The Twelve (12) String Guitar (twɛ́lv strɪ́ŋ gətɑ́r) is a type of guitar with a regular course of 6 strings and an additional set of strings tuned in unison for the 1st and 2nd strings and an octave higher for the remaining 3rd to 6th strings, which creates a louder, fuller, more harmonic sound. The resulting sound is full of overtones and is popular primarily for ensemble playing.

Gibson, Martin, and later Guild models offered acoustic 12-strings in a range of body sizes. The 12-String guitar first gained prominence in the folk music revival of the 1950’s. The electric 12-string guitar was initially popularized by a Rickenbacker in the 1960’s by the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” and subsequent songs by the Byrds and the Jefferson Airplane. Electric 12-strings are often used for their chimey, chorused sound for effect, but rarely as the primary sound of a group.