Seagull S12+ Cedar Acoustic

Made in 2005 or early 2006, in LaPatrie, Quebec, Canada. Solid cedar top, laminated wildcherry back and sides, rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Mine didn?t come with the built in preamp, so it?s all acoustic. Though many refer to this guitar as a plain Jane, I find the contrast of the cedar and wildcherry quite striking. The body shape reminds me of a round shouldered Gibson jumbo, and thanks to this shape it is very comfortable playing while seated.

Because of the woods used, this guitar is not as loud or as bright as a spruce topped / mahogany s & b designed 12 string. What it lacks in volume it more than makes up for in TONE; rich, deep, and warm. I started out using light gauge strings, but soon had it adjusted for mediums (tuned low, currently DADFAD). With the string change the instrument truly came alive and delivered miles of rich sound. The volume also increased when mediums were added. To paraphrase Joni Mitchell, harmonics bloomed from it like jewels, and the overtones and sustain are awesome. I?m learning to fingerpick (starting at the age of 51, after more than 20 years of flatpicking ? I must be crazy, but I?m digging it). The sound this 12er puts out is so beguiling you?ll find yourself lost in its sonority as time flies by.

Considering the price of Guild, Martin, and Taylor 12ers, the Seagull offers amazing bang for the buck. Though it may not sing as sweetly to some ears as the aforementioned big three, it is much better than a mere entry level 12 string guitar. Playing it for just a few minutes will reveal the goods.

The fingerboard, though wide, is quite comfortable to play. The action is equally as comfy. Barre chords are easy to master on this guitar, as well as other chord forms. The neck is relatively thick, but not a chore to handle.
The build quality is very good. Since the top is cedar, care should be taken in handling the instrument. Still, no matter how much you baby it expect some dings. The frets are finely finished, and the tuning gears are lock solid. Making the switch to medium strings I noticed it stayed in tune much longer than with lights (a whole week and a half). Still, as with this or any other 12er, a chromatic tuner is ESSENTIAL.
The web site claims that the finish is semi-gloss lacquer. I find it looks more like a satin or matte finish, a nice contrast to the customary shiny gloss finish of most guitars. Aesthetically, it is very easy on the eyes, and a number of people who have seen it are in agreement.

I?ve had it less than two months, so I can?t speak of its long term durability. Its construction is good enough to suggest that it should do well for the long haul. As previously stated, because of the soft cedar, dings are sure to come over time.

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I?ve been playing since 1978. This is my second 12 string in life. The first I had was a POS Alvarez that was falling apart when I got it; high action (I?m talking cheese cutter/wire guillotine), nut in slow disintegration, neck so bowed you could fire arrows with it (while you couldn?t storm the Bastille, you could definitely hunt deer).

I think it was made in 2000. Hand made in Petri Canada. 21 Frets, a solid cedar top and laminated cherry sides and back.
Initialy I ordered a 12-string Takamine with a single cut-away and electronics at a large local reseller. But it seemed that is was very hard to get a hold on this model. So I went looking for an alternative. Although it didnt have the single cut-away the S12+ did feature an active pickup and eq. I also tried a 12-string Ibanez for a simular price but I fell for the Seagull because of the sound and the action. Soundwise it could easily be compared to a Taylor (4 times the price), at least in my opinion.
The finish very light, so you have to be very carefull, it easily damages. I use it at gigs, so thats a down side but on the other hand it also makes that is sound is very clear and that the quitar starts singing easily (which I like about 12-srtings).
The neck is not to wide and to thick, however the edges are a little too sharp.

As said before it sounds great. I refitted it with Didario extra lights. It makes the sound less loud but also brighter. It's great for playing acoustic at home. On stage the lower sound level doesnt matter because I play it through the clean channel of a 165W Fender Pro185, and that will really rock your socks off ! I use it with a acoustic multi-effect to coulor the sound. To counter the feedback I use a feedback killer. Using this setup it produces a very bright sound. The eq controls do the job well. There's enough room to correct for any setup. (I never have to change settings on the multi-effect). Soundwise no dislikes.

When i bought it it was in great shape (and still is) I had the strings replaced with extra lights. No flaws to be detected. It does look less snappy than a guitar with high gloss finish. A perfect Bookmatched top. A simple but nice wood inlay rosette. Bridge seems fine, action feels great, but I will drop it by my guitar docter soon, and I expect that he will do wonders with it. After all that what he did with all my other guitars.

I use it live, I play in a rock band and things sometimes get rough. Because of the light finish nick's and scratches are unavoidable when playing live. I own it for only a year so there's little to tell about durabillty, time will tell.
Strap button/jack-output is solid.
I dont use a backup, ony had a problem once when I broke 3 strings at once. I now use new strings for every gig, no problems since.
The only problem with the active eq setup is that you can only change the battery when the strings are removed.

no experience yet

I've been playing for 20 years. I currently own a Fender strat and an Ibanez Tallman (solid body). I use a Fender Pro185 2 channel amp, for both the electric and the acoustic. I also use a some effects; a zoom acoustic multi-effect, and for the strat an the ibanez I use a TS9.
I wish it had a single cut-away.

Mine was made in 1999 and was not outfitted with the L.R. Baggs unit. I added the L.R.Baggs Dual pickup + mic and it performs well. Kindof a pain that you can't get to the battery w/o changing strings since muddy strings keep their tune and sound a bit better (in my opinion) on this guitar.

Wonderful sound for the price paid. I tried several comparable sized Martins and Taylors and found that the value was much better on this guitar. It has been a wonderful instrument.

Action is very low and I love that. very easy to play with a great neck -- not too narrow, not too wide. Tuning machines work very well. Pins that hold in strings don't seat well -- maybe I'm doing somehting wrong. But this only happens while re-stringing. Once the guitar is tuned, all holds well. Guitar looks great and is built well, but see next catagory...

Everything is solid except for a little wear around the sound hole (cedar is very soft). Last week however, a guitar tech discovered that the bracing had come unglued and the top had started to warp badly. We are trying to get the guitar replaced as there is a 5 year warranty on craftsmanship. Looks like they'll honor it.

So far, dealing with the company has been good. Proof is in the pudding on the warranty issues mentioned above. If they follow through, I will gladly accept a replacement guitar. If they don't I still will consider replacing it with another Seagull.

I bought the guitar new about 1 month ago, so I assume it was made in either 2000 or 2001. This guitar's features are similar to those discussed in the earlier reviews. A beautiful guitar overall, quite unique in appearance. One feature not yet discussed, this one has an L.R. Baggs (or Boggs) micro eq pre-amp device. As I was first being shown the guitar, I wasn't even aware it had this thing, then the salesman hands me a patch cord, I look more closely, ALLLRIGGHT! The eq device is very responsive to adjustment. It has three controls, bass, treble, and volume. Feedback can be controlled nicely. The patch chord attaches to the strap button. I had no intention of even thinking about purchasing an amplifiable acoustic, so this was icing on the cake. Definitely a 10 on features.

About 90% of the music I play is from Neil Young, Rolling Stones, the Who, or Led Zeppelin. This guitar has been a hoot to play the 12-string rhythms and passages from these musicians that I've always wanted to work on. Good shimmering sound out of every string. I have yet to change the strings. The guitar has a very well balanced sound, though not as loud as other, but far more expensive guitars. My initial and current impression is that this guitar has that deeper, warmer sound that I've been associating with the Gibson acoustic guitars. Unamplified, I'd give this an 8, and only because of the perceived lack of volume.

Now amplified, this is an awesome-sounding guitar. I've been overwhelmed at how wonderful a 12-string acoustic sounds through an amp. The amp is a Peavey Classic 30, and on the clean channel this guitar sings. The eq device again allows for precise control, and it's quite easy to make the guitar roar with nice feedback when wanted. Otherwise it is a chimey ol' friend. My other usable electric guitars are a Fender Telecaster and a Danelectro DC3. But, I've never had more fun on a guitar than this thing through an amp. Based on a 10 rating as an amplified instrument, overall a niner.

This is where I was initially most-impressed with the guitar. The action allows for both delicate and hard playing all over the neck. I've said this to others, the neck literally seems to draw your hand to it. Mastering clean full barre chords, hammer-ons, even pull-offs has been orders of magnitude easier than I thought it would be. I cannot imagine a 12-string guitar playing easier than this one.

The only thing I'm slightly puzzled by, the strings have settled in and worn grooves into the bridge, with the high E strings having a slighly wider separation than the others. It doesn't affect playing at all, but it just looks wacky on very close inspection.

The finish is smooth as described in other reviews. The neck is nicely shaped and hand fatigue is minimal.

I'm not sure if its the old strings or the easy ability to bend the strings, but I do feel I need to tweak on tuning about every other time I play it. Not anything out of the ordinary.

It seems to be pretty solid. I've owned it for about one month and have had no problems with it. The guitar is put together well, sturdy bracing. It had a couple of surface blemishes from guitar store dings (salesman pointed these out to me). I'll just give it a 9 for now.

I've not dealt with the company. They have an interesting website, and I'd like to tell them how cool this guitar is. My guitar came with a very good store warranty, so I'll probably rely on the store if I ever have a guitar problem.

I've been playing for about 24 years, back in the 80s I was in a rock band, now I'm a father playing mostly at home or at friends' houses. My other acoustic guitars are a Yamaha and a Stella. I mentioned the electrics earlier. I've been so satisfied with the Yamaha FG335 from 1981, that I never went on and purchase a more expensive one (I was so close to buying a Taylor 410 or a Gibson J45). I knew I REALLY needed a 12-string though, and with "permission" from the wife, I took my oldest son with me to buy a new Martin D12. They were out of 'em but the salesman showed me the Seagull and I figured I'd at least strum on it. I was drawn to it immediately, big smile while playing it. I subsequently told him I was interested, would be right back, then dashed over to another store just to evaluate a Guild-12 and a Taylor-12. These were well over $1,000, and me and my son were absolutely sure the Seagull was the right way to go. I went back and purchased the Seagull.

I've truly fallen in love with this guitar. If it were lost or stolen I would weep heavily and seek out a new one. It has inspired me to play a whole new range of notes and chords, drives me to play even those weird Beatlesish chords again, and drives me to work hard at even string-bending leads. I'd say this one has been both an excellent and an inspirational instrument. And again, it's warm Gibsonish sound is something to behold. Excellent value, everything I described above for only $370!

Made in Canada, standard 12 string fare, solid cedar top, laminate cherry back and sides,matte finish. Rated features a 6 because it's very simply adorned, which was exactly what I was looking for. Have to say, though, the matte finish made it look kinda cheap, compared to, say a Guild or Takamine, blah, blah, but when I picked it up it felt so smooth and comfortable, plus thin finishes such as this help with the tone and aging.

I've only really tinkered with acoustics here and there, but really wanted something that was more on the quality side at an affordable price. Hence, I originally planned on buying the affordable Guild 6 string,think it lists for $900?. But I saw the Seagull at a music store where I had placed a 94 Strat and Epi southern jumbo copy on consignment. I hit a few notes, and was really,really surprised. Then I hit a chord and was hooked. Sounds fat and mellow and warm. I a-b'd it with a 70's Guild that was on sale for $625. The Guild was brighter and louder, but the Seagull just seemed to blossom, I'm sure the extra 6 strings helped, but I gotta say, I didn't give the Guild a second thought!

I was told the strings were a bit old(had been in the store a while), it also seemed mellower than a couple of newer s12's, but still sounded fantastic, and played so easily. The neck just feels perfect, the action and intonation were fantastic, and the thin finish really gives the guitar a smooth woody feel. The workmanship is just incredible, especially for the price! All the joints and seams are really smooth, although the finish did feel a bit rough on the neck. I'm rating it at a 10, because for the price it puts a lot of companys to shame!

I've only had it a couple days, but it does seem delicate, but the tone it produces, can't see why you'd want to abuse it. The workmanship does seem really solid though. This guitar comes with soul.

Haven't dealt with them yet.

I've been playing for 12years, and own an Epi Riviera w/ Gibson pu's, Marshall Bluesbreaker, and too much other junk to mention. I originally put a strat and Epi acoustic on consignment, but after trying the Seagull, I went back the next day and traded the two guitars for the s12 w/case. I know I lost a lot of money on the deal, but couldn't wait to own the Seagull, I just love it. The Epi alone cost about the same as the Seagull, but the Epi was a piece of shit in comparison.

Canadian made (LaPatrie, Quebec: a little town devoted to guitar manufacture), cedar top with cherry back and sides, satin finish. Got it last spring 99.

I would like a little more volume out of it especially on the low-end but I really can't complain--I loved it the moment I started playing it in the shop.

I had to file down one of the grooves in the nut because the G-strings (ha ha I love those G-strings) were spread apart a little too much. Changing strings is a real bitch--that type of setup sucks and those "pegs" that hold down the string ends are tough to get out and even tougher to stuff back in and maintain a lock on their position. I don't plan on changing strings very often consequently. The satin finish gets scratched easily but I still like the look of this guitar alot. It does play nice when you're all set.

I would expect someone to be good to this type of guitar and it does maintain its tuning after play once the strings have been on for a while. Again, don't expect the finish to hold up... besides a few bruises and scrapes adds character.

Never bothered...

I've been playing acoustic for about 5 years with my Ovation balladeer just sitting on the couch pickin' and a grinnin'. I bought the S12 because I really liked the sound it gave when sampling guitars in the shop. If you are an acoustic player and want to try something different than your 6-string and don't want to spend alot you will not be disappointed with this guy. Lot's of fun getting those erie notes out for songs like Hotel Califonia, Hey You, and Closer to the Heart.

Canadian made, solid-top cedar guitar, non-locking tuners, satin finish, came with hardshell case.

A very full-bodied sound, I would like it if there was a little more high end brightness on the thing, but for what I paid you can't be too picky. Not extrordinarily loud.

The action on this is absolutely incredible. Whomever set it up at the factory knew what they were doing. I could not find any cosmetic flaws on this whatsoever.

Finish has worn a little bit - I'm a very hard strummer and actually managed to "dent" the wood on the top side of the soundhole. That's not good. If you took this to play out you'd have to be pretty careful. Then again, you'd want to be careful with any guitar you spent more than five bucks on, right?

This guitar was the deal of the century, $250 brand new WITH hardshell case on a going-out-of-business sale, which is why I bought it - always wanted a 12-string. For that price, it's a really nice guitar - not the same thing as a top-end Martin or Takamine 12-string, but it's still nice. And for that price, I'd buy another instantly if this one were stolen.