If you’re wondering how much you’ll have to pay to get a 12 string guitar. This article will tell you that! I’ve made my own research on what 12 String guitars cost, and how much they cost in comparison to other types of guitars. Buckle up, and get ready for the prices!
The Price for a 12-String Guitar
I chose Thomannmusic.com for this price check. Because they tend to sell some of the cheapest guitars that are actually useable by musicians. Here are the prices!
| Average Price | Acoustic 12-String | Acoustic 6-String | Electric 12-String |
| Cheapest | $99 | $63 | $245 |
| 15 Cheapest | $228 | $86 | $669 |
| 30 Cheapest | $301 | $105 | – |
| All Guitars | $1006 | $946 | $1209 |
The average price for a 12 string guitar is around 1000$ when you buy it new. But if you’re looking for paying a minimum price you can get away with only 100$. The price for a 12 string guitar is slightly more expensive than a 6-String guitar, and the strings are also more expensive.
By ’15 Cheapest’ I’m referring to the average price of the 15 cheapest guitars when sorted by from low to high.
As you can see, Electric 12-Strings doesn’t have a ’30 Cheapest’ because there were less than 30 electric guitars to choose from. Acoustic 12-Strings are way more popular than electric ones.
Price for 12-String Guitar Strings
Strings are a required component of any guitar. Therefore they are always a part of the price. I just did a quick average to find out the price, and if there’s a difference between guitar types, and voila, there is!
| The average price of strings | 12-String Guitar Strings (Acoustic) | 6-String Guitar Strings (Acoustic) | |
| Cheapest | $2,30 | $1,39 | |
| All Strings Average | $14,50 | $11,20 |
Strings for a 12-string guitar are slightly more expensive than for a 6-string guitar. It’s clear that double the strings, doesn’t equal double the cost.
Weird right?
Before I checked the prices, I thought double the amount of guitar strings meant double the price. But clearly, that’s not the case.
Although 12-String strings are a bit pricier. Some people literally use the same strings for years, without any care in the world about re-stringing. If you’re one of those people you may just buy strings once for any guitar. Whereas some people re-string before any important event, such as recording, or for a live gig. Which could be EVERY DAY!
For most guitarists, I think it’s wise to replace the strings every few months. It’s easy to forget how good a guitar once sounded, as the strings wear out so slowly.
Buy a Used Guitar And Get Quality Sound Cheaper
Buying a used guitar can be a great idea. Most cheap guitars will go down in price on the used market.
Whereas more expensive guitars from renowned brands such as Yamaha, Gibson, and Fender can go up in price. Making them more expensive on the used market than when they were purchased.
But there’s a middle ground, where you can get a quality brand for less money!
The idea is to look for guitars that have wear and tear. It can be a chip in the lacquer or they may have been stored in a smokey room. Those things will not always, but often reduce the price.
However, the price increase of expensive, quality guitars applies to you as well. So you may not be making such a bad deal after all if you opt to buy a new guitar. As it may well go up in price, and you may get more than your money back if you decide to sell it after its production has stopped.
Is a 12 String Guitar Worth It?
It’s certainly not a guitar for everybody. If you like bending notes and playing riffs and melodies, you’re better off with a 6-string. A 12-string is more like a bulldozer. It’s heavy, loud, goes one way and it does it well. But you won’t get the same flexibility, agility, and clean sound as you will with a 6-string.
I’ve done a full comparison, highlighting important differences between 12-string guitars and 6-stringed ones. So if you wanna know, go there.
After all, the sound is unique, and it can be cool to just own a 12 string. If you can spare $100, it’s a valuable addition to your guitar collection, allowing you to have a guitar that sounds more unique than a regular one.
