650D/12 Conversion

[35012]

Is this possible (or a possible future ric model)? I think that it might be a relatively easy home mod if you have lots of experience, since there probably would not be a reason to have a refin; all you would have to do (the way I see it) is route two slots in the headstock, add some tuners, change the nut and add extra slots to the saddles. Any thoughts?

[jwilli]

Adding extra slots in the saddles...that would be iffy. I thought a 650/12 would be cool too. Maybe you could find an aftermarket 12 string Schaller bridge.

[jdogric12]

The headstock sonds iffy too. I think the 'original six' tuners on a twelve string Rick are arranged/placed slightly differently than on a six string. In other words, there may not be sufficient space for the extra six tuners and slots.

[jingle_jangle]

Jason's right.

If you're going to do it RIC style, you need a wider and longer headstock, to make room for the slots and the size of the tuners. Providing you had that, the curved slots are pretty complex for the homebuilder to do, and the end drilling for the horizontal tuners are stepped and not exactly easy, either...

There are only a couple of in-stock tuners that have a long enough shaft for a Rick 12-string headstock, and this can get pricey.

[wmthor]

I'm thinking that a 620/12 w RIC HBs would probably sound very much like a 650/12 without the headaches of the required major mods.

[jdogric12]

Thanks, Paul.

Right, Richard.

May I one-up you and suggest a 450/12 with humbuckers?