Hey Grand Stick players

I’m curious - what were your own personal reasons for opting for/moving to 12 strings over 10 strings?

I can see reasons for and against, I’m genuinely just looking for you to share your thoughts on why 12 works better for you... and even more curious if you went to 12 and then moved back to 10.

Mark

I have had 12 strings and now have a 10 string on the way. In my limited experience, I found the 12 string a stretch for my hand/fingers. 12 strings give more options as far as chord inversions, etc.

I started out with an 8 String Stick Bass, being a bassist... Due to the musicality that the Stick brings forth & also seeing King Crimson, I opted for the 12 string for the increased real estate of the board, and being able to do more with it. I did briefly own a 10 String Tarara Grand, which I regret selling!

Extra bass-side range helps, though for me it's taking a while to learn to extend left hand playing to include the chord support ("rhythm guitar") that's there for the taking, and the twelfth string increases the possibilities.

One benefit to consider (though you can also get it to a lesser degree on a 10-string Grand or Railboard) is bass/melody spacing. When I had a ten string, a finger playing a note on the 5th melody string would sometimes contact and dampen the low bass string; they're pretty close, and that bass string is pretty fat. With a Grand, there's extra spacing between those two strings, thanks to the mere presence of the sixth string, so it's not an issue...in situations where I'm playing the two strings together, it's a lot cleaner now. (I rarely play on the sixth string.)

Probably not of much significance to many players, but it is to me.

I love the range of the 12-string. There are times where I go high on the 1st string in solos. There are times when I like to span the range on the bass side with large chords. There are some things that just can't be done with only 10.

Short answer: 2 more strings

If SE comes out with a Super Grand with 14 strings, count me in

Simple....the more strings you have, the better chance of hitting the right note.
Beyond that, the range, the voicing possibilities, the technique options.... I have 5 Grands with one more on the way.
BTW...a big thanks to our buddy Mark Fillipone (Markusz)
for lending me his Grand Stick in Arizona this week.

Steve A

You are welcome Steve.

A 14 string is Stick isn’t such a crazy ideas. I had the misfortune of buying a Ziggy rap guitar, which has a much wider neck than a stick. I’m getting used to playing it, in crossed mode too. If the neck was widened just enough to accommodate two more strings...a Super Grand 14 string!

Emmett, have you thought about doing a prototype?

Would it be too costly for someone to commission a one off 14 string?

Another thought. A Super Grand Railboard! This would be a good approach because of the thin sculpted neck of the RB would allow the player to have added ability to reach over the wider neck.

actually a 14 strings was once made by Emmett

so i guess it is possible with special order..