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Choosing the right Seagull 12 string


clance

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To fans of Seagulls and 12 strings:

 

While I already own an acoustic I am perfectly happy with, I do not yet own a twelve string. And after playing my good fiend's Seagull 6 string, and another friend's Art & Lutherie 12 string, I realized I had to own a 12 string and it had to be a Seagull. Good quality build, incredible sound, affordable price, great looks and feel, and made in Canada, by Canadians, with Canadian materials, I cannot find a better fit for me.

 

So i took it upon myself to visit every Seagull dealer in my area (London, Stratford, Belleville, etc...) but it was Belle Aire Music in my hometown that had the greatest selection of Seagull 12 strings. Specifically, 2 models:

 

The Coastline series S12

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And the Maritime Spruce 12

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I have spent (much to the anger of the employees) a total of several hours playing the two Coastline 12's and the one Maritime 12 that the store has. In the 400-500 dollar range, the Seagull 12 strings play better than some of the Martins, Guilds and Gibsons that I've tried. And while i can tell a difference in feel and tone between the two Coastline 12s, I cannot hear any difference in the better Coastline and the slightly higher-end Maritime.

 

The Maritime is about 75$ more and has a better looking top, although it is glossier. The sides are made of mahogany i beleive, but aside from the material differences I cannot find any others. So I'm asking, what is the difference between the two models?

 

Another major factor in my choice of buying a guitar is how long it will last over the years. A Yamaha twelve string owned by a teacher of mine after only a few years had a badly twisted neck and a warped top. I want this guitar to last me as long as possible. This is a big investment for me, and kept humidified and tuned and well played over the years I want to be sure that it will last decades. So do the differences in materials make any difference in the longevity of the instrument? I like the sound and feel and look of them both equally, and I would be willing to pay the extra cash if I knew the guitar would last a bit longer.

 

So any thoughts?

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