Just a few things. Kendall- I didn't mean to raise any hackles and start a "standard vs drop tuning" thing. I guess, since I'm fairly new to twelve string, I tend to treat it like a six string, and the folks I've known, (not many), who tune their twelve strings down have had guitars with defects that made them difficult to play even dropped down. I suppose some of Leo Kottke's songs are tuned low, but I have no real idea what tunings he uses. Sorry if I started something already covered in another thread, but I had to respond to the best of my naivety.
Spaw- OK, I tuned down, sort of like you said, only to an open D. For what I wanted to play, I just about HAD to since I sure didn't want to pop any strings by tuning to a full open E. And I admit that the low registers do sound great. I haven't yet tried it, but I'm sure a standard drop tuning sounds as good. But it seems it'd make it difficult to play with others, as I don't have a "Transposition Wizard", (Microsoft), downloaded into the guitar yet, (or it's player)! And beat me, flog me, and whip me with a wet High G string, but it seems to me that tuning it down and using heavier gauge string would equal the same tension. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know. Please tell me if I'm missing something here. I really appreciate your posts on this thread. Much food for thought. Is the stress really that big of a concern? I've seen lot's of bridges pop off of six strings, too. I've only had mine a couple of years, (a Guild 112), with less soundboard arch than my six string. Anyway I'll fool around a little.
LEJ- Congrats on getting a twelve string. Since I got mine, I hardly play the old 6 anymore. I don't know, maybe it's just a phase, but I love the rich and full sound, even tuned standard. Maybe we can get together and play at Stapleton someday, waiting for a Steam Powered Aeroplane with Spaw aboard.
Cap't Bob- Congrats and Salutes on obtaining a Guild! Those guys really knew how to make a twelve string!
Jon W- (And then I'll shut up)! Whistle Stop probably put it better than I can. Fingerpicking a twelve string is a process which I am still learning. It is hard to catch the higher octave strings, and for me, fingerpicks don't seem to help. But there is something in the nature of the beast that makes it particularly amenable to a combination of fingerpicking and brush-strokes. You just about can't go wrong. Please forgive the length of my diatribe, but I haven't had time to answer in kind. BlueJay