I own the acoustic version.
It is very cool for writing and adding weird stuff like Sitar, or having a half decent resonator. The 12 string has it uses.
I have managed to create a signal chain of effects and acoustic amps in Sonar to the point I could use it as a background guitar or for some Pat Metheny type stuff on the rare occasion. The problem is, it does not have the wooden warmth or sustain of a real acoustic, and comes across as metallic if it is up front, so you can't use it on singer songwriter stuff as the main instrument.
I don't know about the electric.
The acoustic is fun as heck to play, and very useful for coloring as long as you don't use it up front in my opinion.
Oh, it is my opinion that you also have to use a limiter on it to approximate a real acoustic, so gear up to buy one of those as well.
Here is a youtube that accurately reflects the sound I get when I play it (acoustic version.)
This is exactly the sound you will get with the acoustic. If you can imagine putting this in one of your recordings go for it.
If not, don't get it, because this is the sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iCb3ux9S1kAlso, the motherboard on my first one did do go out in two weeks and I had to get another one. But now I have had it 3 years with no motherboard problems.
For playing out live...Benefits...I don't know. I keep it simple. I just grab a Taylor with no effects and a mic and just sit on a stool in front of the people and do it old school with no gimmicks.
It seems to do the trick. That Taylor fretboard does what I tell it to.