The best 12-string I've EVER played belongs to Rik Palieri,from Hinesburg, Vermont. It's a Bruce Taylor(not the Taylor guitars that are ubiquitous), a copy of Pete Seeger's Stanley Francis, in fact, the 1st 12 that Taylor ever made. With its large body and an unbelievable 28 inch scale, the bass notes on that thing could move mountains! I got to play the instrument this summer on tour with the ROSE TATTOO(see Utah Phillip's page for more info)and with its low tuning(B-E-A-D-F#-B) this guitar rocked. Playing Leadbelly tunes was incredible! With the 6th course tuned down a whole step,to A, It filled out the sound without amplification. with a PA, it was almost too much to handle. Playing it in the hotel room I wasn't allowed to use picks, it drowned everything else out.

Mark Ross