Fender 12 String Electric Guitars

A sweet 1966 custom-color Fender Electric XII nestles against a ’64 Bassman and spring-equipped, all-tube Fender Reverb product. The second defined the sound of surf-rock electric guitar.

The 12-string guitar had been much less well-known as the regular 6-string. Although 12-strings were used by some folk and blues players associated with 1930s, notably Lead stomach, it was maybe not before people increase for the late 1950s the instrument started initially to entice a bigger following.

The folk-music trend inspired Gibson and Danelectro in order to make electric 12-string guitars because of the early ’60s, but tradition-bound folk musicians ignored these unconventional electric guitars. It had beenn’t until very early 1964, whenever Beatles lead guitar player George Harrison received an innovative new 360/12 from Rickenbacker, that electric 12-string sound gained prominence.

The interest in the newest “jingle jangle” folk-rock sound prompted Fender to begin with work on their particular 12-string model in late 1964, and also the Electrical XII was introduced in June of 1965.

He instantly utilize it on such tracks as “You Can’t Do That” and “Hard Day’s Night, ” exposing the whole world to a chiming brand new noise akin to a harpsichord. The electric 12-string soon appeared on numerous various other ’60s records because of the Who, the Byrds, therefore the Beach Boys.

Configured with six Fender “F” tuners on each part, the coated “hockey stick” headstock matches the body’s shade.

The popularity of the new “jingle jangle” folk-rock sound influenced Fender to start focus on unique 12-string model in belated 1964, together with Electrical XII was introduced in Summer of 1965. Even though the guitar became a vital tool for studio recordings (used on Cream’s “Dance the Night Away” and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”), it never ever became a popular seller. The Electric XII was dropped from range by 1970.

The early 1966 example pictured this thirty days features qualities common with other custom- shade belated ’65/early ’66 Electrical XIIs. Included in these are an offset contoured alder human anatomy, a tortoiseshell pickguard (3-ply white on other custom colors), a “hockey stick” headstock matching the body’s shade, six Fender “F” tuners on each part, a 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays (bound with block inlays by mid ’66), two split pickups, a 4-way rotary switch, and master volume and tone knobs. The strings are packed through the human anatomy over a totally flexible 12-saddle connection.

Strings load through human body on the Electrical XII’s fully flexible connection.

The May 1966 number cost was $356, and its particular instance cost $59.50. The present value for starters in exemplary all-original condition is $4, 000.

The amp in history is a 1964 Fender Bassman. The original cost had been $379.50. The present worth for the amp is $2, 500.

Resources with this article feature Fender: The noise Heard ’Round society by Richard R. Smith, Rickenbacker Electrical 12-String: the storyline associated with the Guitars, the Music, and Great Players by Tony Bacon, and Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970 by Martin Kelly, Terry Foster, and Paul Kelly.