Fender Electric XII Model 12 String Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 154078, sunburst lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
The "Electric XII" is perhaps not one of Fender's best-remembered creations but is a good sounding and extremely practical guitar. Introduced at the 1965 NAMM Show at the dawn of the CBS era the Fender 12-string married the popular Jaguar/Jazzmaster style body to a new neck with a distinctive extended "hockey stick" headstock. The electronics are unique as well with two pickups each with two separate coil units, as pioneered by the Precision Bass, and a 4-way selector setup. The bridge is beautifully engineered, with 12 adjustable saddles must be considered the best unit of its kind ever attempted.
With all this original engineering, Fender unfortunately missed the boat a bit on the electric 12-string fad and by the time the "Electric XII" came to market Rickenbacker had already pretty much reaped the bulk of benefit of the Byrds and Beatles popularization of the sound. For all that, the guitar is a very good design and an excellent sounding stage or recording instrument, albeit without exactly capturing the Rick's trademark jangle. Led Zeppelin, the Velvet Underground, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, the Baja Marimba Band and many others have made classic recordings with this model, and much of its potential is perhaps still untapped.
Overall length is 43 in. (109.2 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.). Very nice overall; all original except the nut is replaced. Some dings overall and buckle wear to the back, some light divoting on the fingerboard but no major damage, repair or finish loss. This one was played seriously but well cared for, really nice playing and sounding example. Excellent - Condition.
