Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
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- MrNovember
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Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
Completely random thought, would it be possible to convert my Blacktop Jazzy into a 12 string?
Would I need anything other than a new bridge and neck?
Would this even be worth it?
Would I need anything other than a new bridge and neck?
Would this even be worth it?
- skullservant
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
Warmoth sells 12 string necks, I've actually ordered one for this Telebird I'm putting together. Neck and bridge and you should theoretically be good to go.
Like this, kind of:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6YyIpOFYSA[/youtube]
Like this, kind of:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6YyIpOFYSA[/youtube]
- MrNovember
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
skullservant wrote:Warmoth sells 12 string necks, I've actually ordered one for this Telebird I'm putting together. Neck and bridge and you should theoretically be good to go.
Like this, kind of:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6YyIpOFYSA[/youtube]
75% of my inspiration right there actually


This is the other 25% (even though it's acoustic):
http://camdeas.bandcamp.com/
Just built a neck with Warmoth...it will cost more than the guitar did.
Which doesn't mean I'm not going to do it, it's just going to take me substantially longer to do than I was hoping
Maybe I'll get crazy lucky and find a cheap used one
- skullservant
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
Yeah the neck has always been the majority of the cost for me when I have been putting guitars together. But I always get the bodies unfinished to save on cost/make it how I want for less!
I would keep an eye out on eBay. You might get lucky. There is a tele-heeled neck on there right now but that first do you much good
I would keep an eye out on eBay. You might get lucky. There is a tele-heeled neck on there right now but that first do you much good
- MrNovember
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
Been looking more into this...
This thread was helpful:
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... =8&t=63421
And this was well done:

Apparently Staytrem has made a couple of these in the past, so that's intriguing:

This would be tempting if the trem doesn't work out well:

But apparently it is all possible with the stock bridge and trem, although not ideal, it apparently works.
So now I just need to get a neck
This thread was helpful:
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... =8&t=63421
And this was well done:

Apparently Staytrem has made a couple of these in the past, so that's intriguing:

This would be tempting if the trem doesn't work out well:

But apparently it is all possible with the stock bridge and trem, although not ideal, it apparently works.
So now I just need to get a neck
- skullservant
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
Ah that's awesome, that fixed trem block is sweet!!
I'm looking into grooved saddles for my Telecaster, so I don't have to go modifying anything like the bridge plate. I'm hoping that they will work out just fine
I'm looking into grooved saddles for my Telecaster, so I don't have to go modifying anything like the bridge plate. I'm hoping that they will work out just fine
- MrNovember
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
There's got to be 12-string Tele bridges out there. Or at least drop in 12-string saddles or something. I'm actually really excited to see the rest of your build. It already looks awesome. How are you actually going to string it? 6hole through, 6 through the saddle, or something like that?
I actually recently realized that I have all the parts I need to build a guitar from a previous project that fell through (Gibson P90s, a Fender and a Gibson style bridge, a squier strat neck, various pots, caps, and switches). If I can get the funds together I might buy a body (probably a Tele) to drop it all into. If I could get one cheap enough (probably not Warmoth?), I'd build a total beater for tabletop noise guitar experimenting. Maybe do something actually crazy like place the Gibson tail piece near the bottom of the guitar and wire one of the pickups behind the bridge...
I'd also be tempted to build two single pickup guitars, probably a JM and a Tele, with all these parts.
Or I could actually go the more expensive route and build a legit 12-string with it all
So many options...
I actually recently realized that I have all the parts I need to build a guitar from a previous project that fell through (Gibson P90s, a Fender and a Gibson style bridge, a squier strat neck, various pots, caps, and switches). If I can get the funds together I might buy a body (probably a Tele) to drop it all into. If I could get one cheap enough (probably not Warmoth?), I'd build a total beater for tabletop noise guitar experimenting. Maybe do something actually crazy like place the Gibson tail piece near the bottom of the guitar and wire one of the pickups behind the bridge...

I'd also be tempted to build two single pickup guitars, probably a JM and a Tele, with all these parts.
Or I could actually go the more expensive route and build a legit 12-string with it all

So many options...
- skullservant
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
Yeah, I got a Wilkinsen bridge that is 6 through body and 6 through hole that I plan on using, I'm just not sure if they are a little offset or like dead center on each other to offset the octave strings a little bit.
Might be cool to make multiple guitars!!
Might be cool to make multiple guitars!!
- MrNovember
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
That's pretty cool.
I'm not entirely sure how 12-string will work on the Jazzmaster trem.
And yeah I'm starting to lean in the multiple guitars direction. I would love a super simple Jazzmaster/Jazzcaster setup like yours and it would be awesome to build a Tele with a P90 in the neck. Plus I'd love some dedicated guitars for alternate tunings, so more would be better
I'm not entirely sure how 12-string will work on the Jazzmaster trem.
And yeah I'm starting to lean in the multiple guitars direction. I would love a super simple Jazzmaster/Jazzcaster setup like yours and it would be awesome to build a Tele with a P90 in the neck. Plus I'd love some dedicated guitars for alternate tunings, so more would be better
- skullservant
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
Well, would you be able to get one of those 12 string bridges, but then just feed both the octave and regular strings through the trem tail piece? And then they just split off where the bridge is? That might be the cheapest option, not sure if it's logical though.
And heck yeah! That's my mindset now too, having multiple guitars dedicated to different things. Tele with a p90 in the neck is pure win!
And heck yeah! That's my mindset now too, having multiple guitars dedicated to different things. Tele with a p90 in the neck is pure win!
- MrNovember
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
That's what I've seen suggested and is definitely worth trying but it might not be ideal.
If that doesn't work though I could just try to get one of those fixed trem plates.
If that doesn't work though I could just try to get one of those fixed trem plates.
- skullservant
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- AxAxSxS
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
If possible, drill extra holes in the trem tail piece. It'll space them out better.
I'd like suggest this bridge -
http://www.pickofthericks.com/products/ ... 00821.html
Independant intonation lets you play up the neck without it sounding out of tune. You need to buy a plate to go with it. I really also like that its held in place by screws on the corner, seems a lot more stable. I did this on my double neck and am really pleased with it so far. The tone pros style bridges seemed to wobble to much.
I'd like suggest this bridge -
http://www.pickofthericks.com/products/ ... 00821.html
Independant intonation lets you play up the neck without it sounding out of tune. You need to buy a plate to go with it. I really also like that its held in place by screws on the corner, seems a lot more stable. I did this on my double neck and am really pleased with it so far. The tone pros style bridges seemed to wobble to much.
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- wafl
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
Weird, I just finished ordering all the pieces for a twelve string tele.
I ordered a gotoh 12 string bridge to take the saddles out of because the are the same width as the saddles in my tele bridge.
I'm going to probably have to drill some holes in the plate and rout the body so the string through can get to the saddles the way the gotoh is designed.
I'm really excited to see how this pans out.
The only problem is the estimated delivery on some of the parts is the 22nd
I ordered a gotoh 12 string bridge to take the saddles out of because the are the same width as the saddles in my tele bridge.
I'm going to probably have to drill some holes in the plate and rout the body so the string through can get to the saddles the way the gotoh is designed.
I'm really excited to see how this pans out.
The only problem is the estimated delivery on some of the parts is the 22nd

- skullservant
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Re: Am I insane? 12 string conversion question
Let me know how that goes Wafl! Currently working on my Telebird and figuring out what I'm going to do with the strings and saddles