Show me your 12 strings

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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Lost In Autumn
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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by Lost In Autumn » Sat Sep 24, 2022 1:27 am

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MrShake
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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by MrShake » Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:21 am

I debated posting since it's pretty non-sexy and non-offset, but I've been playing it a lot lately...

In 2003, as a broke-ass 21 year old, I'd never seen an electric 12-string in my price range. The local college-town shop gave me a deal when this came in used, and it came with a hardshell case. It was an electric 12-string, semi-hollow. That was really about all I needed to get my feet wet with "that" sound. I'd learned on my Dad's 12-string acoustic. It's treated me well, and while I'd LOVE a Fender XII or a Ric, this has been my budget way to get there.

Seems like Brownsville was a Sam Ash house brand, this one's likely from the early 2000s. The pickups sound good but are pretty weak, but smack a DynaComp after it, get the output where I need it, and squash the hell out of it, and it sounds pretty cool. Great for minor-key modal psych/surf into a wash of effects.

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Tafarel
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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by Tafarel » Tue Sep 27, 2022 1:09 pm

I used to have a Fender Alternate Reality XII, but I never really bonded with it. This crossed my path and I never looked back:

Image

I can't seem to figure out how to post images properly.
"I'm nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday. I've begun reminiscing events before they even occur. I'm reminiscing this right now. I can't go to the bar because I've already looked back on it in my memory, and I didn't have a good time."

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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by SignoftheDragon » Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:40 pm

Tafarel wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 1:09 pm
I used to have a Fender Alternate Reality XII, but I never really bonded with it. This crossed my path and I never looked back:

Image

I can't seem to figure out how to post images properly.
WHAT IS IT!?!?! YOU'RE KILLING ME!!!!

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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by SignoftheDragon » Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:47 pm

MrShake wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:21 am
I debated posting since it's pretty non-sexy and non-offset, but I've been playing it a lot lately...
I'm glad you posted it- The Choirboy is actually a pretty great 12! A tad on the small side overall, but it definitely held its own compared to others in the price range (and upwards, too.)

I had one for a bit, and enjoyed it enough that I'd pick another one up if a deal showed up. Here's mine:

Image

The pearly knobs as well as the subtle pearl sparkle finish are particularly nice touches.

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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by BoringPostcards » Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:08 pm

SignoftheDragon wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:40 pm
Tafarel wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 1:09 pm
I used to have a Fender Alternate Reality XII, but I never really bonded with it. This crossed my path and I never looked back:

Image

I can't seem to figure out how to post images properly.
WHAT IS IT!?!?! YOU'RE KILLING ME!!!!
Looks like a 360/12c63
Det er mig der holder traeerne sammen.

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Tafarel
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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by Tafarel » Wed Sep 28, 2022 4:39 am

SignoftheDragon wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:40 pm
Tafarel wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 1:09 pm
I used to have a Fender Alternate Reality XII, but I never really bonded with it. This crossed my path and I never looked back:

Image

I can't seem to figure out how to post images properly.
WHAT IS IT!?!?! YOU'RE KILLING ME!!!!
As BoringPostcards said, it's a Rickenbacker 360/12 C63. You can click on the thumbnail and get a larger view. 2019, I believe.
"I'm nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday. I've begun reminiscing events before they even occur. I'm reminiscing this right now. I can't go to the bar because I've already looked back on it in my memory, and I didn't have a good time."

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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by SignoftheDragon » Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:04 am

For future generations: -- That was posted while the pic & link weren't active --

Now that I can see it- DAMN that's a fine Ric! THat's the body style I'm holding out for.

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Tafarel
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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by Tafarel » Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:33 am

SignoftheDragon wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:04 am
For future generations: -- That was posted while the pic & link weren't active --

Now that I can see it- DAMN that's a fine Ric! THat's the body style I'm holding out for.
Actually, I was probably bumbling around trying to get the pic/link/whatever to work. It's all on me, future G's.

Thanks. It plays and sounds lovely, too. Super-light and balanced.
"I'm nostalgic for conversations I had yesterday. I've begun reminiscing events before they even occur. I'm reminiscing this right now. I can't go to the bar because I've already looked back on it in my memory, and I didn't have a good time."

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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by MrShake » Wed Sep 28, 2022 4:19 pm

SignoftheDragon wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:47 pm
MrShake wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 6:21 am
I debated posting since it's pretty non-sexy and non-offset, but I've been playing it a lot lately...
I'm glad you posted it- The Choirboy is actually a pretty great 12! A tad on the small side overall, but it definitely held its own compared to others in the price range (and upwards, too.)

I had one for a bit, and enjoyed it enough that I'd pick another one up if a deal showed up. Here's mine:

Image

The pearly knobs as well as the subtle pearl sparkle finish are particularly nice touches.
CHOIRBOY! That's the name I couldn't quite call up. Yeah, came in 6- and 12-string, and there was a solid body companion model that had 2 pickups if I remember right, called the Thug.

Yeah, it's got a nice feel. Body is small, headstock is heavy, but for sitting and recording or messing around at medium volume, it sounds good, feels classy, and that creamy plastic sparkle and pearl gives it a Danelectro+Cadillac vibe. I think I read it might be Samick-made, but that's hearsay. I'm a much better guitarist than I used to be (sorta), I use textures more than ever, and this is plenty of 12-string goodness from The Byrds to Lush. Even now, I don't see a lot of benefit to upgrading. (For my own needs.)

It is funny, though, about electric 12's. For the first few years, I didn't even own a compressor and just thought I wasn't good enough to make this do anything cool. Then I read about McGuinn, bought a compressor, and went "Ohhhhhh... THAT'S how they do that.". After that, smooth sailing.

Any first-hand tips or tricks for these Choirboys other than "Smash it with a DynaComp"?

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Re: Show me your 12 strings

Post by pscates » Thu Sep 29, 2022 3:05 am

Tafarel wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 1:09 pm
I used to have a Fender Alternate Reality XII, but I never really bonded with it. This crossed my path and I never looked back:

Image
By George! ;)

Very nice! From the early-late 90’s, about seven years total, I had a Jetglo (black) 360/12 that I loved. A day didn’t go by that I didn’t play the opening chord to “A Hard Day’s Night”, the opening to “Mr. Tambourine Man” and the intro to Petty’s “The Waiting” on it. It was like a ritual.:D

It’s out there somewhere, Nashville being the last known location to me. If you see Roger McGuinn’s autograph on the upper horn in white paint marker, that’s probably it (he signed it in Atlanta after a show from his Back from Rio album/tour).

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