D10 or U12?

[Nick Bidmade]

Like many of us, I'm thinking (fantasising?) about what my next steel guitar would be (if I had the money, and talent, of course)!
I currently have a single neck E9, but I love the sound of the C6 neck and am wondering what people's views are about the pros and cons of D10 versus U12. Does the 'theory' of C6 mean learning on a dedicated C6 neck is 'easier' than trying to learn it on a U12, or does one approach U12 as a completely different beast again?

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Nick, I see them as two completely different animals and I reckon playing a U12 is like crossing a monkey with an ooslam bird ..... you takes your choice but I reckon a D10 is the way to go>>>>> ( there will be opposing views! )

[Tony Russell Davis]

I agree totally with John. You will get U12 devotees shooting us to bits, but almost all the talk I've ever had about Unis boils down to how to get E9th and C6th sounds out of it. If that's your desire, then get a D10! (Remember, Emmons explored it and went back to a D10). Then, there is the 12 string extended E9th to consider as well, but the wish to make C6th sounds on it brings me back to my second sentence.
If you want to explore the Uni as a separate instrument that is an entirely different and worthwhile matter. Each tuning has it's own character and does it's own thing.
Look - it's only my honest opinion - OK??

[Les Wright]

I play a U12 but would not knock anyone for wanting a D10. The main advantage for me is the smaller size and weight reduction, the knees and back are not the same as they were in the 70's when it was a ZB and Fender twin. Maybe I am a peculiar minority but I also prefer S10s to be on a single body and not a double. It seems silly to have to transport extra weight for little advantage. I think back to when I had double necks and rarely used the C6, something which I think is common to many players. Just my preference but you make your own choices, both options will work.

[slimbo]

Nick, go see and don't wonder if you can, you can, I carried a twin around for the longest time, and am just getting interested in it's back neck posabilitie's.
It's a new adventure.

[James Crowbear]

2 necks are better than 1 ................imo
i tried a U12 & was'nt sold
compared to the C6 neck on a D10 it was lacking certain chord grips in the top end
the low 12 is very seldom used unless you play without a bass or piano
having a Eb lock lever is handy - makes things easier than having to keep a lever engaged
as to the weight of the D10, it don't bug me, i got me Golly & me Dolly as roadies....

[JanO]

To this interesting topic, I'd like to add two factors:
- shouldn't we also specify which U12 tuning we're referring to? The more common E9/B6 or the Bb6?
- I think the amount of strings itself is a thing to consider. When I started on 12 strings, I was lost for a couple of days. Couldn't "find" string 8, big problem.

PS I started on 10st E9, moved on to 12st E9ext, now playing a D10, and thinking of putting my S12 in Bb6 copedent

[Jif]

I can only really speak from a personal perspective, not really being an experienced PS player like others on here. I recently upgraded from a pretty basic GFI Student E9 to a Carter Uni 12 which I bought from John Roche, thanks John I fancied the U12 option as it seemed to offer the most opportunity for expansion of future development and experimentation. I guess being relatively new to PS I'm looking at this from a different perspective to established gigging players who cut their teeth on E9 and C6 years ago. I'm not looking at it as E9/B6 as such but more of a different unique tuning altogether.

I'm aware that the basic elements of the Uni tuning come from E9 / C6 and I will be looking at tutorials for both tunings to learn the traditional uses of both tunings, but I would like to eventually incorporate these into one style of playing.

I guess it depends on what you want to get out of it, I'm getting on a bit now and don't really see myself doing much gigging in the future, though I still like to get out and play live every now and then. So for me it's a bit of a musical adventure, one which I'm enjoying immensely and the U12 opens up so much opportunity for experimentation. I have a small studio in the house and like to muck around in there for hours, my wife says that it is like the Tardis, time flows at a different rate in "that" room

I decided it would be a good idea to buy a Uni now before my muscle memory got too stuck in it's ways! and it would be difficult to unlearn things, such as the knees being the other way around and the loss of the D at string 9. Strangely enough I've got used to these changes quite quickly.

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

PS I really like the sound and resonance of the low strings

PPS Just watched Slimbo's video, sounds really nice