Deviant 12-string thoughts...

[DaveT]

A couple of months ago I bought a really cheap Gear 4 Music 12 string Telecaster (there are in York, UK). It took me a day and a half to make it playable. And yet and yet... it inspired me.

Plan A: a 12-string using headless 6-string parts for the octave strings but a normal 6 string headstock for the bog-standard EADGBE strings.
I can see it in my head but can't quite work out how the hell you would do it in reality!

Any ideas out there?

DaveT

 

[Logrinn]

Something like this? (Just skip the six string ... :icon_jokercolor

 

[Sovereign_13]

I think it's possible, although it's probably going to take some creative luthiery (and fortunate parts sourcing) to pull it off.

Here's what I'm thinking:

For the fundamental (normal guitar) strings, run them the way you would a normal guitar.  TOM-style 12-string bridge, through-body mounting.  Pretty standard stuff.

Where it's going to get tricky is incorporating the headless hardware.  For one, most (if not all) headless tuning systems seem to be designed with the intent that you route out a big chunk of the guitar below the bridge and install it somewhat flush.  If there is a top-mounted system, I couldn't find it, although such a system would almost certainly need a neck shim.  Either way, you'll need to make sure that the headless system has the same string spacing as the TOM.  It seems to me that it would need to be mounted very slightly offset from the centerline of the guitar so that the tuners are aligned with the octave courses of the TOM.

Dangit, Logrinn found a guitar that pretty much does what I was trying to say in words.

 

[TBurst Std]

I was exactly thinking of a Bich style arrangement with what you said. 

 

[DaveT]

I could live with that BC-Rich arrangement!
Thanks for that, I've downloaded the photo.

DaveT

 

[raystankewitz]

I owned a double neck Bich some years back, Natural quilt maple top. The only issue I had with it was string length. You needed honking long strings for the octaves, to make it from the peghead to the tuners. On occasion, the D'addarios would be short, not allowing enough wrap on the posts.

If I were to still own this axe today, it would have locking tuners for the octaves. That would eliminate the short string issues completely.

Kinda wished I still had that Bich . . . :sad1: