#7 - a birthday 12string

[Andyxlh]

You could buy another 12 string kit to work on whilst you are waiting for the TL to arrive... just a thought...

[Marcel]

Nah, two 12's will be enough... though I really need to get my A into G with the EF86/6L6 amp, just waiting until the temps in the shed stay at reasonable levels most of the day. Once things get above 33C out there the only enjoyable place to be is in the air-conditioned 25C comfort of my "play room"...

However I have been eyeing off a Mexican Deluxe Strat recently... very nice .!...

[nitroburner1000]

Have been tossing the idea of building a 12 string around for quite a while...and since my birthday is coming up at the end of the month it's as good a reason as any to take another plunge into building an axe, but which one to choose as my 7th PBG build ? ... A TLA-12 or a RC-12 or a RCM-12 or ES-12G ?... each has its own unique charms on offer, but I have so many other "unique" guitar builds that things start getting really confused...

I already have a 30 year old Italian 12 string acoustic so realistically the ES-12G I've put at the bottom of the list as a more solid body 12 is more the order of the day to diversify the axe heard. And as I have so many "Rosewood" fretboards in the heard and I'd like another Maple fretboard to balance the numbers a bit so that strongly pushes the TLA-12 up the list. But I so love working with and the looks I can get with Mahogany so the RCM-12 has a lot of list climbing traction there. I don't have any Blackwood fretboards that I know of so the RC-12 has got its claws into me there.... I have two Tele's already and one has a Maple neck, I have an Ash Strat with a thick '50's Maple neck too so the novelty factor of the TLA-12 looses a little ground... I have an RCM-4 bass so again the build novelty is kinda lost with the RCM-12... Seems the RC-12 is sorta winning against the TLA-12 but I have 3 other Basswood builds being a JB and two Strats and I so want another Maple fretboard....

Ohh.... What to do ?? Which one to choose ?? Seems I need me a small dose of forum wisdom...

It doesnt matter, youll eventually get them all. Lol

[corsair]

I love the helpful attitudes evident here; you're all enablers, aren't you?!? :-)

Marcel, I haven't built a 12 but I do own an 80s Jap-built electric solid body 12, and it is seriously epic, if horrendously neck heavy! A good quality 3" strap puts paid to most of the headstock diving!!

A small wrinkle that I have done on mine is to change the octave string tuner buttons to something different; in my case tulip buttons, to make tuning much, much easier! This isn't a problem on Rick 360/12ss and the like, but I found alternating tuner buttons ever so helpful....

[Marcel]

It doesnt matter, youll eventually get them all. Lol

Ha ha.... Not if my wife has any say on the matter...

[Marcel]

I love the helpful attitudes evident here; you're all enablers, aren't you?!? :-)

Marcel, I haven't built a 12 but I do own an 80s Jap-built electric solid body 12, and it is seriously epic, if horrendously neck heavy! A good quality 3" strap puts paid to most of the headstock diving!!

A small wrinkle that I have done on mine is to change the octave string tuner buttons to something different; in my case tulip buttons, to make tuning much, much easier! This isn't a problem on Rick 360/12ss and the like, but I found alternating tuner buttons ever so helpful....

I think the Tele style shouldn't be too bad on the 'neck dive' front... although a full extra set of locking Grovers on top of what's usually there will definitely add to that tendency. My other Tele builds are all neck light so it will be interesting to see how it all turns out. The Grovers may not stay on if neck dive becomes a major problem...

On my Eston 12 acoustic it is surprising how light the headstock is, but then it does have open gear tuners with press fit bushings...

[Marcel]

Yay team PBG !!

Emails from Adam and Aussie post that my kit is on its way...

[Andyxlh]

Oh well, you won't have to buy that second 12 string to work on whilst you are waiting after all......!

[Marcel]

Safe-n-sound, Aussie post has delivered once again.....

Now, parts count done and passed, Lets see what we have to work with...

First off, I didn't order a Rosewood fretboard.... I'm damn sure way back when I chose this kit was because I wanted a Maple fretboard. However I see the current TLA-12 on the PBG website is Rosewood/Blackwood so maybe I need to have a chat with Adam to see what the options from here are.

Second, My gut is telling me that the factory has the 'New-start' apprentice guy on the drill press... the holes are all over the place.. both on the headstock for the tuners, and on the body for the string thru-holes... Holes in straight lines or square to axis is not that guys strong point.... pretty disappointing...

And then there is the third 'thing'.... something that simply I just have to deal with.... Dry it all looks fine.... Damp with a little water spray and a little wipe over with the fingers and all becomes apparent... I had hoped to do a semi-clear modified Shellac finish, but a solid colour seems more the order of the day now... Oh well....

[ILRGuitars]

A good working with some Goof Off will get that glue removed easy-peasey.