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12 (Twelve) String Thunderbird
- Thread starter L. L. Elwood
- Start date
12 STRING TBIRD!!!!!!!!
I haven't visited this thread until today. The thread itself is another sad example of talkbass membership not showing their finest qualities. The bass, on the other hand, is excellent. Well done!
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I tried ADCGF with octaves, but I prefered BEADG.
But I tried another alternate tuning ... on the D and G strings I tuned the octave to a 5th instead so each single note became a root 5th chord. I got the idea from Chris Squire.
hillerup
There are basses, and there are Thunderbirds!
That thing is looking amazing. Can't wait to hear sound clips 
Sweet! Great job larryelwood! Got the 12 I was building done too! Here is the thread. http://www.talkbass.com/threads/klingon-12.1075023/
I played it a little as I was setting it up. Not quite ready for a 12 but all the 12 threads up right now are making me want to build an eight, or maybe a ten, since I prefer fives to fours. I'm thinking a modified Ripper/Grabber shaped ten. A "Gripper"!
I played it a little as I was setting it up. Not quite ready for a 12 but all the 12 threads up right now are making me want to build an eight, or maybe a ten, since I prefer fives to fours. I'm thinking a modified Ripper/Grabber shaped ten. A "Gripper"!
To the OP - just in case no one has mentioned it yet, what you did cannot be done!
I know for a fact (from reading other "expert" TBer posts) there's not nearly enough room on that headstock for all those tuners you just put there. Not to mention the inherent weakness in the TBird headstock to neck joint which will snap like a toothpick long before you get all 12 strings (that won't fit there) tuned up like you just did. Your pickups that sound so sweet now will never work either, because you took the epoxied covers off and installed chrome ones. Oh and don't forget you'll have to play this bass like an upside down upright bass since the headstock will always be on the floor.
You're obviously a fool...
If you listen to every "expert" here on TB and never follow your dreams!
Nice job on a very ambitious build with (according to the "experts") no chance of it ever working. I think its one of the nicer looking TBird mods I've seen on TB.
I know for a fact (from reading other "expert" TBer posts) there's not nearly enough room on that headstock for all those tuners you just put there. Not to mention the inherent weakness in the TBird headstock to neck joint which will snap like a toothpick long before you get all 12 strings (that won't fit there) tuned up like you just did. Your pickups that sound so sweet now will never work either, because you took the epoxied covers off and installed chrome ones. Oh and don't forget you'll have to play this bass like an upside down upright bass since the headstock will always be on the floor.
You're obviously a fool...
If you listen to every "expert" here on TB and never follow your dreams!
Nice job on a very ambitious build with (according to the "experts") no chance of it ever working. I think its one of the nicer looking TBird mods I've seen on TB.
Hi Everybody,
Thanks again for the support and enthusiasm! Wanted to let you know that the reason no sound clips yet is - Shortly after I assembled the bass, I decided I just couldn't live with the "unfinished" headstock. So, I dis assembled the bass and scheduled to have the head stock prepped and painted properly.. Then I began to think.. shoot if i'm this far, I might as well go AAAAALLLLL the way and make this the 12 string that I really want: White with silver hardware, Passive Lollar Tbird Pickups, with one in a true neck position to really get the fattest tone possible with passive pickups, and simple Vol, Vol, Tone 3 pot configuration... So...
With the help of my friend Dan and his Mill, routed a new pickup cavity and filled the bridge cavity, as well as the battery compartment around back... filled. next stop is to a local guitar maker to to a proper olympic white finish, with black headstock, epiphone logo etc... Should be about 4-6 weeks....
Thanks again for the support and enthusiasm! Wanted to let you know that the reason no sound clips yet is - Shortly after I assembled the bass, I decided I just couldn't live with the "unfinished" headstock. So, I dis assembled the bass and scheduled to have the head stock prepped and painted properly.. Then I began to think.. shoot if i'm this far, I might as well go AAAAALLLLL the way and make this the 12 string that I really want: White with silver hardware, Passive Lollar Tbird Pickups, with one in a true neck position to really get the fattest tone possible with passive pickups, and simple Vol, Vol, Tone 3 pot configuration... So...
With the help of my friend Dan and his Mill, routed a new pickup cavity and filled the bridge cavity, as well as the battery compartment around back... filled. next stop is to a local guitar maker to to a proper olympic white finish, with black headstock, epiphone logo etc... Should be about 4-6 weeks....
That will be amazing! Can't wait to see it... you know we'll be bugging you. [emoji6]
Hey larryelwood, this is awesome, man. I'm super disappointed in the first couple of pages of TBers just flat out saying it cannot be done. I don't even like basses with over 4 strings, but this is a marvelous example showing anything can be done with perseverance, knowledge, and passion. Inspiring, man. Way to go. I like that you're going all the way with this, too. (And I will totally dig the white finish!)
See, I told you it wouldn't work! 
Just look at what's happened now...
The abomination completely self destructed! Obviously there was waaaay too much stress from all those strings, they ripped the tuners right out of their sockets, destroyed the finish on the headstock and had enough force to launch all your hardware across the dance floor
. I sure hope nobody got hurt!
Looking on the bright side, at least it doesn't neck dive anymore. 
Seriously, looking forward to the next new and improved iteration of this bass.
BTW - you're kinda starting over, so let me be the first "TB expert" to jump in with complete naysayer confidence and note that you'll never ever get the finish to hide the bridge route plug because you ran the wood grain the wrong direction. And the new pickup spacing will never work with passive controls since the PUs are much too close together and too close to the neck, it will sound like pure mud.
There, I hope that was enough negativity to to satisfy all the "experts" so you can carry on with your build un-molested.
You know what would super cool now? Change the neck to a 24 fret neck now that you have room to move the bridge. [emoji6] <--- says the project expert.
Why bother with an Epiphone logo on that? Get something done that tells the world that YOU did all this work. Epiphone hardly had a damn thing to with your successful project!
