Welcome to the world of Murph Guitars

[octagon]

Some of the rarest guitars you never heard of

[brammy]

WOAH!

I thought Rickenbacker had a patent on this type of 12-string tuner setup. Hmmmm... I think I see a lawsuit coming down the pike.

Murph tuners - like patented Rickenbacker?

[tennis_nick]

WOAH!

I thought Rickenbacker had a patent on this type of 12-string tuner setup. Hmmmm... I think I see a lawsuit coming down the pike.

tuners.jpg

tuner2.jpg

A lawsuit for a model built for a year in the mid 60's?

[antipodean]

Did RIC bring a lawsuit against Charvel for the 12-string Surfcaster? It's very Ricesque...



Back on topic - thanks for the link Mitch - very interesting guitars! Now I want one of those basses!

[johnhall]

Classical guitars have used this design for hundreds of years. I'm afraid the inventor of this design has long faded into the dust of obscurity.

[antipodean]

Thank's for the response JH - that's as definitive answer as there can be!

[octagon]

Yeah I wondered about that also. I thought maybe that is why The 12 string Murph made for Sears isThe Rarest Of All Silvetone Guitars

[brammy]

Since the Charvel Surfcaster was made in the early 90's I imagine that whatever legal issues there were have come and gone.
Does anyone know about this?

My birthday is in a mere 10 months if anyone was wondering what to get me

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-1994-CHARVEL-1 ... dZViewItem

Murph.... Charvel... are there any other companies who have used the dual tuner RIC design for their guitars?

[whojamfan]

I believe that Charvel paid for a liscense to produce those guitars, I seem to remember reading something about that.

[brammy]

The Chandler 555 is another guitar with the RIC style 12-string tuner setup
http://www.unclespot.com/chandler_555.html

[brammy]

Here's a thoughtful review of the Charvel Surfcaster:
The Charvel Surfcaster 12-string ........ Having been made in Japan, it is also the only non-American guitar, as well. The design is a hybrid influenced by Rickenbacker (headstock, semi-hollow f-hole body, triangle inlays), Fender (Jaguar/Jazzmaster body shape) and Danelectro (pickups). It has a mahogany, semi-hollow body with a 2-piece flame maple top. The neck is constructed of 2 pieces maple topped by a bound ebony fingerboard. The bridge is really neat. It’s a cast metal unit with a single, compensated saddle for each string, meaning perfect intonation is not possible. However, the octave strings of each pair are strung through the body, but the fundamental strings are bridge strung.

The Surfcaster uses a pair of single coil “lipstick tube” pickups. The controls consist of master volume and master tone with phase switch. A 3-way toggle switch selects pickup configuration. The neck profile is flattened oval with a fairly flat fingerboard fitted with jumbo frets. The scale length 25 1/2 inches with a 1 5/8 inch nut width (same as RIC 360/12 and 620/12). It is easy to play, but can still feel cramped at times due to the standard 6-string nut width.

The guitar is well balanced and comfortable to play. The Charvel provides the player with the most versatile tonal selection of any of the guitars compared here. It can produce bright bell tones, it can be warm and smooth, and it can even sound “six stringy” if you want.

And a note from Uncle Ed:
Ed Roman does NOT recommend later model Jackson Surfcaster 12 Strings, they sound and play different that the original Charvel

[brammy]

Wow, I've heard of softselling your product, but this is crazy.....
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Piece-of-junk-J ... 18Q2el1247

[brammy]

and then there is an acoustic version

http://cgi.ebay.com/Charvel-Acoustic-El ... dZViewItem

[brammy]

beat up Murph guitar on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/MURPH-GUITAR-MADE-I ... dZViewItem