Indian Rosewood low-tuned 12 String

[Joe Sustaire]

Dennis, I put two carbon bars in the first one I built, (the one Andy is using now) but haven't used them since, and haven't had any problems, knock on wood. Does cut down on labor, cost, and extra weight in the neck, who knows? Not me, for sure...….

And thank you Steve for the nice comments! And yeah I like the look of the tortoise binding with the rosewood also.

And yeah, there's always different ways to skin a catfish Eben…..

Thanks for looking in my friends!

[Joe Sustaire]

Okay, got a bit more done today...….. thought I'd show my low tech approach to cutting out the slot-head.
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First off, it's important to remember to drill your tuner holes before cutting out the slots, otherwise you risk getting tear-out which never looks good.... And to drill them on a 12 string I've got a handy little junk of iron with 6 properly spaced and sized holes that I clamp on the headstock and then just drill the holes to the proper depth. I got it from stew-mac a few years back off one of their discontinued sales and I don't believe it's available any more, but sure comes in handy on these 12 string slot-head guitars.
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Then after carefully laying out the slots with a pencil I drill a 1/2" hole at each end of the slot on the drill press. Then just carefully cut out the waste between the holes with a jigsaw. And yes, it's a butt clenching kind of job...…
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But praise be it turned out pretty good this time...…..
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Then all you have to do is carefully even out the saw lines with a sanding block......... and you've got a pretty decent looking slot-head...….
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Thanks for checking in...…….

[Dennis Leahy]

Joe, there's still time to plug one of the holes and make it into an 11-string.

[johnparchem]

Very nice 12 string headstock, I would saw the headstock in half if I tried to use a jigsaw. I usually use a coping saw, life move a bit slower. The six hole block is nice. I have made do with a 3 hole block. After I drill three holes I use two holes as index to drill an additional hole.

[Joe Sustaire]

I wonder what the reasoning is on not doubling the G string? It's funny because some make a 7 string where the only double course is the G string...……..

[coopman]

Joe. Looking good! My variation on the slotted headstock is to keep drilling overlapping 1/2" holes all along slot (with drill press). Then clean up the edges with a chisel, then file. Like John P I get too nervous with my jig saw, it has too much mind of it's own!

[Dennis Leahy]

I wonder what the reasoning is on not doubling the G string? It's funny because some make a 7 string where the only double course is the G string...……..

I know. It seems odd that John Butler had a luthier leave out the high G string. I wasn't aware of a 7 string with the double course G (octaves, or a pair?) My first guitar was a 12-string, and was never set up (just the Epiphone factory setup.) Those 12 strings were hard to push down, and years later (after I gave it away - as a wedding present) I wondered about how many of the "extra" 6 strings could be left out and still have the symphonic jangle vibe of a 12. I do plan to build a 9-string, with the E A and D single. Then, there's Taylor's 9-string that doubles the D G and B, but that will never work. hahaha

As others have mentioned, a jigsaw has a mind of its own and can't cut a straight line 90°through wood without patience, skill, luck, and a bit of magic. You are the jigsaw whisperer!

[Joe Sustaire]

Let me try this again...…

Got the fretboard done and the neck carved.
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Using the stewmac Golden Age tuners, and a very nice 12 string tailpiece with a brushed finish from National Resophonic. Starting to look like it might make a low tuned 12 after all. Wish that last picture didn't rotate, but oh well...….

Thanks for looking in!
And by the by, I did carve that heel down some more...…..