XII update
- CurtisNovak
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:31 am
- Location: Yucca Valley, Ca
- Contact:
XII update
I have made some GREAT progress on the XII front, w/ the help of that Ebay auction the other month of the XII parts and a couple other great opportunities.
Here is the deal, I have router templates of the body cavities, and pickguard, a bridge, control plate these are what I see as the key parts.
I ordered an unrouted Jazz/Jag body from Allparts that I routed for the XII. One issue is the XII had a much wider neck than a stock guitar neck, and it is not easy or cost effective to have one made to that width. So I am getting the 12 string neck USA Custom makes, and Tommy is making it as wide as their stock will allow from my calculations it should just be wide enough. My goal is to come up w/ a process to allow people to make one from a list of suppliers.
If my prototype works out I will mod my template to match this neck pocket I will probably charge a small fee for materials and my time.
There is a couple small hitches, Where to get the XII bridge, I have some of my sources looking for them but I dont have much hope. I thought someone was patterning one. I dont see the control plate as being an issue.
In a some what related topic I am toying w/ the idea of creating router templates to convert your MIJ, and such Jaguar or Jazzmaster to a XII pickup setup. Does that seem like something of interest?
The pickups are what I am really stoked about, in that Ebay auction, I got a set of real '66 pickups that I have patterned. I am getting the bobbins patterned and laser cut, I have acquired the correct magnets, and learned much other cool thing of these pickups that will be able to ACCURATLY reproduce them.
As for my prototype I think I will paint it Teal Green, it has been a toss up w/ that and Burgundy Mist.
more to come.
Here is the deal, I have router templates of the body cavities, and pickguard, a bridge, control plate these are what I see as the key parts.
I ordered an unrouted Jazz/Jag body from Allparts that I routed for the XII. One issue is the XII had a much wider neck than a stock guitar neck, and it is not easy or cost effective to have one made to that width. So I am getting the 12 string neck USA Custom makes, and Tommy is making it as wide as their stock will allow from my calculations it should just be wide enough. My goal is to come up w/ a process to allow people to make one from a list of suppliers.
If my prototype works out I will mod my template to match this neck pocket I will probably charge a small fee for materials and my time.
There is a couple small hitches, Where to get the XII bridge, I have some of my sources looking for them but I dont have much hope. I thought someone was patterning one. I dont see the control plate as being an issue.
In a some what related topic I am toying w/ the idea of creating router templates to convert your MIJ, and such Jaguar or Jazzmaster to a XII pickup setup. Does that seem like something of interest?
The pickups are what I am really stoked about, in that Ebay auction, I got a set of real '66 pickups that I have patterned. I am getting the bobbins patterned and laser cut, I have acquired the correct magnets, and learned much other cool thing of these pickups that will be able to ACCURATLY reproduce them.
As for my prototype I think I will paint it Teal Green, it has been a toss up w/ that and Burgundy Mist.
more to come.
Gonads are useful for their purpose, but are NO substitute for brains.
---
[url=http://www.myspace.com/curtisnovak]www.myspace.com/curtisnovak
---
[url=http://www.myspace.com/curtisnovak]www.myspace.com/curtisnovak
- Taylorplayer
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 462
- Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:46 am
- Location: Prince Edward Island, canada
- Contact:
Re: XII update
sweeeeet...
this is very good news for my XII project.
this is very good news for my XII project.
Need some XII pickup covers....
- JazzBlaster
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 9474
- Joined: Tue Dec 26, 2006 1:34 pm
- Location: United States
- Contact:
Re: XII update
that's good news Curtis! tough choice on the color
It's not about the gear! It's about you, your hands, your imagination, your feelings.
- zhivago
- Mods
- Posts: 21927
- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:18 am
- Location: London, UK
Re: XII update
I agree...I got an XII that's stripped coming through the post any day now and I still haven't 100% decided!!JazzBlaster wrote: tough choice on the color
Resident Spartan.
- weijie
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2006 7:25 pm
Re: XII update
Hey Curtis! Thanks for all the information! This is indeed nice news!
- cmatthes
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1500
- Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2006 5:19 pm
- Location: DC Burbs
Re: XII update
Aw man...
I did NOT need to read this!
Sounds very cool, CN!!
I did NOT need to read this!
Sounds very cool, CN!!
- Orang Goreng
- Mods
- Posts: 15876
- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:56 am
- Location: Amsterdam, NL - €
- Contact:
Re: XII update
You mentioned earlier that you found that the split coils of the pickup are not hum-cancelling. Are you going to reproduce them like that, or are you going to "fix" that?CurtisNovak wrote: The pickups are what I am really stoked about, in that Ebay auction, I got a set of real '66 pickups that I have patterned. I am getting the bobbins patterned and laser cut, I have acquired the correct magnets, and learned much other cool thing of these pickups that will be able to ACCURATLY reproduce them.
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man's a freak.
- CurtisNovak
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:31 am
- Location: Yucca Valley, Ca
- Contact:
Re: XII update
I do everything custom, so I will leave that up to you.
Gonads are useful for their purpose, but are NO substitute for brains.
---
[url=http://www.myspace.com/curtisnovak]www.myspace.com/curtisnovak
---
[url=http://www.myspace.com/curtisnovak]www.myspace.com/curtisnovak
- ZoukBoy
- PAT PEND
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 7:38 am
Re: XII update
Just joined your forum here - what a wealth of information!
I am interested in routing templates for the XII. Looking to make a custom one from a Warmoth jazzmaster body and 12 string neck.
Anybody know what the switch positions on the original XII rotary switch are? From looking at underside pickguard photos posted by another member it doesn't look like the switch would do anything other than neck, neck/bridge, bridge and maybe a kill position.
Thanks so much!
Roger Landes
I am interested in routing templates for the XII. Looking to make a custom one from a Warmoth jazzmaster body and 12 string neck.
Anybody know what the switch positions on the original XII rotary switch are? From looking at underside pickguard photos posted by another member it doesn't look like the switch would do anything other than neck, neck/bridge, bridge and maybe a kill position.
Thanks so much!
Roger Landes
- Taylorplayer
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 462
- Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:46 am
- Location: Prince Edward Island, canada
- Contact:
Re: XII update
neck
neck and bridge in series
neck and bridge in parallel
bridge..
I think...
neck and bridge in series
neck and bridge in parallel
bridge..
I think...
Need some XII pickup covers....
- matthew
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:03 pm
- Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Re: XII update
Not quite:Taylorplayer wrote: neck
neck and bridge in series
neck and bridge in parallel
bridge..
I think...
Neck
Neck + Bridge
Bridge
Neck + Bridge + tone circuit
I'm not 100% sure about the difference between the two combined settings (I would take it apart and look at the circuit, but then I could just play it instead ), but this is roughly right
Last edited by matthew on Fri May 11, 2007 8:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- ZoukBoy
- PAT PEND
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 7:38 am
Re: XII update
Thanks! Any idea what the tone circuit consists of?matthew wrote: Not quite:
Neck
Neck + Bridge
Bridge
Neck + Bridge + tone circuit
I'm 100% sure about the difference between the two combined settings (I would take it apart and look at the circuit, but then I could just play it instead ), but this is roughly right
- ZoukBoy
- PAT PEND
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 7:38 am
Re: XII update
I would be very interested in this.CurtisNovak wrote: My goal is to come up w/ a process to allow people to make one from a list of suppliers.
If my prototype works out I will mod my template to match this neck pocket I will probably charge a small fee for materials and my time.
Thanks!
- mezcalhead
- Admin
- Posts: 11566
- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 4:18 am
- Location: Swampland
Re: XII update
I'm pretty sure the two combined positions are actually in/out of phase .. looking at this schematic it's hard to say without knowing the inner workings of the rotary switch .. except that both the pickup earth wires seem to be connected to the same lug and if so that would make it impossible to achieve a series/parallel effect. Certainly none of the positions sound like they're in series, which is typically louder than a parallel combination.
The tone "circuit" is simply a pot with a capacitor across it like in JMs/strats/teles/etc., and in the schematic it is hardwired between the volume pot and the output so it's hard to imagine how the rotary switch would switch it out.
My XII plays so nicely the way it is that I'm not sure I can get up the motivation to pull it to bits just now .. it took me a day to get it properly in tune! I can check the order of the rotary switch though, and whether the tone control works across all positions .. I'll get back to you.
[edit]
OK, just checked the positions and from top down on my XII they are:
1. neck only
2. neck & bridge (sounds like hum-cancelling JM middle position)
3. bridge only
4. neck only
I was certain there should be two neck & bridge positions, so it seems like someone's been fiddling with the wiring .. so I will have to pull it apart now.
FWIW the tone control works across all positions.
The tone "circuit" is simply a pot with a capacitor across it like in JMs/strats/teles/etc., and in the schematic it is hardwired between the volume pot and the output so it's hard to imagine how the rotary switch would switch it out.
My XII plays so nicely the way it is that I'm not sure I can get up the motivation to pull it to bits just now .. it took me a day to get it properly in tune! I can check the order of the rotary switch though, and whether the tone control works across all positions .. I'll get back to you.
[edit]
OK, just checked the positions and from top down on my XII they are:
1. neck only
2. neck & bridge (sounds like hum-cancelling JM middle position)
3. bridge only
4. neck only
I was certain there should be two neck & bridge positions, so it seems like someone's been fiddling with the wiring .. so I will have to pull it apart now.
FWIW the tone control works across all positions.
Last edited by mezcalhead on Sat May 12, 2007 2:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Distance-crunching honcho with echo unit.
- OffYourFace
- Mods
- Posts: 13687
- Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 2:59 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: XII update
We've got an original '65 model and I have to ask this question... what we're they thinking when designing the electronics? Did they have a certain amp in mind when producing it? I'm not sure if Leo designed it all himself or not. It's the brightest guitar I've ever played! By itself I consider it almost unuseable but it will cut thru a tough mix (live or studio). The last setting, out of phase i guess, seems like they were trying to mimic the 'low cut' ckt. used in Jaguars & Bass VI's. It makes it sound like your guitar is coming out of a telephone. I'd love to hear one with low output Gibson style humbuckers. We never use, gonna sell it I think. I don't like to sound so negative but that guitar just fustrates me. What do you guys do to make them sound good? I would love to hear your setups.