Twelve Strings, One Stage-Ready Package
There's something about a 12-string that fills a room differently — that shimmer of doubled strings turning a simple chord into something that just hangs in the air. The Alvarez AD60ce Artist Series 12-String Dreadnought does exactly that, and it does it in a gloss black finish that looks as serious as it sounds. Whether you're playing rhythm parts that need to sit wide in a mix, or working out a chord melody that benefits from a little chorus-like bloom, this guitar has the body to back it up.
The dreadnought shape gives you big, broad projection with the low-end muscle that 12-string players count on. The Venetian cutaway — not always a given on a 12-string this well-specced — keeps the upper frets accessible, so this isn't just a strummer's guitar. It's a full instrument for players who want reach as well as resonance.
The AD60ce 12-String is part of Alvarez's Artist Series, a line built around the idea that solid-top construction and thoughtful voicing shouldn't require a premium price tag. This is a guitar that rewards you right out of the box, with the added bonus of being genuinely giggable from day one.
Tonewoods Built for the 12-String Sound
The top is where a guitar lives or dies tonally, and here Alvarez selected an A+ grade solid North American Sitka spruce — the same species trusted for dreadnoughts across the price spectrum for its output, clarity, and long-term tonal development. The thin gloss finish on the top is applied with tone in mind, letting the soundboard vibrate as freely as possible without adding unnecessary damping mass.
The back and sides are mahogany laminate — Alvarez is upfront about this, calling it "all-Mahogany laminates" — and that's a perfectly reasonable construction choice for a 12-string at this level. Mahogany's warmth complements the spruce top's articulation, and laminate construction is more dimensionally stable under the increased string tension that 12-strings demand. The back and sides carry a semi-gloss finish that feels fast and looks clean.
The neck is a comfortable mahogany build with an Indian laurel fingerboard, meeting the body at the 14th fret over 21 total frets. A real bone nut and saddle — not plastic — sit at each end of the string path, contributing to cleaner sustain and more stable intonation across all twelve strings. The bi-level bridge design is a thoughtful Alvarez touch that optimizes string tension and response.
Forward-Shifted Bracing and What It Actually Does
Alvarez uses their FS6 Forward-Shifted, Scalloped bracing system on the Artist Series dreadnoughts, and it's not just a marketing bullet point. Forward-shifting the X-brace moves it toward the soundhole, which allows more of the lower bout to vibrate freely — translating to a broader, more open acoustic sound without sacrificing structural integrity. The scalloped design reduces mass without reducing stiffness, giving the top more sensitivity and dynamic range.
For a 12-string specifically, bracing matters more than usual. You're putting significantly more tension on the top than a 6-string, so a bracing system that keeps the instrument resonant while staying structurally sound is critical. The FS6 system handles this well, and players consistently note that the AD60ce 12-string has an "open and dynamic" voice for a solid top at this price point.
LR Baggs Electronics Ready for the Stage
Plug in, and the AD60ce 12-String delivers via the LR Baggs StagePro Bronze system — a small-footprint side-mounted preamp pairing with the LR Baggs Element under-saddle pickup. The Element is one of the most respected under-saddle pickups available, known for reproducing a guitar's natural acoustic character rather than flattening it into something generic.
The StagePro Bronze preamp gives you a large backlit tuner, volume, bass and treble controls, and a phase switch — everything you need for live sound without fighting the stage mixer. The battery box is built into the endpin jack compartment, so swapping a battery mid-gig takes seconds rather than finding a screwdriver. It's a system designed by people who've actually played live, and it shows.
Product Features:
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Top Wood: A+ solid North American Sitka spruce with thin gloss finish for maximum resonance
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Back & Sides: All-mahogany laminate construction with semi-gloss finish
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Body Shape: Full dreadnought with Venetian cutaway for upper-fret access
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Bracing: FS6 Forward-Shifted, Scalloped bracing system for open, dynamic projection
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Neck: Mahogany neck with Indian laurel fingerboard, 14th-fret body join, 21 frets
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Nut & Saddle: Real bone nut and saddle; bi-level bridge design
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Electronics: LR Baggs StagePro Bronze preamp with LR Baggs Element under-saddle pickup; backlit tuner, volume, bass/treble, phase switch
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Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
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Nut Width: 1 7/8" (48 mm)
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Finish: Gloss Black
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Strings: D'Addario EXP38
Brand: Alvarez
Model: AD60ce Artist Series 12-String Black
SKU: AD60CE 12-STRING BLACK
Condition: New
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
