12 String Jazzblaster Project

[tommasters]

Normally when I make a guitar I’ll do everything myself from painting to shaping a body, this time I’m outsourcing it and I am really excited to see how it goes. I’ll keep the thread updated as I’m going if anybody’s interested.

So I decided to make a 12-string guitar. I’ve been meaning to get one for a while, when I was in New York last year I decided I definitely wanted to buy one. I’d never seen an electric 12-string in person in a shop where I could play it without showing the cash first (Sydney right?)

I meant to buy a Rickenbacker, then a surf green Nelson then a Coronado XII. All were in my price range but I kept passing thinking I’d find better and then I finished up in New York and there was nothing there not hilariously inflated.

I decided that I’m going to do it so I ordered a bunch of parts to get it done.

Here's my mockup:

WRHB.jpg (66.76 KiB) Viewed 5398 times

I ordered the Warmoth 65 12 string neck, basic rosewood maple normal pearl dots. I went with the neck that was the cheapest in the Warmoth pre-made section. Never been a big fan of blocks/binding and this one had everything that I needed.


For the body, I wanted it to be a straight Jazzmaster. No electric xii controls or anything but the full Jazzmaster with rhythm circuit etc. I decided to go with an MJT body and get the whole thing a cool aged Fiesta Red. I gave them this image as a colour guide, apparently MJT sticks really close to images and I'm excited cause that Fiesta Red has faded awesomely.


I am also getting a matching headstock and an aged one ply white pickguard.
Hardware is getting aged a little too. Like this:


For pickups, I’m getting Curtis Novak Wide Range Humbuckers in Jazzmaster size. They are my favourite pickups and Curtis said they should sound really good in a 12 string. Picked up a string tree from Angela’s instruments too.


Eventually I'm gonna replace the trem with the Paul Rhoney designed hard tail 12 Jazzmaster tailpiece.

However gotta wait for that to get made. For now I'm gonna use the conventional trem. Maybe it will work fine?

One thing I was thinking of doing was putting in a Rickenbacker 12 string converter comb. I don’t want to bring two guitars to shows, I don’t bend strings and I think that it might be a cool way to play 6 and 12 string songs using the same guitar. Has anybody tried one?


Waiting is excruciating but making GAS for other stuff subside a bit!

[tommasters]

Anybody ever tried to make a 12 string? Does it really need individual saddles for all strings? Like TPG and the Rickenbacker forum says you do but you know...

Also which way do people like there drones? Conventional with the drones higher or Rickenbacker style? Don't suppose I'll get a lot of help, I dunno how many people play 12 strings on here.

[AxAxSxS]

There's actually a few of us weirdos on here who use 12's.
This is the one I built and has been my main for since I finished it.


I have not looked into the Ric converter that much, I thought about it but the no bendy combined with how good 12's sound made me think it was not worth it.
I have used the ric style 12 string bridge and unless you plan on using the fender style looking saddles like these- http://www.allparts.com/SB-5108-010-12-String-Non-Tremolo-Bridge_p_3273.html The ric bridge is the way to go, especially if you are using a trem. It's way more stable than a tunomatic style bridge due to it's 4 points of contact with the guitar body as opposed to 2. I paired it with a modified bigsby and it worked great. Looks like this

best price I found was here- http://www.pickofthericks.com/products/Rickenbacker12-Saddle-Guitar-Bridge-00821.html

I prefer my butchered mongrel strat bridges though as the trem has more range.

Skully just finished a very similar project that came out killer IMO. Have fun man! Looking forward to the build.

[AxAxSxS]

dopple post

[tommasters]

That looks cool!

Would the Rickenbacker bridge be ok on a standard 12 string guitar neck? Everywhere I read they're always talking about how thin the necks are, 'm sure it would be ok but you know...
Reckon the bridge plate would cover up the jazzmaster bridge holes?

[skullservant]

So exited to see this all come together! I know that you said I started your GAS for one haha



I too got the Warmoth '65 neck, and I really really enjoy it.

I am SO thankful you are not going the Telecaster route. Was such a pain to get it all together and to work properly.
I think you'll be really happy with getting that Paul Rhoney tailpiece. It seems like tuning stability will increase 10 fold that way.

I'm curious of that Ric converter, I've never actually seen one in use but it sure does seem handy to not have to drag two guitars to a gig. I hope you can find a way to make it work!

As far as the bridge goes, that Ric style seems like it would be the best thing to do for the strings. I can't really think of any other ways to do it other than possibly something like a roller bridge, but then you have to worry about strings shifting all over the place and that headache, so to prevent that the Ric seems easiest

[AxAxSxS]

Quick note on the ric bridge. It will come un filed and you will need to use some nut files to get the string spacing sorted. the good news is that that gives a little lee way as far as spacing goes. bad news is you need to do the work or have it done. It's not at all hard to do, you just need to be patient and precise when committing to your cuts.

[Fuzzy Picklez]

That project is cool as fuck.

I got bitten by the 12 string bug a while ago, and I would recommend individual string saddles. Mine is shared, and although the intonation is alright, it's a bit of a pain to set it up properly.I'm also so happy it's going to have a trem. It's so good on 12s. YEAH.

Here's mine.

[AxAxSxS]

Dear god, that Norma is awesome. bet it sounds amazaballs with the Hollowbody and single coils. Looks like that ric bridge I posted earlier would go right on there.

[tommasters]

I ended up going for this one:


It's by ABM fits a standard tune-o-matic spacing so I don't need to drill the ric plate or anything. Bought direct from ABM and it was way cheaper than Allparts cause I didn't have to pay 20% VAT

[skullservant]

Awesome! That looks super solid

[AxAxSxS]

You'll be glad you can adjust each string separately.

[tommasters]

HARDWARE DAY!

Got the shielding plates, bridge and all the parts to make my own wiring harness.
Nice and simple basic Jazzmaster wiring.

The bridge is super nice it's by ABM, I bought it direct it came in 4 days from Europe! Amazing


Standard Jazzmaster bridge I bought didn't fit the ABM bridge so I cut it up.
I used a hacksaw and some files: Just measured out the bridge size made some cuts and cleaned it up.



Added a little foam just to keep a tight fit without scratching the bridge. Fits tight and looks great.

[skullservant]

Awesome!! Nice clean work!

[tommasters]

Awesome!! Nice clean work!

Thanks!
These days I'm a Metal/Woodwork high school teacher so I got access to them tools.
Gotta start slowly moving the budget to getting more guitar making type equipment