Official Luthiers Forum!

I just finished building a twelve string guitar with George Leach of the Phoenix Guitar Co. after he moved to Torrance Ca.

Just 5 miles from my house and a great guy to spend time with....

He it is!

very nice..

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MK5acoustics.com

Thanks Wes!

Nice. Looks to be roughly OM in size - I like smaller bodied 12 strings. Care to comment on scale length, bracing, tuning and your reaction to stringing it "upside down" (ala Richenbacher)?

It is actually based on a Martin M size ( 0000 ) didn't go with a deep body it is 3 7/8 at the heel and 3 3/8 at the neck so it is 16" at the lower bout.
Scale length is at 25.4 ... bracing is pretty standard X without scallops ... used a single hangar bolt with a M&T connection ... as far as upside down stringing my first 12 string about 20 yrs ago was strung this way... I have had a Taylor 455ce since 2003 and it was strung "right" but I always remembered the feel of my old guitar. felt striking the main strings first on the downstroke gave it less of a jingly sound. ... not sure if that is true but in my mind it was... so I decided to go back to what I started with.....
Now this guitar has so much sustain I am having to learn to play it a bit different than I did with my Taylor. It rings forever! It has already began to sound better as in just the week it has been strung up it has developed a bit more Bass and I a think it will continue to gain more in the bottom end yet sounds full with mids and even in volume across the strings. .... Tuned standard E-E ... action very much the same as my Taylor ( very comfortable )

She'a a beaut Dennis, love the top's bearclaw.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

There is a whole lot to like about that guitar, Dennis! The craftsmanship and the wood give it all the bling it needs!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Nice!
Good for you for building a 12. Glad to see a few of them still being built.

Thanks Guys..... It is my first completed guitar.
I needed the structure of a class and the encouragement to be patient and persistent to actually get all the way to the end of the process.
I am very satisfied!