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 Post subject: 12 strings...
PostPosted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 1:30 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:15 pm
Posts: 7547
First name: Ed
Last Name: Bond
City: Nanaimo
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Such a pain in the butt, especially as they come up so infrequently that I need to rethink the nut/bridge/saddle biz.

Who's got the best tut?


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 Post subject: Re: 12 strings...
PostPosted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 12:07 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 12:50 pm
Posts: 3933
Location: United States
12-strings benefit greatly from nut and saddle compensation. The octave strings require less compensation on either end than the regular ones. This requires a saddle with two sets of break points. I make mine with a sort of 'M' section on the top, and file notches in the front ridge to clear the basses, and the back ridge to clear the trebles. The offsets for the nut are also complicated. The first one I made that way ended up with every note on each string within three cents of 'correct'. I was worried that it might be too smooth, as it lacked the usual 12-string crunch, but the player loved it. I suppose that, once you know how to get it 'right', you can always dial it back a bit to make it sound a bit more funky and original.


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 Post subject: Re: 12 strings...
PostPosted: Thu Mar 30, 2017 10:32 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 1:46 pm
Posts: 2171
First name: Freeman
Last Name: Keller
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I agree with Alan, it seems like a 12 does benefit from compensating each string of each course. Consider making the saddle thicker so you have more bone to work with. You might look at the precompensated saddles that Taylor makes (molded and/or machined). I don't bother with the nut.

https://www.taylorguitars.com/taylorwar ... -12-string

Other questions are whether to put the primary or octave pin holes closest to the saddle (and whether to ramp or somehow try to control the break angle) and whether to make the tops or bottoms of the strings level at the nut and saddle (I play slide on my 12's so I prefer the tops level). Spacing of both the string within each course and between courses at both ends too. Like so many other setup issues I think these depend on the player.


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