What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
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broadcasterguy
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What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by broadcasterguy » Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:43 am

Dear forum,
I would like purchase a set of split pickups, for a project I am working on.
I would prefer to use a newer reproductions. Original 50 year old parts best, but are expensive and should probably be used to fill in gaps in original guitars.
I want them to replicate the look and specifications of an original set from 1966.

After briefly searching online, the only ones I have found so far are the Curtis Novak 'XII Fat' and 'XII V' pickups.

Are there any others out there that would fit my needs?

Thank you for your advice.

Image

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rank
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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by rank » Sat Feb 29, 2020 7:19 am

I got Novak's for my XII build & couldn't be happier. I got white pickup covers made for it. Now that Fender has reissued the XII, you should be seeing some showing up from parted out XIIs.Image
We are merely moving shadows.

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Embenny
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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by Embenny » Sat Feb 29, 2020 11:21 am

I used a Novak XII-V in the neck and XII-FAT in the bridge (note: the "fat" isn't overwound, it just uses lower gauge wire and is a bit less shrill, not mid-dominant like an overwound pickup). There were no other options at the time.

His default is to wind them to vintage specifications (each pair in the same polarity and winding direction) but I recommend anyone who orders a set to get each pair RW/RP. They're split pickups like a p-bass, and if you have Curtis wind them as RW/RP pairs, you get him cancellation in all pickup positions instead of just the middle position.

It doesn't change the tone and it's insane to me that Fender didn't do this in the first place (or on the new models from 2019)...he used the same design a decade earlier on the P Bass and would use the same principle 15 years later on the G&L Comanche.

Anyway. I'm allergic to hum and there's literally no reason that an Electric XII needs to hum, the solution is already there in the design.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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broadcasterguy
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switch on pickguard

Post by broadcasterguy » Sun Mar 01, 2020 8:23 pm

Great. I just ordered a set from Novak.
Quick question, that long white knob on your pickguard that is black on my photo . I need to order one of those for my project. Do they have a certain name, if I wanted to sarch for one online?
Also, is it attached to a multi position rotary switch? If so, how many positions?
Thanks for your help.

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Horsefeather
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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by Horsefeather » Mon Mar 02, 2020 1:46 am

Just google "fender xii knob"

https://www.angela.com/dakawarechocolat ... hknob.aspx

The original rotary switch there is a four position.

As for pickups, I've been intrigued by these lately:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Teisco-Spectru ... 1438.l2649

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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by Soniqfreq » Thu Nov 19, 2020 12:40 am

rank wrote:
Sat Feb 29, 2020 7:19 am
I got Novak's for my XII build & couldn't be happier. I got white pickup covers made for it. Now that Fender has reissued the XII, you should be seeing some showing up from parted out XIIs.Image
Where did you have the white pickup covers made? I’ve been looking for some for my AR EXII but have had no luck. It looks like Novak made them at one point but are not offering them now.

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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by Soniqfreq » Thu Nov 19, 2020 12:41 am

rank wrote:
Sat Feb 29, 2020 7:19 am
I got Novak's for my XII build & couldn't be happier. I got white pickup covers made for it. Now that Fender has reissued the XII, you should be seeing some showing up from parted out XIIs.Image
Where did you have the white pickup covers made? I’ve been looking for some for my AR EXII but have had no luck. It looks like Novak made them at one point but are not offering them now.

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rank
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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by rank » Thu Nov 19, 2020 3:48 am

Soniqfreq wrote:
Thu Nov 19, 2020 12:41 am
rank wrote:
Sat Feb 29, 2020 7:19 am
Where did you have the white pickup covers made? I’ve been looking for some for my AR EXII but have had no luck. It looks like Novak made them at one point but are not offering them now.
If memory serves, I ordered them from Shapeways. https://www.shapeways.com/product/AWSYR ... ckup-cover
We are merely moving shadows.

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BoringPostcards
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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by BoringPostcards » Thu Nov 19, 2020 5:49 am

Can't go wrong with Novak. Curtis is a gentleman, and genuinely does stellar work.
Det er mig der holder traeerne sammen.

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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by Nudger » Thu Nov 19, 2020 10:07 am

The Knob can be found on reverb or ebay under..

Daka Ware Electric XII knob

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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by Embenny » Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:57 am

rank wrote:
Sat Feb 29, 2020 7:19 am
I got Novak's for my XII build & couldn't be happier. I got white pickup covers made for it. Now that Fender has reissued the XII, you should be seeing some showing up from parted out XIIs.Image
I know this is bordering on a necropost, but where did you get those white pickup covers made? They're made of unobtainium right now.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by Steadyriot. » Sun Dec 13, 2020 3:06 pm

mbene085 wrote:
Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:57 am
rank wrote:
Sat Feb 29, 2020 7:19 am
I got Novak's for my XII build & couldn't be happier. I got white pickup covers made for it. Now that Fender has reissued the XII, you should be seeing some showing up from parted out XIIs.Image
I know this is bordering on a necropost, but where did you get those white pickup covers made? They're made of unobtainium right now.
It was posted 2 or 3 posts back but in a quote (happens to the best of us). Shapeways has ‘em:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/AWSYR ... ckup-cover
"If someone duetted with a Bald Eagle, they could rule the Country charts from here to eternity." ~shadowplay

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rank
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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by rank » Sun Dec 13, 2020 3:49 pm

Steadyriot. wrote:
Sun Dec 13, 2020 3:06 pm
I know this is bordering on a necropost, but where did you get those white pickup covers made? They're made of unobtainium right now.
[/quote]

It was posted 2 or 3 posts back but in a quote (happens to the best of us). Shapeways has ‘em:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/AWSYR ... ckup-cover
[/quote]

What they said.
We are merely moving shadows.

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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by Embenny » Sun Dec 13, 2020 4:27 pm

D'oh. I try not to ask questions that have been answered already, but I was overcome with excitement at seeing white XII covers and clearly missed it :fp:

Thanks!
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Re: What xii split pickups do you recommend?

Post by garyptaszek » Mon Dec 14, 2020 10:08 am

I thought that was the whole purpose of split coil pickups in a XII :wtf:
I always assumed they were like the p bass pickup!
mbene085 wrote:
Sat Feb 29, 2020 11:21 am
I used a Novak XII-V in the neck and XII-FAT in the bridge (note: the "fat" isn't overwound, it just uses lower gauge wire and is a bit less shrill, not mid-dominant like an overwound pickup). There were no other options at the time.

His default is to wind them to vintage specifications (each pair in the same polarity and winding direction) but I recommend anyone who orders a set to get each pair RW/RP. They're split pickups like a p-bass, and if you have Curtis wind them as RW/RP pairs, you get him cancellation in all pickup positions instead of just the middle position.

It doesn't change the tone and it's insane to me that Fender didn't do this in the first place (or on the new models from 2019)...he used the same design a decade earlier on the P Bass and would use the same principle 15 years later on the G&L Comanche.

Anyway. I'm allergic to hum and there's literally no reason that an Electric XII needs to hum, the solution is already there in the design.

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