Product: Nash Guitars E-12 Hybrid 12-String
Price Paid: US circa 1400
Submitted
11/26/2005
at
07:15am
by
Clive
Features
:
9
I bought this Nash E-12 springtime 2005. 2 piece Alder body finished in Fiesta Red. Birdseye Maple neck with 21 fret Rosewood Fingerboard which is a medium C shape and 12 radius. Seynour Duncan Vintage P-90 in the neck and Hot P-90 in the bridge. IMO, it is a Bill Nash's Custom version of what the original Fender Electric 12 should have been. Hybrid Jaguar/Jazzmaster body. Single volume and tone control, 'sloping-like' strat controls and a 3 way switch in the same position you would find on a Les Paul. Has a totally adjustable 12 string Bridge for precise intonation and easy action. Aged Nitro finish/aged pickguard and aged repro kluson type tuners. Worthy of note is the headstock, this has a little 'beak', rather than the 'hockey stick' shape that Fender used on their original electric 12...(the Nash one far more aesthetically pleasing to the eye). This is worth a 10, but is in an 'aged' guitar, hence.....
Sound
:
9
Simple truth is that I was not originally looking for a 12 String. Bill Nash had previously made me an S-63 (Strat) to order and I was thinking of getting him to build me a Fender-style Baritone 6 String Bass. Just happened to see this for sale on his Web page and thought, "This has got to be a more useful guitar". Play it through a Fender Reverb 2 Amp. The E-12 is not a thin, twangy and unstable electric. The opposite in fact. It is stable and giant sounding when you need it, but back-off the volume and it will give you all the sweet-sounding sounds so often associated with 12 string guitars. The P-90's ROCK! They can be rich and full with little discernable hum/noise.....Very impressive.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
9
The guitar was sent to me (detuned) across the Atlantic. I simply tuned it up and it was ready to play. I didn't want to put it down and spent that week brushing-up on all the 60's songs that had a 12 string on I knew! Bill Nash guitars are 'reliced' guitars, very comfortable to play, with 'worn' areas etc., BUT, everything is dead tight/spot on...No issues whatsovever. My only criticism and this simply 'has to be', is that in being a E-12 string, there is the extra weight/mass on the headstock, which you have to adjust to and it is better playing the guitar standing up, rather than in a seated position.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
No problems expected and the guitar hand-built. All the parts are quality. I dont over worry about the finish, its pre-aged and the nitro will stand the test of time. Gigging-wise, it is only used for a few song is the set. Inncidentally, I haven't had to adjust the intonation since I got it. How stable is that?
Customer Support
:
10
Not sure about the length of warranty. Having dealt with Bill in the past, I know he would do everthing he could to sort out any problems...But I don't really expect any.
Overall Rating
:
10
Been playing 35 years +. Have owned most high-end makes of guitars. If it were stolen or lost, I would ask Bill to make me another one to the same spec. I've seen it said that some reckon this the best electric 12 string on the market. It is a very 'hybrid' guitar and to me, the overall playability/solid features, yet lightweight/with the kick-ass P-90's, makes for the best of both worlds. Does its job just fine. I didn't compare it with others, (although I have since). My experience (over the years) told me that it was the right tool for the job.
