All guitars used to be 12 fret style.
Classical guitars have maintained quality tonal characteristics with the 12 fret concept.
Think about the classical guitarist.
The orchestrations are often meant to be played without accompaniment.
Classical music demanded and received instruments designed to produce optimum tone.
The classical guitar was engineered for maximum tonal reponsiveness.
Guitars became more prevalent in the bands and orchestras of the 1920s as musical styles evolved.
As popular music became infused with jazz the solo musician began to step forward in bands and orchestras.
The guitarist found the magic zone on the upper frets.
The repsonse of the luthier was a guitar with 14 frets above the body.
After “Muddy Waters invented electricity,” the guitar player began to step into the spot light.
Eventually electric guitars with double cut aways would solve the upper fretboard access problems.
The luthier complied with the guitarists request for access to the upper fret board by designing a cut away in the lower bout of the body.
Why does there seem to be a renewed interest in acoustic 12 fret guitars?
Guitar makers are now experimenting with the original concept and the musicians are requesting 12 fret guitars.
There are few 14 fret nylon string acoustic guitars.
Luthier and musician always strive for a mo betta sound which sometimes means going back to the roots.
One of the newer concepts being seen in the 12 fret guitar is the cut away.
The sound of the 12 fret and the playability of the 14 fret are combined together.
The acoustic 12 fret design answers the fingerstyle artists search for the balanced sound.
Fingerstyle guitar players appreciate the wider neck found on most 12 fret instruments.
The necks are commonly 1 3/4 inches at the top of the neck.
Extra wide necks are the rule for classical guitars.
Any way you look at it the acoustic 12 fret guitar is here to stay.