We’ve got another Stella-inspired twelve string that we have in the shop! Ralph Bown, while better known for his smaller fingerstyle guitars like the OM that Clive Carrol plays, has proven himself an exceptionally dynamic luthier, building everything from Baritones and Harp Guitars to this Stella 12-string. Bown’s given us an extended scale length to allow for heavier gauge strings to be used in lowered tunings. We find that standard C or D works beautifully on this guitar; the voice is huge, lush, and projects outward with a cataclismic force. Moreover, at the reduced string tension of lowered tunings (which we recommend keeping this guitar in) fretting notes becomes fretless, so smooth is the action.
Decked out with a Sitka Spruce top and some seriously gorgeous Koa for the back and sides, the octave strings pairs exude rich tone like chocolate mousse. Designed for the Leadbelly approach to Country Blues, all thumbpicks and crackling treble strings, this guitar also behaves famously for flatpicked solos a la Jimi Hendrix (there’s a great clip of Jimi playing a 12-string on Youtube, if you haven’t seen it yet). If you’re looking for a 12-string with more snap, crackle, and pop than a bag full of flatpicks, this is the guitar for you.