12 String

The twelve-string guitar has a rich but delicate sound. The strings are arranged in six pairs in a combination of octave and unison tunings. It's played in the same manner as the standard guitar, as far as chords and scales and picking and strumming.

Nowhere is the Alvarez steel truss rod and magnesium U-channel more necessary in the neck than in a twelve-string guitar, because of the doubled string tension. The truss rod extends through the entire neck and heel and inner block, and is adjustable through the sound hole. The dovetailed heel helps keep the neck from pulling up in response to string tension.

The necks are solid Nato mahogany that has aged for at least two years to prevent warping. Well-seasoned wood means stability: the frets will stay in place and won't work loose or cause buzzing.arez Artist Series guitars have unusual woods and unusual inlays. Even the bridges and saddles are special: tight-grained rosewood to transmit stronger vibrations from the strings to the top of the guitar, dense saddles to withstand string pressure without abrading--the little extras that tell people you're serious about your music.