12 string guitars with curved headstock

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Tube_Fan
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12 string guitars with curved headstock

Post by Tube_Fan »

I found two videos where you can see a 12 string guitar with a curved headstock. I saw some 12 string necks for sale by one company which had a headstock like this. I'm wondering who made guitars like these in the 1960's.

Looks like John Phillips playing one here.
"From The Monkees To The Hollywood Bowl" by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
https://youtu.be/otkFxh_2wIs?t=730

A 12 string with a curved heastock here
The Move - I Can Hear The Grass Grow (1967)
https://youtu.be/_QJHdovVj-M?t=163
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MamasPapasCurvedHeadstock.jpg
GrassGrow12curved.jpg
Tube_Fan
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Re: 12 string guitars with curved headstock

Post by Tube_Fan »

I found this on Ebay, a Fender Villager 12 string neck.
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jps
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Re: 12 string guitars with curved headstock

Post by jps »

Jeff-Fender-12-1200_0183.jpg
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sloop_john_b
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Re: 12 string guitars with curved headstock

Post by sloop_john_b »

The first photo is of a Fender Coronado XII, the second is a Fender XII.
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kennyhowes
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Re: 12 string guitars with curved headstock

Post by kennyhowes »

The b&w pic is Ace Kefford of The Move! Roy Wood also used a Fender XII, maybe the same instrument seen here.

Squier has reissued the XII and in my limited taste tests is better than any ‘60s example, but still pales compared to a properly set up Rick 12er.
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collin
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Re: 12 string guitars with curved headstock

Post by collin »

kennyhowes wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 9:49 am
Squier has reissued the XII and in my limited taste tests is better than any ‘60s example, but still pales compared to a properly set up Rick 12er.
Gotta disagree on that.

The “Alternate Reality” Electric XII (which wasn’t a Squier, it was MIM) was a valiant effort and cool to see in production after 50+ years, but it was only half a reissue at best.

Aside from Fender cutting corners on the brilliant XII bridge design, they totally skipped the unique switching arrangement of the Electric XII which makes a big impact on the sound. Leo was fascinated with wiring combinations at that time, so you get the bridge or neck pickups alone, plus both pickups in series and both in parallel. Really great design, I have one of the earliest ones made in ‘65 and it’s a an excellent electric 12-string.

A Rickenbacker 12 still feels like home though!
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kennyhowes
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Re: 12 string guitars with curved headstock

Post by kennyhowes »

Fair assessment. For what it’s worth, I’m not totally familiar with the traditional control layout etc., I just picked one up, strummed a chord or two and said “that’s not bad,” and put it back.

You could probably still get the tone of the “Night Of Fear” intro pretty close on a recent model.

The Rick continues to wear the crown, of course.
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