Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

[Nudger]

Just bought a cracking "2013" XII build and am trying to find origins of the parts, mainly the neck and who built it.


The Seller has been very helpfull but as it was his now deceased fathers project, there are some gaps in the history.

He recalls his father having help from C Novak in sourcing the parts and that he thinks that the body was modeled from Curtis own Electric XII.
I reached out to Curtis but he has no recollection, sands of time n what not..
He was defintly involved as ive been fowarded a couple of saved conversations where they discuss sourcing a neck and pups.

Heres the biggy!
The seller remembers his dad saying that he had the neck made by an ex fender employee!

This neck is exceptional and dimensions are bang on for a vintage XII.

This is no amateurs work.. rolled fingerboard, perfect luthier grade fret job.

So what!! You may say...
But heres the puzzler?
On the back of the headstock is a dowel filling the hole for a template screw.
All 60s XIIs have this.

I have never seen a new neck with this! Even Carlos Lopez Custom shop XII.
I can remember "vague" reading an old thread somewhere on net about an ex fender employee making orig spec XII necks but for the life of me I cant remember where
His son said that his dad frequented a fiew forums under.
stek1961
Wanderer
lofters
Heres his posting on Youtube as stek1961
Stes Fender jangle Number 3
https://youtu.be/OmQUVerSVVQ
Never know, may jog someones memory.

If anbody can shead some light, much appreciated.

[Nudger]

Read somewhere that fender made custom maple cap necks ror people back in the 60s.. Hendrix "strat"etc..
Since found this

Also Robert smith owned a maple neck XII.
Maybe one of these were the insperation for mine?

Buzzing to think that there were actuall 60s XIIs out there with maple..
Feel that it makes my XII even more of a vintage correct build rather than just a rather cool take on a Electric XII.

[Nudger]

Popped the neck, no makings..
Paint in pocket looks orangey, some sort of undercoat?

[Nudger]

Not orange
Its the gold met base coat for the candy apple finish. Derrr

[Nudger]

Plot thickens.
The original owner posted these on "Contractor UK" Forum in 2013

On the forum he claims that the body is an original XII that has been stripped.
He makes a similar statement in the comments on his youtube clip https://youtu.be/OmQUVerSVVQ but with no sign of pickguard screw holes me thinks not..







Does anyone recognise this workshop? Neeeeed to know who made this neck.

The original owners Son has forwarded me some messages of his father and Curtis Novac discussing sourcing parts.
Novak sourced the neck and states that the builder is an ex Fender Custom Shop neck builder !!WTF!!!

[Nudger]

Maple cap Electric XII neck made by former fender custom shop employee

[Nudger]

[Nudger]

q

[SignoftheDragon]

Freaking RAD.

[Trout]

Yeah, beautiful guitar

[JVG]

q

q indeed - couldn’t agree more.

It looks to be a nicely constructed guitar. Agree that the body is probably not old/stripped - in addition to the absence of screw holes, I’ve never seen a stripped guitar look so clean in the routings. In fact i doubt it’s possible to get it so clean.

As to working out who built it, I can understand the curiosity although you do seem a tad obsessed! As far as value goes, having it made by “an ex Fender employee” isn’t likely to raise its resale value. There are plenty of modern guitars out there made by actual Fender employees, let alone ex-employees. As far as your enjoyment of the guitar is concerned, does it really matter if it’s made by a former Fender employee, or by Barry from Kent?

It’s beautiful. Now put it back together and play it

[Nudger]

q

q indeed - couldn’t agree more.

It looks to be a nicely constructed guitar. Agree that the body is probably not old/stripped - in addition to the absence of screw holes, I’ve never seen a stripped guitar look so clean in the routings. In fact i doubt it’s possible to get it so clean.

As to working out who built it, I can understand the curiosity although you do seem a tad obsessed! As far as value goes, having it made by “an ex Fender employee” isn’t likely to raise its resale value.

Darn tootin im obsessed, sorry if this makes you sad

[Nudger]

Yeah, beautiful guitar

Thanks!
When I first saw the add my intention was to have it redone in a green met but since I got it home I wouldnt touch a thing "aesthetically"
It is what it is..

"probs change my mind next week!"

[sal paradise]

q

q indeed - couldn’t agree more.

It looks to be a nicely constructed guitar. Agree that the body is probably not old/stripped - in addition to the absence of screw holes, I’ve never seen a stripped guitar look so clean in the routings. In fact i doubt it’s possible to get it so clean.

As to working out who built it, I can understand the curiosity although you do seem a tad obsessed! As far as value goes, having it made by “an ex Fender employee” isn’t likely to raise its resale value. There are plenty of modern guitars out there made by actual Fender employees, let alone ex-employees. As far as your enjoyment of the guitar is concerned, does it really matter if it’s made by a former Fender employee, or by Barry from Kent?

It’s beautiful. Now put it back together and play it

There you go again, bringing Barry into it again. Fiona is going to be furious.

[JVG]

q

q indeed - couldn’t agree more.

It looks to be a nicely constructed guitar. Agree that the body is probably not old/stripped - in addition to the absence of screw holes, I’ve never seen a stripped guitar look so clean in the routings. In fact i doubt it’s possible to get it so clean.

As to working out who built it, I can understand the curiosity although you do seem a tad obsessed! As far as value goes, having it made by “an ex Fender employee” isn’t likely to raise its resale value.

Darn tootin im obsessed, sorry if this makes you sad

Nah, i just want you to enjoy the thing! That said, if you're enjoying the process of tracking down its origins, that’s cool too. I shouldn’t be telling you what to do!