking and sounding guitar
It really is a special guitar. I have no relationship with Reverend other than loving the guitar. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I appreciate your time and comment. I hope you have a great week. Mark
I just got one of these this week in red sparkle. It won’t go out of tune! And it sounds spectacular in every way! It’s a total home run, and now I no longer lust after the Ric 1993 model that would cost me around $4000 with taxes and everything. $1600 to my door is just a perfect price point, and this guitar is quality throughout.
Hey JJ. I'm so glad you like yours. I have both and the the Rick isn't even in the same league. It's a one trick pony that even a seasoned 12 string player like me finds near impossible to strike the string sets evenly unless I reverse the strings back to the way they logically should be. The lacquered neck is a nightmare (It makes the neck feel like a toy). What really caught my attention is red sparkle. I love red guitars. I didn't realize they have it in that. I'm heading to the Reverend website right now. LOL. Thanks so much for checking out the video. I really do appreciate your time. Have a great week and take care. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe Hey Mark, the red sparkle is a Wildwood Guitars exclusive color. I’m not sure if they have any left, but they are awesome, and I heard they are getting blue and also black sparkle in later this year!
Just to let you know this video review is what helped me decide which 12 string to buy as my first ever 12 string,, thanks enjoy your videos
My $500 Danelectro 12 string sounds as good or better than this. I think your recording wasn't very good. Did you mic the amp or the room?
Love the reviews Mark ! Always honest and upfront !
I appreciate the support Charles. Always kind and giving of your time. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe It's always a joy ! Enjoy yours as well !
I think I've played a 12-string twice in my life and they were acoustics. They're fun. This one looks amazing 😍
Hi Mark,
I've watched every utube video on the Airwave for months,trying to decide on this vs a Dano 59X12.Your demo is by far,the best to date.All the other vids,are either manufacturer vids with the same players over and over,or people showing off their ambient skills and not really demonstrating the
Range of sounds this guitar is capable of.A 12
Definitely must have the jangle,as well as not be a "one trick pony".I think the features and build quality,are outstanding.
Thanks for taking the time to put out this awesum demo.You are a top knotch player and
I really enjoy all of your'
Content! Also looking forward to the next "name that riff" video!
Take care,brother!
Rick McFarland.
Hey Rick. I read your email last week. Did I not respond? I'm off my game. I'm getting ready to turn in but I will respond tomorrow if I haven't already. I appreciate all of the positive feedback and I'm very grateful for your time. I remember that you had a couple of comments and a couple of questions that I want to address. Talk to you tomorrow. Take care. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe cool beans,get some rest man!
@@8MinuteAxe Thanks so much for taking time to return my email.I greatly appreciate your response and input,keep the great content coming!
That Gotoh bridge is great, but it's on just about every 12-string that isn't named 'Rickenbacker' these days, including Squiers and Danelectros. Not exactly 'unique.'
Hi,
I really liked your reviewed. I watched some of those reviewing 12 string guitars. But if you have budget for these three, which one do you prefer? Reverend Airwave 12, Danelectro 59 12, or Eastwood Classic 12.
Why these three? Because I am lefty and there are not many options for us.
Thanks!
IS THAT A ZENITH AMP? I didn't know they made guitar amps..
Hey Prismo. It's a Dr. Z Maz18. Handwired point to point. Dr. Z is a boutique amp company that's been around for about 30 years. I lucked out and got this one used with the Z brake (Dr. Zs attenuator) and a custom M-75 scumback speaker. Honestly, I can't tell any difference in the speaker but it adds to the value. I believe they run about $2300 new. The Z brake is around $300. My brother had a Zenith stereo as a kid. I believe LG bought them out many years ago. Not sure if they kept the company intact or folded into LG. Anyway, thanks for checking out the video. I appreciate your time and your comment (you've reminded me that I need use my amp more often. LOL. Take. care and be well. Mark
@@8MinuteAxe ok right on.. yea all I saw was the "Z" and it looked like the Zenith logo I always saw growing up. My Dad used to collect old transistor radios so it stuck out to me. There's a small store in Kansas City area that sells those Reverend guitars and they really are beautiful. But yea dude thanks for the reply. New sub here. Take it easy bro ✌
Certainly sounds like a versatile 12 string. You seem to be getting a lot of great tones out of the thing. It sounds like one of those instruments that is a "Jack of all trades. Master of none." Which is fine if you are after that sort of thing. To my ears it lacks that special something that only Rickenbacker 12 string guitars posses. Sure, a decent RIC 12 is three to four times the price of this instrument. But a RIC is a RIC. If I was going to spend Airwave money on a 12 string electric, I'd probably search out a decent Greco RG-95 or RG-120. Cheers from the Land Down Under.
Fine guitar indeed!! Much finer guitar player, though!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 😉😉😉
Everything is the *best Axe * to you. I'm out.
Price tag bit outta range again
I get that. For most, an electric 12 is a very niche instrument. And I'm obviously very biased. Thanks so much for your time. Mark
This is a perfectly nice guitar.
I wonder how you record this.
In another video i hurt a lot of room Sound instead of the amplifier sound.
Is it possible for you that you could do a Mike right in front of the loudspeaker?
make it even Sound better
Wonderful guitar. What are your thoughts on the Danelectro D59V12-MR?
Awesome guitar and really nice review, thanks for sharing 🙂
how about a playing comparison against a 12 string Gretsch?
Nice video, Mark. Is the Reverend strung like the Ric with the lower octave below the higher one?
10,000 Jovi points for Wanted Dead Or Alive.
Sounds are great. What put me off on that guitar is a demo I saw by the owner. He moved around and the neck seems very easy to bend out of tune. It didn't seem that strong.
So a Squier 12 with locking tuners….
The Rev or the Gretsch Electromatic G5422G-12 ?
Color is awesome. I can’t find it anywhere. Is it custom?
Great review. I might be selling my Rick.
Hi,could you review the burns double six
I'm ordering this as soon as this video is over...
Great demo Mark, that guitar sounded awesome man 😀🤘🎵🔥🔥🔥🔥
Hey Adam. Thanks so much. I hope you're having a good weekend. Take care and have an awesome week. Mark
How’s the string spacing?
Please reaction alip ba ta again
Nice! Sounds killer. I have a Schecter Ultracure XII. It has a lot of the same features. It's the only 12-string I have ever owned and is pretty sweet sounding too.
Hey Bio. I was just combing reverb for a schecter last night! They have some really nice mid priced 12 strings. I really appreciate you checking out the video. Have a great day and take care. Mark
I came very close to selling my Rick 360/12 because I couldn't pick well between the strings. I also almost replaced the nut because some say that a better spaced nut helps with the picking. If I had been aware of this guitar, I may have sold and swapped! This is a compelling video though, so my next big task is convincing my wife that this is necessary - lol!
Hey Kenny. I had the 360/12 C63 and there wasn't much that I liked about it other than it's storied past and the ability to get great Beatles tones. McGuinn used to go direct into the board with a couple of nice analog compressors in front of the signal. I came closer to that sound with the Eastwood than I did with the Rick. I'm a pretty experienced 12 string player and I don't know how anybody is able to get an even strike on the reversed strings with a downstroke. I reversed mine. The reversed strings defies the laws of physics and just makes it that much harder to play. And don't even get me started on the headstock. It may look cool, but there's nothing practical about it. It makes restringing a total bitch. I never had a problem with the trapeze tailpiece, it's the illogical order of the tuning peg/string configuration that always required me to go back and undo a string. The worst part for me is the heavily lacquered fretboard. There are a bunch of old timers out there that do it justice but it's not for me. I absolutely love the Reverend. Thanks so much for checking out the video. Good luck with your wife.
Mark
Reverend really did it right there. Looks great, sounds great, and all at a decent price. If I didn't already have an electric twelve I liked, I would definately buy the Reverend. Hope your keeping that one! Great review, and I appreciate you using a miked amp instead of a sim on a computer (I'm old school).
Hey Darvin. I meant to mention how I recorded the stuff. I had the Dr. Z close mic'd and the Spark close mic'd. Both with a 58. I also ran a line direct but I had it too hot so it was all unusable. So what you're getting is 100 live mic'd amps. I opened up the mic I was using for talking on a couple of the tracks so you could hear the acoustic properties of the guitar a bit. You can hear it on Mr. T Man, Dead or Alive, and the two fingerstyle tunes. Everything else is the Dr. Z with a little of the Spark mixed in. Even when I go direct, I use a pedal for gain and compression. I use logic now and I know there are a ton of guitar effects but I haven't really dug into them at all. And I would never use them on a review. For the first 18 months, I only did a couple of reviews because they are the hardest to make. And that's simply because any other video I make I have the attitude 'it's my channel, I can do whatever I want as long as I'm not being offensive or an ass' but with the review videos I feel a sense of responsibility as I know people watch review videos (mine or other people's) and may base a purchase off of it. A few ground rules I have. Try not to get too enthusiastic unless I really am. Don't modify the 'out of the box sound' in any way (a good example of this is that when I do the Vangoa guitar reviews, I use the cheap strings that come with the guitar). And up to this point, I don't do any paid endorsements. That being said, I really liked the Eastwood Classic 12 but Reverend is in a different league. It's literally everything I want in a guitar. When it's time to give it back I will definitely buy one. I will probably buy a 6 string as well. I did tell Ken Haas, the owner of Reverend that I'm so passionate about the guitar that I'd be interested in being a brand ambassador. The thing is, it's hard for me to measure how much my endorsement is worth. My wife and I still have a good laugh about the fact that after years of trying to "make it", I finally broke through on TH-cam of all things. I didn't even really watch TH-cam up until I started making videos a couple of years ago. Anyway, I'm going on and on with no direction. Thanks so much for your time. I appreciate it very much. Mark
You had to do Bon Jovi.