Homemade 12 string

[Whalebot]

I'll bet FK could charge at least 3 grand for a git. Seems reasonable.

[Dave W.]

 

Originally posted by Whalebot I'll bet FK could charge at least 3 grand for a git. Seems reasonable.

 

 

Quite reasonable, just wondering how many hours go in to it. My guess would be a lot. I remember reading a quote from a classical luthier who made guitars for well known players. He said even on a $15,000 concert guitar, his hourly rate came out to something like twelve dollars. You have do it for the love of it.

[Cripes]

$3K is about right. Unknown luthiers start around $2-2.5K but Freeman has some credentials already in the bag just through this forum alone.

 

Freeman, I have never played a 12 string that body style/size. My last 12 was a Guild maple jumbo. How would you describe the sound of yours (if that's possible)? And, that's not to coerce you into posting a clip, though that would be nice.

[Freeman Keller]

I'm flattered by comments about building for others but this is strictly a labor of love (and frustration). Any price would be too high, yet at the same time, not enough.

 

Number of hours? I dunno. Sometimes I would take a cup of coffee out to the shop and three hours later have one brace glued on and a cold cup of joe. Worked off and on over about 3 months on it if that means anything. Doing the inlay was really fun tho - learned some cool secrets.

 

To answer the question on sound - it is very tight obviously, but surprisingly loud. I have only played it tuned to D and to open F (G down two step). It doesn't have the bass roar of my dread, the mids seem much livelier and complex, there is a little rattle on the top courses that I'm working on. It was killer with the slide and played nicely up the neck, altho the action is still a tad high (I'll pull the strings and tweak it in a week or so). I used a set of PB's that were laying around - it will probably get Nanos when I restring it. I spent a full afternoon on the nut and saddle and they still need some work.

 

It sits nicely on my lap - much more manageable size and I think every 12 should be a short scale. If the six is any indication I think it will improve with age, but it is pretty much what I was hoping for. Don't think I'll burn it (yet).

 

I'm working on some clips - that is a whole new world for me but one of my techs has a home studio and said he would record it for me. Maybe right after the holidays.

[Cripes]

I figured it to have some snap to it. I had/have smaller bodied guitars and one thing they are is loud. I believe we discussed that in a previous thread about the bridge being situated in the center of the "drum". Sustain and projection are also characteristic but in my own words I'd describe my smaller guitar sounds as "small", for lack of a better word. The one exception is the 000-17S I bought from Whalebot. I don't know why but it lies outside that perception. Maybe because it is a 000 and is all hog. When you posted pics of your 12 I immediately thought how nice the 000-17S would be as a 12.

 

Very nice guitar you made there. I hope you get it tweaked out soon. I'd really like to hear it.