12-String Bass Sound Samples

We frequently hear, "What does a 12-string bass sound like?" There is such a diversity of sounds that are possible with a 12 it is tough to provide a single answer to the question. This page gives an overview of the sounds that can be achieved with a 12-string bass.

These samples have been recorded on a variety of different basses by a number of different players.

Sneak Preview of Inspector12 & Jamage Control

Multiple bass tracks including Hamer B12M and CH-12 12-string basses. This is the song "A Mystic Blue" which will be on the upcoming Inspector12 & Jamage Control album. Bassist - Odell "Inspector12" Robinson.

From the Thousand Pound Shyne album

Dean Rhapsody 12-String Bass, the 12 is featured in the introduction. This is a sample of the song "Burn" which is on the Thousand Pound Shyne album, "There Be Monsters Here". Bassist - Garth Blake

Dean Rhapsody 12-String Bass, this sample is from the song "Happy To Be".

Dean Rhapsody 12-String Bass on the song "Orange".

From the new Crunchy album

October 12-String Bass with lots of distortion, the 12 is featured in the introduction. This is a sample of the song "The Lucky One" which is on the new Crunchy album. Submitted by Monty Colvin.

12-String Bass Instrumentals with Other Instrumentation

Hamer 12-String Bass solo from the song "Mended" including other instrumentation. Submitted by Craig Reeder from Lexington, South Carolina.

Hamer CH-12 12-String Bass with drums and guitars. Submitted by Philip Snyder.

Dean Rhapsody 12-String Bass with Drums and Guitar
Submitted by Garth Blake of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Hamer CH-12 12-String Bass tuned to Drop D with Drums - Submitted by Ron Reno of Seattle, Washington.
Intro to the King's X song "The World Around Me"

12-String Bass with No Accompaniment

Waterstone TP-2 12-String Bass # 1 - Submitted by Pekka Ranta from Imatra, Finland. This is the sound of the neck pickup.

Waterstone TP-2 12-String Bass # 2 - Submitted by Pekka Ranta from Imatra, Finland. This is the sound of the bridge pickup.

Waterstone TP-2 12-String Bass # 3 - Submitted by Pekka Ranta from Imatra, Finland. Both pickups.

Dean Rhapsody 12-String Bass # 1 - Submitted by Garth Blake from Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Dean Rhapsody 12-String Bass # 2 - Submitted by Garth Blake from Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Hamer B12L 12-String Bass - Submitted by Surf
Clean sound with a little reverb

Hamer B12L Fretless 12-String Bass strung Inverted
Clean sound with a little reverb - Submitted by Surf