Tele Thinline 12-String ... Possible?

[ESDictor]

Assuming the answer to the topic question is Yes, I have a couple more questions ...

Thinlines generally have a string-thru design. Is this the way to handle a 12-string?

Any special pickup requirements, or are regular pickups ok?

Thanks,

Evan

[YetzerHarah]

Hitone did something similar recently:
http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/topic/46750-12-string-gretsch-tele/?hl=hitone

Strings through the body shouldn't be an issue as long as you don't hollow out too much, or brace appropriately

Pickups are up to you, the only concern is ideally all strings should be over the polls

[verhoevenc]

I'm gunna say that if I were to build one... I wouldn't care if I had poles for all strings, unless it bothers you aesthetically. Look at diagrams of the fields, not the poles look... You're covered

Also, I seem to remember seeing a tele 12 where 6 went through body, the other six anchored at the rear of bridge old school tele bridge style.

Chris

[YetzerHarah]

I wouldn't say it's the most important part of building a guitar...

....but I wouldn't say that it's meaningless either.

put some ferrofliuid on your pickup & you'll see the differences in magnetic field strength (saran wrap it first if it's not a sealed pickup or you'll never get all of it off)

[SwedishLuthier]

Well, lest have a look at a simulation of the magnetic fieldd. This is a typical strat type of pickup:

And this is how a tele style pickup with magnetic steel base plate looks like:

The magnetic field spread quite a bit beyond just above the poles. That is even more clear on the tele pickup. So it is quite safe to say that the sting placement vs the pole piece placement has som relevance, but if you space the two double strings relative traditional (not to wide apart) you will be fine with traditional pickups. BTW most, if not all, 12-stringers I have seen use standard pickups

Realy like the ferro fluid pick of the Q-tuner pickup. Clearly beats my old magnetic paper...

[ESDictor]

Thanks for all the info!

One more question ... does the neck need to be any wider than normal?

Thanks,

Evan

[SwedishLuthier]

Not from a structural standpoint. That is all about playability. Lets start with the nut. I have seen 12-string guitars with nuts in the range of 52+ mm (over 2") wide and they have been extremely uncomfortable to play. At the same time a 42 mm (1.65") wide nut will probably be a bit cramped. Lets play around with numbers. Say you have 3 mm between the strings in the same pair. And 3 mm from the last strings to the edge of the fretboard. That leave you with 42 - (6x3) - (2x3) = 18mm to distribute between the string pair and that is 3.6mm! almost the same distance as between the strings in the pair. You can of cause have less space between the strings in the pair, but the range 2.5-3 mm seems to be pretty much standard (check that out, I am by no means an expert on 12-stringers).

My suggestion is that you go down to your local music shop and ask if you can test play some 12-stringers (that is if they have at lest a few in stock) and measure the nuts, including string distance etc, on the most comfy once. And be forthcoming with that you are not going to buy a guitar, you are measuring things for a guitar that you are building. Nothing pisses a shop manager off like someone trying to sneak in and take measurements from something he wants to sell (personal experience, I was young...). But if you are open with what you want, he will probably be interested and maybe you've made a new friend.

If you have the nut size and know what bridge string spread you are going to use, the rest is pure math (or draw it out full scale, or in CAD or whatever)

[Prostheta]

String through is quite possible if thought out well, or you could go with 6 through and 6 umm..."not through". Stringing through is not a hard and fast rule as such, although obviously it is quite prevalent on Teles. Your choices in available hardware will likely make that decision for you I guess.

My first thought would be balance. A Tele will be quite prone to neck dive once you try and load up the headstock with the weight of all those tuners.

Sounds like a cool project. Keep us in the loop!