| There are a lot of controversies as regards to the | | | | time. Atlanta being the center for the Piedmont blues, |
| history of the Twelve-string guitar. The first theory | | | | a ragtime-based guitar style where complex finger |
| says that it has been developed by Italian luthiers | | | | picking and driving bass is needed to invest in its kind |
| laboring in the guitar workshops in companies like | | | | of music. And this is how the use of the 12-string |
| Oscar Schmidt, Harmony and Regal in New York and | | | | guitar gained its momentum. |
| Chicago. It is substantiated by the fact that one of | | | | The 12-string guitar also became popular after the |
| the famous twelve-string guitars has a strong Italian | | | | "Leadbelly". Hudy William Ledbetter was an American |
| connection. As per the other theory states that it | | | | folk and blues musician. He was known as the king of |
| arrived in the U.S from Mexico as Latin America has a | | | | the twelve-string guitar, famous for his clear and |
| long history of double-course variants of the standard | | | | forceful singing and his virtuosity on the twelve-string |
| six-string guitars. | | | | guitar. He is best known as Leadbelly or Lead Belly. |
| Regardless of who invented the twelve-string guitar, | | | | The topic of Leadbelly covers a wide range of |
| it is considered as one of the novelty instrument | | | | subjects, including gospel songs, blues songs about |
| invented. Other than the occasional custom ordered | | | | women, liquor and racism. It also includes songs about |
| 12-string guitars, the more prestigious makers like | | | | cowboys, prison, workers, sailors, and many more. |
| Martin and Gibson consider making of these 12-string | | | | This is how the 12-string guitar came into popularity in |
| guitar to the low-end builders. This is clearly an | | | | a big way. |
| indication that their buyers were from the poorer end | | | | After Leadbelly, even the use of the twelve-string |
| of the social level. | | | | guitar was reduced drastically. It was like musicians |
| The popularity of the twelve-string guitar can be | | | | express the mourning by refraining from playing the |
| traced out from the early recordings, where the | | | | instrument. A few guitarists like Dick Rosmini, Fred |
| blues musicians in Georgia and Mexican tejano | | | | Gerlach, and Pete Seeger, kept the twelve-string |
| musicians in Texas used them. It appears that the | | | | tradition alive. |
| first musicians to take up the 12-srting guitars were | | | | And soon the use of the banjo has outnumbered the |
| street performers. The extra volume that the double | | | | use of the 12-string guitar, but in 1963 a record came |
| strings added increased the popularity of these | | | | out that knocked the banjo off its place. It was a |
| guitars. It is said that the volume is so intense that a | | | | record by Pete Seeger called "We shall overcome" |
| busker could work without any other musicians and | | | | and the musician used the power of 12-string and |
| still assure full and rich sound. | | | | novelty to draw the attention of the people as he |
| The twelve-string guitar gained immense popularity | | | | was selling songs of justice and freedom. The extra |
| when it was first exploited by one of the best early | | | | volume and full sound of the twelve-string guitar |
| players, the Atlanta guitarist Blind Willie McTell. McTell | | | | made it perfect for leading and they were the |
| was a well-known and accomplished guitarist of his | | | | important part of the civil rights movement. |