New Double Six with Trem

[dusty fretz]

Tom Petty did indeed specify a wider neck for his signature Rickenbacker 12-string, but his isn't the most obvious example of its kind and not the one most players would pick in terms of classic styling.

As you say, Lionel, the standard Ricky narrow neck width is fine for those blessed with Susannah Hoffs' size, dinky digits. Unfortunately, my fat fingers need a lot more room to move, which is why I find the Double 6 ideal. The latest Chinese-made model is excellent too and ensures that I don't miss the '60s examples I've parted with in the past. The 12-saddle bridge is a vast improvement and the extra pickup selections are a bonus. Just to improve appearances, I've fitted modern repro Burns knobs and switch tip, while my stock of original spares supplied the correct, much bigger headstock badge. With these replacements installed the instrument now looks as good as it sounds and the 'D' tuning delivers loads of low end grunt to go with classic ringing chime.

[Bill Bowley]

Paul,

Back on the subject of a 12 string tune-o-matic bridge and the problem of only six saddles, here's an answer to that problem:

[dusty fretz]

Hi Bill,
That bridge looks to offer an interesting practical alternative to the standard six-string style Tune-o-Matic. What does it fit, how does it mount, does it come in chrome, who makes it and how much? So many questions, so little time!

[JimN]

Hi Bill,
That bridge looks to offer an interesting practical alternative to the standard six-string style Tune-o-Matic.

Agreed.

One of the interesting features is that the uncut saddles seem to offer a wide range of choices of string-spread (though a certain amount of careful filing work would be needed in order to match it to the guitar - probably best done by a skilled luthier).

JN

[Bill Bowley]

Paul, Jim,

This bridge was found on EBay, item is 360164105772

And, heres a similar item for a Ricky 12, item 320511366190







Hope that helps!

[Bill Bowley]

Here's an oldie on EBay UK at the moment, Item No is: 320510883437

[cockroach]

Hi Bill

That Baldwin bridge looks a bloody sight simpler than that other one which you illustrated! Suited to a simple soul like me...although it might be hard to get all strings in tune.

I still have an old all metal adjustable tune-a-matic type bridge which I have used on a few project guitars over donkey's years- each of the six separate adjustable cylindrical bridge saddles sort of resembles a screw thread, but without the twist, if you know what I mean??!! I'm sure there is an engineering term but I don't know it...There are three separate grooves on the lower three saddles, and five grooves on the upper string saddles. So the bridge can be used with this variable string spacing potential, as a 6 string, 9 string or 12 string bridge.

Years ago, my mate built me a solid body to which this bridge was fitted (it also had two of my Trisonic pickups from my old Burns Artiste, by the way! So it was a sort of updated Burns Sonic- small contoured double cutaway body, long single sided headstock with Van Ghent tuners,etc) I converted it to a 9 string for a while, by drilling three more holes in the headstock and fitting three extra tuners...possibly a similar cylindrical multi-grooved saddle type design could conceivably also allow use of a vibrato arm?????

[Bill Bowley]

'Roach,

Sorry for the late answer, I'm back doing full time Navy again for the next 12 months, so my input and replies may not be as frequent as they have been (no applause from the gathered multitude, thank you very much! )

Very interesting description of the bridge you had, amazing the variations of guitar bridges that are around, never ceases to amaze me!

[bgohara]

Obviously Hank had his own reasons for preferring to play the standard-tuned Double 6 on the tour, although opinions were seemingly pretty unanimous concerning the aural deficiencies of the octave-under example!

Personally - I think its a shame that (for whatever reason) he didn't use the octave under guitar. If you have the 'Cliff & the Shadows - Together' video from the concerts in 1984, he uses an octave down double six (I presume its his original from the sixties) and the sound is just brilliant. Interestingly, this guitar didn't have a tremolo - so he did the vibratos with his fingers, whereas the new Burns example does have a trem.

[Bojan]

The Baldwin on the picture Bill posted above looks absolutely gorgeous . . . perhaps even more striking in the redburst than in greenburst.