NICE Ric spin on the 12-string bass!! All the original Hamer 12-string basses were short-scale for the first decade or so.
I've played and owned many 12-string basses since the 80s, as well as many 8-string basses.
I also own one of the first ones made, the Hamer Quadbass. Hamer made fewer than 10 back in 1978-80. Mine is, I think, one of two left with the original electronics intact and the breakout box, that allowed you to run each of the four bass string groups (EADG) to separate channels on the mixing board and pan/amp them.
The 12-string concept was something Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick dreamed up and Hamer made a reality. You can hear it
on the classic CT "Live at Budokan" LP. More recently, "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam is a good example of what the bass sounds like.
The idea may seem "excessive" to many bass players. It is mainly designed as a live solution to fill up sonic space in a three-piece "bass-drums-single guitar" format.
Personally, after decades of experience, I prefer an 8-string to a 12-string. I find that you have more control and a tighter low end with an 8-string bass. By splitting the signal with a crossover and adding a chorus to the high end, you get the same effect as the extra second octave string on a 12ver, plus your low root string stays more defined.
But a 12-string bass IS a crowd pleaser
Photo attached with my 1978 Hamer Quadbass in the foreground. Note the 12 knob integrated mini mixer routed into the body, allowing you to pan and control vol/tone for each string group.
On the extreme right is one of the two Hamer Monaco 12-string Basses made, which is a long-scale.
I DO own a nice Ric 8-string from the 80s