Ohhhhhhh 12-string bass....

[12stringbassist]

Spotted at http://www.12stringbass.net/Conversion6.htm

[teeder]

Looks cool!

the nameplate is a bit larger than normal

What exactly does this mean? Was it created for this bass?

[cjj]

Also seen here, before it was completed, and the finished product...
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=379871&start=1440#p758929

[ram]

Ian, cool bass... how do you tune it?

[teeder]

I thought the TRC's were trademark protected?

Does Paul get wavers from RIC?

[jingle_jangle]

I produce the engraved TRCs for the licensed acoustics which I build, and of course I also made both TRCs and engraved pickguards for the entire run of 75th Anniversary instruments.

The TRC on Kenny's instrument was made especially for the instrument, except 18% larger, for two reasons. First , the standard-sized nameplate got lost on that huge headstock and, frankly, looked silly. Second, since this was intended to be a performance instrument whose first appearance would be on the stage in a Las Vegas show, the obvious enhanced visibility of the Rickenbacker trademark from the audience was a plus.

The TRC itself follows exactly the Rick script and the "dagger" shape of the original, smaller, item, just in a larger format.

[12stringbassist]

The tuning on these (this one ISN'T mine) is as follows:

E (normal bass note)
E (as bottom string of guitar)
E (and again)

A, D & G are sdame principle as above - each set of 3 strings has a normal bass root and then two strings both an octave up from that.

[kennyhowes]

Hi Ian! Glad you like it!

[jingle_jangle]

If you've never heard a 12 string bass (and Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick is probably the best-known 12 string bass player around these parts...), then you're in for a treat...these things sound so full and thunderous...Kenny's is no exception, either!

The first time Kenny was out on stage with this bass, the opening number in Pat's act was about to begin...the stage was dark. Pat entered from one side, Kenny from the other, Kenny hit his first notes as the lights came up. Pat's back was turned, and when he heard this bass, he spun around with a HUGE grin on his face! (For a few weeks prior to this, Kenny had been playing a stock 4003 with "only" 4 strings...)

It DOES make you grin to hear it!

[teeder]

I'd love to hear it! Do you have a sound clip, Kenny?

[psychomatthias]

I used to own a Musicvox Space Cadet 12ver. Now I just use my converted Rick 4003 8 string. I do like the classic look and sound, albeit my tortured take on them.

A 12 string 4003... hmm...

[kennyhowes]

I'd love to hear it! Do you have a sound clip, Kenny?

Not yet, but soon-ish, I promise.

I DO have updated photos, though...

Firstly, in case no one realized before, the headstock I based mine on, which is the 360/12 WB (1993?) one-off that belongs to JWilli and/or John Simmons:

weird one-off headstock

...and the new nut I installed. One of the few problems I had with the bass was strings flying out of the nut if I hammered them pretty good. A new nut took care of that, so no biggie.

new nut

And, lastly (for now), a simple touch as I'd seen on some Hamer 12ers: Smaller keywind knobs for one each of the octave strings, so the triplets have graduated sizes. Subtle but cool.

tiny then medium then big

[johnallg]

Looks fun to play, and authoritative.

[berth]

How do you finger this? Fingers flat on the fretboard? Or exactly on the right spot? (I could not get used to the factory default way of stringing on my 4003s/8 and had it reversed.)

[weemac]

You do have to flaten your grip on a twelver, not the best way to play as it puts your hand in a weakened position to start with.. But with a few asprin it gets easier....

Eden.