Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

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Nudger
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Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Nudger » Mon Mar 20, 2023 10:52 am

Just bought a cracking "2013" XII build and am trying to find origins of the parts, mainly the neck and who built it.
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The Seller has been very helpfull but as it was his now deceased fathers project, there are some gaps in the history.

He recalls his father having help from C Novak in sourcing the parts and that he thinks that the body was modeled from Curtis own Electric XII.
I reached out to Curtis but he has no recollection, sands of time n what not..
He was defintly involved as ive been fowarded a couple of saved conversations where they discuss sourcing a neck and pups.

Heres the biggy!
The seller remembers his dad saying that he had the neck made by an ex fender employee!

This neck is exceptional and dimensions are bang on for a vintage XII.
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This is no amateurs work.. rolled fingerboard, perfect luthier grade fret job.

So what!! You may say...
But heres the puzzler?
On the back of the headstock is a dowel filling the hole for a template screw.
All 60s XIIs have this.

I have never seen a new neck with this! Even Carlos Lopez Custom shop XII.
I can remember "vague" reading an old thread somewhere on net about an ex fender employee making orig spec XII necks but for the life of me I cant remember where :fp:
His son said that his dad frequented a fiew forums under.
stek1961
Wanderer
lofters
Heres his posting on Youtube as stek1961
Stes Fender jangle Number 3
https://youtu.be/OmQUVerSVVQ
Never know, may jog someones memory.

If anbody can shead some light, much appreciated.
Last edited by Nudger on Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Nudger » Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:37 pm

Read somewhere that fender made custom maple cap necks ror people back in the 60s.. Hendrix "strat"etc..
Since found this
Image
Also Robert smith owned a maple neck XII.
Maybe one of these were the insperation for mine?

Buzzing to think that there were actuall 60s XIIs out there with maple..
Feel that it makes my XII even more of a vintage correct build rather than just a rather cool take on a Electric XII.

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Nudger » Mon Mar 20, 2023 2:05 pm

Popped the neck, no makings..
Paint in pocket looks orangey, some sort of undercoat?
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Image

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Nudger » Mon Mar 20, 2023 3:34 pm

Not orange
Its the gold met base coat for the candy apple finish. Derrr ::)

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Nudger » Tue Mar 21, 2023 4:48 pm

Plot thickens.
The original owner posted these on "Contractor UK" Forum in 2013

On the forum he claims that the body is an original XII that has been stripped.
He makes a similar statement in the comments on his youtube clip https://youtu.be/OmQUVerSVVQ but with no sign of pickguard screw holes me thinks not..

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Does anyone recognise this workshop? Neeeeed to know who made this neck.

The original owners Son has forwarded me some messages of his father and Curtis Novac discussing sourcing parts.
Novak sourced the neck and states that the builder is an ex Fender Custom Shop neck builder !!WTF!!!
Last edited by Nudger on Thu Mar 23, 2023 3:30 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Nudger » Thu Mar 23, 2023 3:06 am

Maple cap Electric XII neck made by former fender custom shop employee
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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Nudger » Thu Mar 23, 2023 3:55 am

Nudger wrote:
Mon Mar 20, 2023 10:52 am
Last edited by Nudger on Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Nudger » Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:00 am

q

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by SignoftheDragon » Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:32 am

Freaking RAD.

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Trout » Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:37 am

Yeah, beautiful guitar
#sitdownrock at https://staffanandersson.bandcamp.com/album/det-hemliga-namnet

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by JVG » Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:50 am

Nudger wrote:
Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:00 am
q
q indeed - couldn’t agree more.

It looks to be a nicely constructed guitar. Agree that the body is probably not old/stripped - in addition to the absence of screw holes, I’ve never seen a stripped guitar look so clean in the routings. In fact i doubt it’s possible to get it so clean.

As to working out who built it, I can understand the curiosity although you do seem a tad obsessed! As far as value goes, having it made by “an ex Fender employee” isn’t likely to raise its resale value. There are plenty of modern guitars out there made by actual Fender employees, let alone ex-employees. As far as your enjoyment of the guitar is concerned, does it really matter if it’s made by a former Fender employee, or by Barry from Kent?

It’s beautiful. Now put it back together and play it :)

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Nudger » Thu Mar 23, 2023 12:07 pm

JVG wrote:
Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:50 am
Nudger wrote:
Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:00 am
q
q indeed - couldn’t agree more.

It looks to be a nicely constructed guitar. Agree that the body is probably not old/stripped - in addition to the absence of screw holes, I’ve never seen a stripped guitar look so clean in the routings. In fact i doubt it’s possible to get it so clean.

As to working out who built it, I can understand the curiosity although you do seem a tad obsessed! As far as value goes, having it made by “an ex Fender employee” isn’t likely to raise its resale value.
Darn tootin im obsessed, sorry if this makes you sad :(

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by Nudger » Thu Mar 23, 2023 12:13 pm

Trout wrote:
Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:37 am
Yeah, beautiful guitar
Thanks!
When I first saw the add my intention was to have it redone in a green met but since I got it home I wouldnt touch a thing "aesthetically"
It is what it is..

"probs change my mind next week!" :D

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by sal paradise » Thu Mar 23, 2023 1:08 pm

JVG wrote:
Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:50 am
Nudger wrote:
Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:00 am
q
q indeed - couldn’t agree more.

It looks to be a nicely constructed guitar. Agree that the body is probably not old/stripped - in addition to the absence of screw holes, I’ve never seen a stripped guitar look so clean in the routings. In fact i doubt it’s possible to get it so clean.

As to working out who built it, I can understand the curiosity although you do seem a tad obsessed! As far as value goes, having it made by “an ex Fender employee” isn’t likely to raise its resale value. There are plenty of modern guitars out there made by actual Fender employees, let alone ex-employees. As far as your enjoyment of the guitar is concerned, does it really matter if it’s made by a former Fender employee, or by Barry from Kent?

It’s beautiful. Now put it back together and play it :)
There you go again, bringing Barry into it again. Fiona is going to be furious.
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?

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Re: Going full on Coloumbo with my mystery XII

Post by JVG » Thu Mar 23, 2023 1:43 pm

Nudger wrote:
Thu Mar 23, 2023 12:07 pm
JVG wrote:
Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:50 am
Nudger wrote:
Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:00 am
q
q indeed - couldn’t agree more.

It looks to be a nicely constructed guitar. Agree that the body is probably not old/stripped - in addition to the absence of screw holes, I’ve never seen a stripped guitar look so clean in the routings. In fact i doubt it’s possible to get it so clean.

As to working out who built it, I can understand the curiosity although you do seem a tad obsessed! As far as value goes, having it made by “an ex Fender employee” isn’t likely to raise its resale value.
Darn tootin im obsessed, sorry if this makes you sad :(
Nah, i just want you to enjoy the thing! That said, if you're enjoying the process of tracking down its origins, that’s cool too. I shouldn’t be telling you what to do!

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