Looking for an inexpensive 12 string acoustic

I'm interested in picking up an inexpensive 12-string that would be tonally acceptable (ie, good intonation, stays in tune) for the studio as well. In my experience you can't really go wrong with Yamaha products from guitars/pianos to motorcycles/boats and everything in between. I've played a friend's Seagull S12 and it plays pretty well but for the price I'd wager an equivalent Yami would be better..

I have a Yamaha AC3R and while my D18 is technically a better guitar at 3x the price in terms of intonation and volume, the Yamaha still does everything really well, probably gets more overall playtime and is a great value.

Yamaha is good. Also, Ibanez is making some really nice entry-level guitars these days. Bet they make a 12-string.

I decided against a 12 string. Being primarily an electric guitar player I am a wimp and most acoustics give me fits when playing them. A 12 string acoustic could likely be a gargantuan issue for me. I decided to buy another cheap acoustic and string it with Nashville Tuning and just overdub that over the top of a regular acoustic track to make the 12 string sound happen. That will also give other options for chord voicings and such. I can make due with that and it won't annoy me as much.

I found a guy on Craigslist that has 2 Sigma guitars. A DM3 and a DM4 and I get to choose which one I want for $300. Heck, I may buy both then sell the one I don't bond with. It's been quite a while since I bought a guitar and I'm starting to G.A.S. a bit.

I got it all strung up and installed a strap button. I had to adjust the truss rod but that's no biggie. Other than that the only remaining issue is the G string buzzes when fretting a note on the second fret. It's fine everywhere else. I don't have the tools or experience to mess with that so I'll take it into my tech when I pick up the Danno and Ric from him.

I have done it on 2 guitars now. This one and the 6 string neck on my Danelectro doubleneck. Neither required any nut work. All I had to do was adjust the truss rod a bit. I have a bunch of guitars so I figured it would be a good idea to have an electric I used for that only. I'll bet a Tele would be a great choice for that tuning with as much sheen as they tend to have.

I used electric guitar strings for the acoustic mod. The strings I used for this guitar were singles I had left over from my gigging days in case I broke a string. I'm not gigging with it so it doesn't have to be thunderously loud just easy to play. I'm such a wuss.

The gauges I used were;

High E - .009
B - .011
G - .009
D - .011
A - .016
Lo E - .024

I used the lighter strings because I'm a wimp. Playing electric so much for so long has ruined me for acoustic strings. If you want a stiffer feel you can use bonafide acoustic strings. Use a D, G, B, and high E, string from a regular set for the low strings and you should be fine. You can probably do a search online to get an idea of some different gauge strings to use. The G string tends to be the one to be concerned about. It has to be tuned up quite a bit and it needs to be able to handle the tension. If you have any burrs on the saddle it will break in short order.

It's a trip playing that tuning. The low E string becomes much more inclusive for finding interesting voicings.

Yamahas are fantastic at all levels.

No matter which brand you get, keep it tuned D to D (a full step down from standard) and capo the 2nd fret to play standard chords.

The reason is the ridiculous tension created by the strings: most acoustic 12s begin to turn into a taco and disassemble themselves over time. Down-tuning it saves the guitar from itself.

Any idea if this applies to basses?

I have an 8-string bass, but I also like lighter strings as well.

I find it somewhat amusing to see/hear of 8-string basses with only one truss rod. I think at least Musicvox puts 2 in theirs.

Yes, but age isn't the only issue.  You can see that stuff begin to go wonky within a couple years if it is prone to having problems, especially if the instrument is abused.  Plus, many of the older ones had borderline neck angles when they were new, and that is corrected.

Best 12 string I ever played was a 70's Guild jumbo. Absolutely fantastic. I will see if I can find a pic.