My vote is for the steel string for all the reasons noted above.

I can't stress enough the importance of sound and feel. I played a 12-string almost exclusively for years. It has a decent sound but I really never got past the strummmng stage. I also had a cheap classsical guitar. Virtually never played it so I sold it. When the frets on the 12-string wore out (for the third time) about 3 years ago, I decided it was time to get a good 6-string guitar. I haunted music stores for 18 months and made up my mind to buy a "T" model. Then I started to shop around for the best deal on that model. The last store I wandered into had both the "T" and a "G" model I'd never seen before. Took both into the sound room, played one chord on each and the "T" was history. The "G" is my baby. I'd take it to work every day if I didn't have to work while I was here.

The right guitar for you will be comfortable to hold. The action of the strings will be smooth. The sound will be perfect to your ears. Coupled with some guitar lessons, my "G" has enabled to me raise my playing skills to levels I had not dared dream of for the 25 years I played the 12-string. Hope the same can happen to you.