YO31 wrote: A little OT but on the subject of Shergold (which seemed very popular with early 80s prog bands for some reason): They are part of a long line of designs derived from the Burns / Baldwin / Fenton Weil family. Our singer has a 1968 Baldwin 712T (i.e thinline 12 string semi acoustic - not semi solid) and although I've read mixed reviews of them, it positively roars through an overdriven amp. The treble is practically industrial - possibly aided by an aluminium nut. It's not a typical jangly 12 string sound by any means, which may explain the patchy write ups but it suits our 'folk-core' approach. I've seen them for £400 ish.

They are also favored by agit punks types, which is how I came to them. Bernie Sumner used one in Joy Division, I've seen a photo of Andy Gill with one, even though he usually played a Strat or a Yamaha, Craig Scanlon of The Fall used one, one bass player and one of the guitarists is cute Scots pop band Altered Images played them, Julian Cope...
My biggest influence for 12 string, Marty Willson-Piper, had one before he switched to Ricks 100%. His knees, and a Shergold 12 headstock, grace the cover of "Hindsight."
The punks outnumber the progs. Mike Rutherford was the only really famous progger to use one, and he had a specially designed double neck that detached into modules, so that's worth about 10 punks in the great battle for the soul of Shergold.

You're right about these guitars in the treble mode. Like shattering glass.
I can do the Andy Gill tone with no problem. Much sharper than my Bean. The bass end shames a Les Paul in the neck position with the tone rolled back.
The other Brit guitars you mention are amazing, just as you say. Many use the Burns (Kent Armstrong) Tri-Sonic pickups, made famous by Hank Marvin and Brian May. GREAT pickups.
I was going to put Tri-Sonics in a Shergold 12 I was building from new old stock parts, but slapped the 12 neck on an existing Shergold instead. The body's on Ebay right now.

alex maiolo wrote:

The punks outnumber the progs. Mike Rutherford was the only really famous progger to use one, and he had a specially designed double neck that detached into modules, so that's worth about 10 punks in the great battle for the soul of Shergold.

I was going to put Tri-Sonics in a Shergold 12 I was building from new old stock parts, but slapped the 12 neck on an existing Shergold instead. The body's on Ebay right now.

I'd forgotten about the Church ! Isn't there a Shergold 12 on the front sleeve of Hindsight ? I think the only reason the proggers used them was that they were one of the few affordable 12 string solids in the early 80s and prog (in the 'Genesis' sense rather than the 'Ruins' one) demanded 12 string action.

On the subject of pickups - the Baldwins used Re-An single coils with covers that make them look like humbuckers. They weren't really rated but I guess back in the day there were certain assumptions about what constituted a good 12 string sound (i.e. does it sound like the Byrds).

It doesn't sound remotely like the Byrds ! shatterring glass indeed.

alex maiolo wrote:I'm a Rick geek, and for some reason I've always liked the simpler models. I think the 330 rules. It's everything a Rick should be and nothing more. I may be wrong, but I think they generally sound fuller. I know very few people who've used the Ric-o-sound feature on the deluxe models since a splitter box is needed.

You don't need a splitter box. Just a tip ring sleeve cable.. - ie a y-cable. so front pick up is one amp/back is another.