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A Deep Dive into the Seagull Coastline S12 12-String Acoustic Guitar
Today, I’m thrilled to explore the world of acoustic guitars and share my insights on a remarkable instrument: the Seagull Coastline S12.
This 12-string dreadnought acoustic guitar is a creation of Seagull Guitars, a brand known for crafting instruments that play beautifully and deliver exceptional sound quality.
So, let’s embark on this musical journey and explore what makes the Seagull Coastline S12 an outstanding addition to acoustic guitars.
Don’t miss our blog on the best 12-string guitar in history.
| Made In | Canada |
| Model | Coastline S12 |
| Body | Dreadnought |
| Top | Solid Cedar |
| Neck | Silver leaf maple |
| Scale | 24.84″ / 630.9mm |
| Nut Width | 1.9″ / 48.3mm |
| Weight | 9 lb |
| Fretboard | Rosewood Fingerboard |
| Frets | 21 |
| Bracing | X-bracing |
| Electronics | N/A |
| Bridge | Rosewood |
| Inlays | Dots |
| Truss Rod | Double-Function |
| Case | N/A |
| Design | Non-cutaway |
| Colors | Natural |
Body Quality
Top and Sides
The Coastline series guitars boast a select, pressure-tested solid cedar top that has undergone rigorous testing for rigidity and stiffness. This ensures optimal harmonic vibration, allowing the guitar to resonate with a warm, rich, and balanced tone.
Dreadnought Shape
The Coastline S12 Cedar features a modified dreadnought body shape that tackles a typical challenge with 12-string guitars – excessive boominess.
This design choice produces a well-balanced tone perfect for live performances and studio recordings.
The guitar’s body shape contributes to a controlled projection, ensuring each note is clear and defined, even in a twelve-string configuration.
Check out different guitar body styles here!
Dimensions
The dimensions of the Seagull Coastline S12 Cedar contribute to its comfort and playability.
With an upper bout measuring 11.38″, a lower bout measuring 15.9″, and a waist of 10.54″, the guitar fits snugly against your body, ensuring a comfortable playing experience.
The 4.9 ” body depth strikes a balance between resonance and ergonomics, resulting in an instrument that’s a joy to play for extended periods. This is why it is considered one of the best guitars on the market.
Laminated Wild Cherry Back and Sides
The tonewood selection for the back and sides of the Coastline S12 Cedar is as unique as it is intriguing. The use of Canadian wild cherry strikes a balance between mahogany’s warmth and maple’s brightness.
This distinctive combination creates a rich and expressive tonal profile, making the guitar versatile enough to handle various musical genres and playing styles.
Check out different guitar-playing styles here!
Modern Neck Construction
A guitar’s neck is a platform for fretting and a vital component of its tone. 12-string guitars must endure a great deal of extra stress on the neck.
Seagull understands this, so the Coastline S12 Cedar features an integrated set neck made from silver leaf maple.
When the neck pitch is excessively forward, it can result in a muddled and unclear guitar sound, whereas if set too far back, the guitar may produce a thin and tinny tone. Seagull’s ingenious approach ensures an optimal balance between sound quality and playability, a hallmark feature seen throughout the entire Seagull guitar lineup.
The dual-function truss rod system takes it further, allowing adjustments in both directions. This accommodates various playing preferences while ensuring optimal neck alignment.
Hardware
Top-Notch Tuning Stability
One of the Seagull Coastline S12’s standout features is its focus on tuning stability. The guitar has a tapered headstock designed to provide a straighter string pull.
This innovative design minimizes the potential stress on the neck, improving tuning accuracy and stability. Whether you’re playing standard or altered tunings, the Seagull Coastline S12 remains steadfast.
Click here to learn more about 12-string guitar tuning.
Bridge
The Seagull Coastline S12 guitar boasts a beautifully crafted rosewood bridge that serves aesthetic and tonal purposes, surpassing other bridge wood options. This bridge wood choice adds a visually striking element to the guitar’s design.
It creates an eye-catching contrast with the rest of the instrument. Beyond its visual appeal, the rosewood bridge significantly influences the guitar’s sound. It imparts a warm and bass-inclined tonal character that often outshines alternatives. I’ve played the Seagull Coastline S12, and I can confirm that the rosewood bridge adds incredible warmth and depth to the sound.
Whether strumming chords or fingerpicking intricate melodies, the Seagull Coastline S12’s rosewood bridge offers superior versatility and a full-bodied sound that is noticeably better than many other bridge wood options.
Nut & Saddle
The Seagull Coastline S12 has a Tusq nut and saddle. Tusq is a synthetic material that is often used in place of bone or plastic for guitar nuts and saddles. It is known for its durability, stability, and ability to produce a warm, rich tone.
One unique thing about the Seagull Coastline S12 is that the Tusq nut and saddle help produce a clear, balanced sound with good sustain. The harmonics are solid, and the string buzz is minimal.
This makes the guitar a good choice for various musical styles, including fingerpicking, strumming, and fingerstyle.
Electronics
The Seagull Coastline S12 is a fantastic 12-string guitar because of its acoustic-electric bonus. It stands out in its price range because it has a Godin QI preamp system with different parts that make it more flexible.
The under-saddle pickup is at the heart of this system. It collects the vibrations of the guitar’s strings and converts them into an electrical signal. This pickup ensures the instrument’s acoustic sound is authentically translated when amplified.
Furthermore, the guitar includes a convenient battery connection for quick power replacement, guaranteeing you’re always ready to perform.
The endpin jack connects your guitar cord, allowing you to plug into an amplifier or sound system easily. The built-in tuner is useful, allowing for on-the-fly tuning adjustments during live performances or practice sessions.
Tapered Seagull Headstock
The tapered headstock of the Coastline Cedar 12 enhances the playing experience by maintaining tuning stability and strengthening the overall playing experience.
This feature lessens the likelihood that excessive angles will cause detuning by ensuring that the strings travel straight from the nut to the tuning machines.
As a result, you can confidently explore various tunings without worrying about frequent retuning.
Sound
User reviews highlight the Coastline S12’s room-filling sound and ability to produce warm, resonant tones. The solid cedar top adds warmth and depth to the sound, while the wild cherry back and sides contribute to its unique character.
Overall, the Seagull Coastline S12 is praised for its superb sound quality, making it a reliable choice for musicians seeking a 12-string guitar with a distinctive and pleasing tonal profile.
Handcrafted in Canada
For over a quarter of a century, Seagull Guitars has crafted instruments with care and precision in La Patrie, Canada.
Each Seagull guitar, including the Coastline S12 Cedar, is a testament to the brand’s commitment to quality.
The attention to detail, choice of tonewoods, and dedication to creating the best possible instrument shine through in every aspect of this guitar’s design and performance.
Pros and Cons of the Seagull Coastline S12
Pros:
- Exceptional Tonewood Blend:
The combination of a solid cedar top and wild cherry back and sides delivers a unique tonal character that stands out in any musical setting.
- Tuning Stability:
The tapered Seagull headstock’s straight-string pull is a considerable advantage when adjusting and maintaining the tuning of a 12-string guitar.
- Innovative Neck Construction:
The integrated set neck and modern truss rod system contribute to stability, playability, and optimal neck alignment.
Cons:
- Sensitivity to Climate Changes:
Like many solid wood guitars, the Seagull Coastline S12 Cedar may be sensitive to extreme changes in humidity and temperature, requiring proper care and maintenance.
Final Words
I’m here to tell you that the Seagull Coastline S12 Cedar acoustic guitar is an absolute masterpiece.
The Seagull Coastline S12 Cedar is about the little details that make a big difference. Features like the tapered headstock and modern neck construction enhance tuning stability and ensure a comfortable and exceptional playing experience.
So, the Seagull Coastline S12 will be your faithful companion, no matter what you’re playing.
Seagull Coastline S12 Guitar FAQs
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