Seagull Walnut 12 String

HHwarner

Iv been on the lookout for an affordable 12 string and Iv found a Seagull Excursion Walnut 12. I know these are the entry/budget level instruments but has anyone had any experience with this model. Any good? For the money they look fantastic as im not looking to spend a great deal of cash as Im a primarily an electric guitar player but want the best i can get in that price range. BTW it is in as new condition with hard case and spare set of Daddario's for £330.

AliGorie

yeah HH, seems a reasonable guitar for the money and going by the video bellow plays quite well (easily).
First thing I ask folks coming to a 12'er is - what do ya want to do with it - how do you intend to play it ?.
This one seems to fingerpick quite easily which is not normally the case - entry levelers tend to be for strumming / plectrum playing - i.e - narrow string spacing @ saddle.
Try 'n play one at a shop and see.
good luck.

ICBM

These are nice-sounding guitars and great value for money, but they're fragile and don't have a good life expectancy - which is probably why they sound good out of the box. The thin finish wears through very easily, the tops often pull up and they have the highest rate of headstock breaks I see other than Gibsons.

I would definitely put light strings on it (no more than 10s) and probably tune it down to D as well - 12-strings sound better tuned down anyway.

pintspiller

Kim Deal of The Breeders used a Seagull. Through a Marshall stack.

HHwarner

Well I picked the Seagull 12 string up. Lovely sound and great playability as mentioned above. I’m very pleased with it. I will be using it to noodle about at home so didn’t want to spend a great deal of cash. I think it’s ideal. I now need a decent capo though as Iv down tuned it as IC’s recommendation. What are the best capos these days. Are shub still up there. 

markv

Can't talk for others but the Shubb 12 string capo I have does the job very well.

ICBM

HHwarner said:

What are the best capos these days. Are shub still up there. 

Kyser, for me.

NickL

The neck on my Seagull 12 is pretty chunky, and a Schubb 12 string capo barely fits round it even adjusted all the way out. It's really too tight further up the neck. It also doesn't seem to push the octave strings down far enough not to buzz when the regular strings are clamped down harder than I'd like - maybe the rubber is too stiff. Might have to try a Kyser instead.

Fuengi

ICBM said:

The tops often pull up and they have the highest rate of headstock breaks I see other than Gibsons.

I'm really surprised to hear this about Seagull guitars, not least because I didn't think that they sold that many in the UK. 

Do Godin or Art & Lutherie have a similar issue? 

Do you see many Faith guitars in for repair? 

ICBM

Fuengi said:

Do Godin or Art & Lutherie have a similar issue? 

Yes. To be fair, the large number of head breaks is across all the Godin brands rather than just Seagull. I'm not 100% sure why, I think it must be a combination of the way the head is scarf-jointed on (in the wrong place to strengthen it, it just saves wood) and the use of fairly brittle mahogany. But it is noticeably more than other brands, apart from Gibson.

Fuengi said:

Do you see many Faith guitars in for repair? 

No, not a single one yet, personally.