XII update

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CurtisNovak
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XII update

Post by CurtisNovak » Mon May 07, 2007 12:28 pm

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.
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Re: XII update

Post by Taylorplayer » Mon May 07, 2007 12:59 pm

sweeeeet...

this is very good news for my XII project.  8)
Need some XII pickup covers....

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Re: XII update

Post by JazzBlaster » Mon May 07, 2007 1:12 pm

that's good news Curtis!  :D tough choice on the color
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Re: XII update

Post by zhivago » Mon May 07, 2007 1:14 pm

JazzBlaster wrote: tough choice on the color
I agree...I got an XII that's stripped coming through the post any day now and I still haven't 100% decided!!
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weijie
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Re: XII update

Post by weijie » Mon May 07, 2007 5:37 pm

Hey Curtis! Thanks for all the information! This is indeed nice news!

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Re: XII update

Post by cmatthes » Mon May 07, 2007 7:50 pm

Aw man...


I did NOT need to read this!

Sounds very cool, CN!!

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Re: XII update

Post by Orang Goreng » Tue May 08, 2007 7:04 am

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.
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?
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Re: XII update

Post by CurtisNovak » Tue May 08, 2007 12:41 pm

I do everything custom, so I will leave that up to you.
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Re: XII update

Post by ZoukBoy » Fri May 11, 2007 7:47 am

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!
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Re: XII update

Post by Taylorplayer » Fri May 11, 2007 1:32 pm

neck
neck and bridge in series
neck and bridge in parallel
bridge..


I think...
Need some XII pickup covers....

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Re: XII update

Post by matthew » Fri May 11, 2007 2:15 pm

Taylorplayer wrote: neck
neck and bridge in series
neck and bridge in parallel
bridge..


I think...
Not quite:

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 :D), but this is roughly right
Last edited by matthew on Fri May 11, 2007 8:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: XII update

Post by ZoukBoy » Fri May 11, 2007 4:24 pm

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 :D), but this is roughly right
Thanks! Any idea what the tone circuit consists of?

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Re: XII update

Post by ZoukBoy » Fri May 11, 2007 4:27 pm

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.
I would be very interested in this.

Thanks!

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Re: XII update

Post by mezcalhead » Sat May 12, 2007 12:40 am

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.
Last edited by mezcalhead on Sat May 12, 2007 2:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: XII update

Post by OffYourFace » Sun May 13, 2007 9:14 pm

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.

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