Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Well, I 've just got home from a band rehearsal for this coming Sunday's Christmas concerts for our church. Glancing down at the T-10 beside me, it's set exactly as I had it in my previous post, so I guess I must like it there!! I will give your settings a try, but at first glance I can't see that I'd get enough volume for band use.

My setup is complicated somewhat by using the Digitech RP-300. For its amplifier modelling to sound good, I need to set the T-10 pretty much flat. I'm using (mostly) the 'Tweed' amp model (presumably based on some kind of Fender), and it really 'chimes' with both pickups full on. If the T-10 had some channel-switching capability, I'd make better use of it - I'm actually thinking of getting a Tech 21 Power Engine to use for live stuff, and keeping the T-10 for home use and recording. All Tech 21 fans should lobby them to make a Trademark 30 with channel switching - I tried, but they said 'no plans right now'.

Darn - I nearly got through a whole message without gushing over my 650. It's inspirational - it makes me sound better and play better. There's something about this instrument which is almost organic. However, as others have warned - it's lonely, and keeps hinting at me that it needs some company - like a 660/12, or a 380 (love those fat necks!)

Hmmmmmm, I wonder how a 650D/12 would sound. If RIC ever made, I mean.

I'd be very happy to beta test the prototype

Guys: Here is a long shot: Could someone with the proper knowhow take a 650D 6-string and convert it to a 12 string with out replacing the neck? Could the headstock be routed to accommodate the other six machine heads??

You have a diffent shaped headstock than a 12 string ,also the length is different .

It could be done ...but it would look slightly not stock .Why?

the tuner holes would need to be filled and the wings removed.These are the two outside pieces on the headstock.
The headstock would then have to be narrowed to remove all traces of the old tuner holes .Then the thickness of the remaining headstock would need to be thickened.For this a matching sandwich of woods must be assembled and aligned to 'hide' the seam. Then new wood/wings glued on .

The headstock re shaped and then the tuner layout and slots cut .
As the tuners are jammed together already on a 12 (and could use a little more room so a peg winder would fit ) I would try a layout using a tracing of the headstock BEFORE even diving into this .

With some clever wood working ,it could look fairly good if not excellent .

Cost ? not cheap .
The time for layout ,
the rebuilding of the headstock ,
the finish work ,
the cost of the tuners,
the strings (your choice and hopefully a 'good' quality string)
the reassembling and mounting of the tuners,

it could be pricey.

I kinda thought that it would be, shall we say, not the easiest task....

There is more to it than that,

The issue of bridge is formost .

There are only a certain amount of available bridges that work for a 12 string ,and with the size of Rick necks even smaller .

There is also the issue of neck angle .With the low angle of a Rick and this low profile Schaller made bridge ,there are now even less choices.

The Gotoh made 12 string (dare I say it ) Fender Strat style bridge is probably too wide a spacing for this guitar ,and there is no way to intonate the courses /pairs of strings with the Standard on the bass side with this bridge.

I will step out on a limb and say this ............

Forget it .......period.

Get a 12string that was made a 12 string .It will cost less in the long run and it will have resale value .

Mark: I am in agreement w/you there..I was just curious from what John Williams said earlier in the thread; I am quite happy with the two Rick 12's I have now. If Rickenbacker made a 650D/12 it would no doubt be a neat guitar.