12 string emulation - worth chasing?

scarry67

Happy owner of Rik 330 6 string but I’d love a 12er. The few I’ve played were a struggle neck width wise; even a C chord was tough for my uncouth fingers. Can a Chorus pedal mimic the sound or is Digitech Mosaic or Pog needed? 

Winny_Pooh

Pog, but it will always sound fake. You can get used to a 12, it just takes practice. I string mine with a 9 set and raise the action just high enough to not buzz.

mart

Try a different 12-string that doesn’t have as narrow a neck as the Rics.

scarry67

I’ve got a Boss GT001 with a “ Byrds” setting downloaded. Sounds interesting but organ-like. A Danelectro 12 electric seems only cheapish alternative although Riminis look nicer. The Yamaha 303 12 comes up but doesn’t inspire visually... 

Winny_Pooh

The Danos are really good, the Burns too (if you dont mind the big body). Also consider Revelator, great value.
 

Funkfingers

scarry67 said:

I’ve got a Boss GT001 with a “ Byrds” setting downloaded. Sounds interesting but organ-like. 

That description suggests pitch shift technology that can be edited per string, like the Roland VG units.

Have you tried Nashville High Tuning? 

scarry67

Not on the Rik but I liked it on an acoustic. Didn’t Marr play some earlier Smiths songs in Nashville tuning? 

MrMusic

Heard the Digitech Mosiac is pretty good, i’d give that a go 

impmann

I find RIC 12 stings a real struggle - the neck width/string spacing is too narrow for me.

Only a 12 string sounds like a 12 string, really - but there are other options that don't involve the RIC narrow neck. Such as:

The Burns Double 6 is an excellent 12 string and is not expensive. There have been a couple of Fender Strat based 12s - but often the pickups let them down, IMHO. There are some excellent Yamaha electric 12 strings too - but again, I'm not a fan of the pickups. For me, the daddy of them is the Shergold Masquerader 12 - IMHO, the best neck on an electric 12 I've played (and I've played *a lot*), plus those pickups sound amazing. Prices are creeping up, though and they are hard to find.

If you fancy a double neck (12 & 6 string) I do have a lovely Shergold for sale ;-)

scarry67

I’ll scan usual auction sites. A double neck is a bit too much guitar for me! 

Sporky

If you're confident enough I have this for sale - quite a wide neck, very manageable, and the pickups are nicely jangly.

http://www.monkeyfx.co.uk/pictures/daisy12arty.jpg
http://www.monkeyfx.co.uk/pictures/daisy12body.jpg
http://www.monkeyfx.co.uk/pictures/daisy12head.jpg

scarry67

Not for me, Sporky. An eye-catcher though...

Sporky

No probs!

I'd certainly agree with those who've said that a real 12-string is something that no pedal has gotten very close to - the Roland VG series aside. The Variax 12s were usable.

In a mix it's possibly a different question - a POG would probably do an OK job.

Funkfingers

mart said:

Try a different 12-string that doesn’t have as narrow a neck as the Rics.

impmann said:

I find RIC 12 stings a real struggle - the neck width/string spacing is too narrow for me.

Only a 12 string sounds like a 12 string, really - but there are other options that don't involve the RIC narrow neck. Such as ...

... the RIC McGuinn and Tom Petty Signature models. At the request of the endorsees, both models have wider nuts and string spacing than is normal for Rickenbacker.

Sporky said:

In a mix it's possibly a different question - a POG would probably do an OK job.

So might an EHX Pitch Fork. Blend in a Lester G rotary cabinet simulator for added swirl.

Sporky said:

the Roland VG series

In an attempt to emulate the Martin HD-7 Roger McGuinn signature model, I created a VG patch that added an octave G string into a regular six string sound. The G course contributes some jangle and forces some of the characteristic chording and single note moves that can set a twelve string guitar apart. It might be possible to adapt a seven string electric guitar to operate this way. Cut a new nut to position the G pair together. Adapting the bridge saddles might prove move difficult.

mart

Funkfingers said:

mart said:

Try a different 12-string that doesn’t have as narrow a neck as the Rics.

impmann said:

I find RIC 12 stings a real struggle - the neck width/string spacing is too narrow for me.

Only a 12 string sounds like a 12 string, really - but there are other options that don't involve the RIC narrow neck. Such as ...

... the RIC McGuinn and Tom Petty Signature models. At the request of the endorsees, both models have wider nuts and string spacing than is normal for Rickenbacker.
....

Good luck finding a McGuinn sig Ric - there weren’t very many of them and they don’t seem to change hands very often. But there was a TP sig on here not long since, wasn’t there?

I seem to recall that 6-string 360s have come in different neck widths over the years - does the same apply to their 12-stringers?

thermionic

I doubt you'll ever get a proper emulation that's convincing, but when I pick up my Rick to play Byrds songs I find that a touch of reverb, some subtle chorus, and a touch of delay goes a long way.

Phil_aka_Pip

I reckon you get away with a microPOG: turn the sub octave off, leave dry at 100%, blend in the upper octave at something like 1 o'clock (adjust to taste, season with a little chorus and a tadge of delay).

EDIT works best for me when the source is a guitar with coil-split pickups, so you may like it best with an SC loaded guitar.

Funkfingers

thermionic said:

I doubt you'll ever get a proper emulation that's convincing, but when I pick up my Rick to play Byrds songs I find that a touch of reverb, some subtle chorus, and a touch of delay goes a long way.

Two Teletronix LA-2A compressors, linked in series, should complete the picture.

p90fool

I'd go Danelectro tbh, the sound of 12 strings pretty much overwhelms whatever they're attached to, you don't need a Rickenbacker to get a fabulous sound.