Switch Aurora 12-string

aurora 12 string/semi-hollow composite resin 1 piece guitar.Gold hardware/2 wilkinson humbucking pickups,gold grover minis(super tight).My example(in black) is a prototype with the toggle switch in the center between tone and volume knobs,as oppossed to the production models toggle being forward of the vol.knob.Shaped like a bloated Les Paul with a futuristic Spaceship contour vibe(injection molded artwork this guitar is)Think Supro studio 66 gets a 21st century update and you'll see what this thing looks like.25.5 fender scale.I rate a 9 for uniqueness and quality

Sound is powerful and strong through the freq.range.....I use a Yorkville RocBloc 65watt combo for testing.Nice chime,great string definition.I only have run it clean with reverb and tried some subtle delay-very convincing sound...Beatles Revolver thru Cocteau twins swish and swirl.This guitar liked tuning open & will replace my Dano innuendo for quality and tuning stability.This could be the sexiest 12 ever concieved .This guitar is heavy at 9 lbs.

pretty flawless in every way-one problem is the graphite nut was cut a tad thin for string guage,middle octave strings popped out of nut seats-an easy fix however.

Built to last-I worked on modern jet aircraft maintenance,and this resin composite material has the same strength as a jet fuselage.REALLY AMAZING ! a score of 10

Well,I guess they left the market now-too bad for them,because everybody raved about their service-Good ones die young

I have been playing since '73 or so.Got my first real guitar in '77(Gibson L6s)I like black single cuts best.Also have a '58 Supro Coronado big body with a bigsby model 11 on it,a Fernandes Monterey sustainer with a Bigsby model 12,a recent Luna Athena,and a Martin '66 GT-70 ,and a Dano Innuendo 12,all in black.....This 12 string aurora is the best 12 I know of.I can play all 60's-current styles equally well on it.If you like the sound of this,go get one,you won't be disappointed

Switch guitars are made in China for a Canadian company, Switch Music. Their electric guitars are made of a composite material. The neck and body are one piece. The Aurora is a 12 string electric guitar with dual passive humbucker pick-ups, pick-up selector, volume and tone controls w/ a chambered body. Scale length is 25.5". The neck is wider than a Rickenbacker. The only wood on this guitar is the fretboard. All metal parts are gold plated. I just purchased this guitar in June 2007. Features are standard but quite adequate. I prefer the single volume/tone controls.

The Aurora is capable of a variety of sounds. The bridge pick-up provides a nice biting jangle. The neck pick-up can produce mellow jazz sounds. Together they provide a nice balance. The humbuckers provide more bass and fullness than a Rickenbacker so the low end has to be harnessed with both pick-ups selected. I use several small amps for recording and performing at church usually with clean settings. I just received my Aurora and have only used it for recording. It sounds great through the line out of my Alesis Wildfire as well as mic'd through a Fender Frontman 15R.

The Aurora came with excellent action! Because the neck/body is constructed from solid composite material I'm guessing that it will remain stable without adjustment. Everything appears solid and set up well. This is not a light weight guitar and like most 12 strings is a bit neck heavy. No flaws that I have noticed in its construction. My Aurora is white with gold hardware. Quite striking! Obviously, if you love the sight of wood you will not like the looks of this guitar.

I will only use this guitar for recording though I expect it would handle live playing superbly. I'm not sure how the composite material will handle bumps and scrapes. One reason I decided to try a Switch guitar is its neck/body composite construction. I've seen plenty of 12 string guitars needing neck re-sets and seasonal adjustments. I want a 12 string that will remain stable. This guitar should meet that requirement. Since this guitar will only be used in my studio, I did not purchase a gig bag or case for it.

Switch Music has a nice website. I haven't had the need to contact them.

I've been playing guitar since 1966. I have owned numerous 12 string guitars over the years including Rickenbackers (330/12, 360/12, 450/12), a Guild Starfire XII, a Mosrite, a Fender, a Fender Strat XII, and a Jay Turser. This guitar plays and performs as well or better than any of them. Rickenbacker necks are too narrow for me and sound tinny compared to this guitar. I think this guitar is an amazing value and should be the last 12 string I'll ever need.

25 1/2 scale combination thru-body/top-loading bridge 12-saddle compensated bridge w/two humbucker pickups ( 8.1K for neck/8.3 for bridge) 6-on a side Grover Mini-Rotamatic tuners w/1 -25/32" nut.3D contoured body ( bass side:2 5/8) to 2 1/2 to 2 1/4 on treble side) 1 vol/1 tone w/3 way switch. "Vibracell" semi-hollow( variable density resin composition) neck-thru body construction w/rosewood finger-
board, finished in a very durable impregnated metallic white color.

W/both pickups on and backing off a bit on the volume, I get the nicest,balanced sound that I have ever gotten on a H/H equipped electric 12 string.The "chimey" sound that is characteristic of electric 12 string guitars is there and more... These "Cool Blue" (
(Switch's name for them) are perfect. Not too "hot" to make the sound muddy,but each note strummed or flatpicked comes out clearly. Bridge only position gives you more trebly chime and in the neck position, the articulation is still evident.. Mine had come w 3mm string height at the 12th fret for the low/high "E" and 2mm for the treble side, and a year later has not changed. It is as stable as a table, and as a result you get great action... It is not going to sound like a Rickenbacker 12 string ( I have 4), but it is the "cleanest" sounding of the electric 12strings (8) that I own.The pickups are 4-conductor so one could coil-tap them if they wanted, but for me, it is perfect.
Output is such that I can back off the volume to about 7 to get the sound I want.. I play thru 2 Drive G-120 amplifiers )( 120 watts/2-12" Eminence drivers),w/ an Alesis Nano-Compressor, and get a "wall of sound". No complaints here!

The Vibracell material seems very durable. After a year, I have yet to find any "dings", and gold finish looks as good as the day I received it.

I think it would withstand live playing. Hardware seems durable. The only way one could access the pots and p/u selector switch is thru the pickup cavities..The audio taper on the pots is impressive and I don't think these are your "garden variety" type. I always have a backup instrument in case of string breakage, etc. anyway. Strap buttons are solid and Switch supplies a nice, padded 3 1/2 strap w/ a real nice padded gig bag w/ the instrument. The Aurora is 14 1/2" wide at the lower bout and 10 5/8" at the upper and 42 1/2" from strap button to top of headstock. It is a little heavier than a Les Paul(9 lb), but the manner in which the beveled part of the lower bout where your forearm rests will thank you.. The volume knob is 2" below the brige P/U but also the top of the knob is level w/ the top of the P/U, on account of the top of the body being 1/4"lower than the mounting surface of the P/U. I haven't "hit" the knob yet in playing! This design was real thought out!

Functions flawlessly and warranty is a limited lifetime.. I got an e-mail from Frank Cates ( President), in response to a question I had about one of their "Drive" amps ( I own 13 of them), and received a little battery operated "sound on the go) type amp!!!!!! From what I have seen, they are really responsive to their customers.

I have been playing now 43 years.have 136 electrics and 89 acoustics.For me, it's perfect and even though I don't need it, a coil tap feature would make it "more than perfect" maybe for others. the price I paid for it was a deal also... I own an Aurora 6-string, a Stealth Aurora, an Ultima 1, and an Oscar IV Custom.Switch is "on to something" as far as construction,innovation,resulting sound and value.