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mike1762
Advanced Member
Username: mike1762

Post Number: 279
Registered: 1-2008
Posted on Friday, April 03, 2009 - 5:48 pm:   Edit Post

To you guitarist out there...
I'm looking for some old-school Ric "jangle" out of a more economical 12 string guitar. Any suggestions??? I have a recording project on hold awaiting this piece to the puzzle.
57basstra
Senior Member
Username: 57basstra

Post Number: 823
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Friday, April 03, 2009 - 7:21 pm:   Edit Post

I have a 12 string Jay Turser Hawk that has some Jangle. I think it's a pretty nice ax for the price. (Check out the Harmony Central User reviews on this one.) Price now seems to be under $350 and I think I paid about $300 for mine.
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 3663
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 10:23 am:   Edit Post

How about a Variax?

Bill, tgo
cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member
Username: cozmik_cowboy

Post Number: 437
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 12:14 pm:   Edit Post

I played a Dean Boca once & liked it pretty much - humbuckers, so maybe not quite as jangley as you're looking for, but they go new under $350.

Peter
mike1762
Advanced Member
Username: mike1762

Post Number: 280
Registered: 1-2008
Posted on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 1:21 pm:   Edit Post

I looked at the Hawk, but I think I really need single coil PUPs for the tone I want. A Variax is a thought, but I'd rather have something that actually has 12 strings. I heard some clips of a Danelectro DC12 that (to my ears) sounded pretty darn "jangly". Must be the masonite and plywood!!! There are a couple on Ebay now... I'll see if I can snag one.

What happened to Rickenbacker prices??? A 370/12 was less than $1500 not that long ago, now they are over $3000. This economy did not depress instrument prices like I thought it would.
57basstra
Senior Member
Username: 57basstra

Post Number: 824
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 4:28 pm:   Edit Post

I think Rickenbacker is only allowed to make so many instruments per year as per EPA standards in Calif. At least that is what I was told recently during a visit to Chambers Music in Nashville, a Ric dealer. They have a new 330 12 string for $2K (and a 350 6 baNGER for 2.5K) and do not expect to get any more anytime soon.

I also have a 12 string Yamaha Pacifica - another surprisingly nice guitar for the price. It is single coil, but I get more jangle from the Hawk.

Acoustic-wise I have a 12 string acoustic/electric RainSong that is the best playing and sounding 12 string I have ever played. However, not the Ric sound.
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 3664
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 4:37 pm:   Edit Post

Mike:

Have you ever played a Ricky 12? I too lusted for the famous Ricky "jangle" and picked up a nice 360/12 off of ebay. Beautiful guitar. Unfortunately, I discovered that the neck for the 360/12 is exactly the same width as the regular 360. As a result I found the strings pairs to be too close together to play clean arpeggios. I wound up trading it for another guitar and cash. I then got a Strat XII that I dropped Alembic pickups into and played that until I found my '77 Series I 12 string. One thing that you might try to get more of a Ricky tone is to swap the string positions. IIRC, most 12 strings have the higher tuned, skinnier string on top of each pair, while Rickys have the lower pitched thicker string of each pair on top. If I'm wrong, then it's vice versa. By the way, the Variax has a 1966 Ricky 360/12 setting built right in.

Bill, tgo
crobbins
Advanced Member
Username: crobbins

Post Number: 294
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 6:26 pm:   Edit Post

The Fender Strat 12 strings look nice, but they arent cheap, just under $1,000.00...........
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 3665
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 8:34 pm:   Edit Post

You can pick a used one up for about half that, or just a little more.

Bill, tgo
mike1762
Advanced Member
Username: mike1762

Post Number: 282
Registered: 1-2008
Posted on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 11:35 am:   Edit Post

I was looking at a "Agile" semi-hollowbody. Made out of mahogany, set-neck... seems well put-together, but I'm not familiar with the brand. I has HBs in it, but I could put some P-90s in it. The more I ponder this, the more I'm considering the Variax. I keep finding myself needing very specific tones, but my wife is going to kill me if I keep bringing new guitars home. If the Variax does what it claims, it could provide for many needs. Bill, do you have a Variax? If so, what are your general impressions?
mike1762
Advanced Member
Username: mike1762

Post Number: 283
Registered: 1-2008
Posted on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 12:42 pm:   Edit Post

While we're at it... What effect will body wood have on the output of a piezo PUP??? Is there any reason (other than cosmetic) to get a Variax 700 rather than a 600 (big difference in price). The 700 is carved and made of Mahogany while the 600 is a "slab" of Basswood. But based on my understanding of piezo PUPs, I don't think the body wood will have a significant (if any) effect on tone.
lbpesq
Senior Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 3669
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 1:57 pm:   Edit Post

Mike:

I recently picked up a 700. I'm just starting to "grok" it, but it is pretty darn cool. I haven't spent much time on the 12 strings settings - I'll try it over the next few days when I get a chance and let you knw. If this is just for a specific project, you might want to consider an older 300 or 500. My understanding is that the electronics are the same. The build on the 700 is supposed to be of a significantly better quality and it looks a lot nicer, IMHO. But if you're just looking to get a sound on a particular project, I would suspect the 300 and 500 would be fine. You can usually get a 300 on ebay for $300-350. Also, you can rip the guts out of the 300 and install it in a better guitar. It will take some routing, but it can be done. There was recently a Strat on ebay with variax guts.

Bill, tgo
zappahead
Intermediate Member
Username: zappahead

Post Number: 147
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 7:54 pm:   Edit Post

The nicest 12 string I have played, sound and feel, is my brothers Wendler Electrocoustic. It is around 5 pounds and sounds amazing. You can get one with no options for around 1k. A steal. Unplugged it even sounds like a monster. It plays and sounds amazing. I have had this guitar in my possession while my brother is off in the Army and when he comes back to get it I will be buying one pronto.
benson_murrensun
Intermediate Member
Username: benson_murrensun

Post Number: 120
Registered: 5-2007
Posted on Monday, April 06, 2009 - 1:04 pm:   Edit Post

I like my Strat XII (MIJ). It now sports a Blaster, which seems to make the sound clearer, which is great for a twelver. As far as "jangle" goes, on this guitar it's all about using the bridge pickup.
peoplechipper
Member
Username: peoplechipper

Post Number: 78
Registered: 2-2009
Posted on Friday, April 10, 2009 - 11:42 pm:   Edit Post

Try to find a '60's Yamaha 12 string electric( the samurai sword headstock era) they are awesome (my old workplace rents theirs out to studios almost constantly...) and they're not that expensive...the six-string is so good I bought two...really. Much easier to play than a Ricky too...Tony.
mike1762
Advanced Member
Username: mike1762

Post Number: 284
Registered: 1-2008
Posted on Sunday, April 12, 2009 - 8:03 am:   Edit Post

I'm so ashamed, but I bought THIS. Pretty good knock-off actually. The best I can tell, it's speced out like the real thing: set-neck, Maple body, octave string on bottom, etc.
peoplechipper
Member
Username: peoplechipper

Post Number: 84
Registered: 2-2009
Posted on Sunday, April 12, 2009 - 11:30 pm:   Edit Post

Mike, don't be ashamed...why spend lots if it's only for a few little bits? and frankly, Ricky's are weird; it'd have to be "the one" before I'd shell out the big bucks...every Ricky owner I know is in a love/hate relationship, so might as well buy in cheap...Tony

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