So I'm a huge Final Fantasy fan, I love FFIX and FFIX/X-2, but I want to get a newer game.

I've played FF Tactics, FF Tactics Advance, FFIX, FFVII, FFIX, FFX, and FFX-2.

Are 12, 13, or 13-2 any good? Are they comparable to X or IX? I really want that great experience that those games offered.

Also, are there any other good JRPG's that are as good as the FF games in terms of scope, story, art direction, and items etc? I really love it when I have a lot of weapons and armors to choose from and customize like in Tactics Advance and X.

I can recommend XII if you are looking for something vaguely similar to X. I liked it just as much as X.

I would avoid XIII but some people seemed to have really liked it.

Try Lost Odyssey for a really good FF-style game with a much more mature protagonist and setting.

FFXIII is kind of like FFX in the sense that it is quite linear until you reach a certain point in-game. I had fun with this, but it's obviously not everyone's slice of cake. XIII-2 I find, was both better and worse than XIII on separate levels. The story in XIII-2 wasn't all that great compared to XIII, but it was a lot more non-linear.

I enjoyed FFV. That game was quite humourous, while still having a serious setting and plot. It was pretty good, and you can get it for iOS, too.

FFXII is awesome. Do yourself a favour and get it.

XII is the last good one, imo.
Definately worth a playthrough, although I found the story to be a bit weaker than X. There is a lot of extra content to do in the game too, (like the Hunt system) which adds a lot of fun.

You haven't played 6 or 8 yet?
8 has some annoying gameplay, but the story is epic. And 6 is one of the best in the series....and pretty much everyone agrees with that

Kingdom Hearts
Xenoblade Chronicles
Lost Odyssey
Suikoden series
Dragon's Dogma (although nothing like a FF game)
Kingdoms of Amalur (never played it, but it might interest you)

Forgot the OP was asking for JRPG requests as well. I'll second the Kingdom Hearts and Dragon's Dogma (though it's not that JRPG-ish). Kingdom Hearts should be a lot easier to get now that it's in North America.

The Legend of Dragoon has a kind of play style similar to FF. You could try that?

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. It's not a character-driven narrative, but the world it portrays is intriguing, as it's very heavily tied into world mythology. The battle system is great, one of the best I've ever seen in the genre; it's tactical, and it will kick your ass if you don't pay any attention. There are a lot of ways to build up your team, and you recruiting new demons into your party during combat or by fusing them together is always fun. It's by far my favorite JRPG ever!

Digital Devil Saga series. It borrows a lot of the mechanics of Nocturne, but in turn offers a more traditional character-driven story, if that's what you're looking for.

Persona 3. Also borrows a lot from Nocturne, but does its own thing as well. Spins an interesting urban fantasy yarn, requires a lot of careful time management, and like every good Atlus game, is tough as nails.

Valkyria Chronicles. More of a strategy game than anything, with gameplay that's akin to XCOM, but still worth every penny. The combat is fun, the battlefields are huge, the mission design is great, and you can field a lot of characters at once.

Suikoden series. Very underrated series of games. All of them follow the general outline in that you build up an army over the course of the story to stage a revolution. To that end, you have to recruit up to 108 different characters. The second game is by far the best, but it's unfortunately hard to get and runs a high price up on eBay. The first, however, is available on PSN and is easily worth checking out, if you don't mind the primitive graphics.

Disgaea series. If you've been hoping to find another FFT, this is probably your best bet. These are very quirky and silly strategy RPGs that are a chronic leveler's wet dream, considering you can bring your characters up to level 9999 if you feel so inclined. For that matter, feel free to check out Nippon Ichi's other games, like Phantom Brave, Makai KIngdom, and La Pucelle Tactics.