In my quest to become the most annoying bassist ever...

I got a 12 string bass!




Why? Because I hate guitarists

Just kidding! I've wanted a 12 string for few years now.
Its a Oktober JG12 (sure Eric already knows this) and its John Gallagher's signature bass.
The thing that really drew me to this bass was the pick up config.
Its perfect for being weird stereo like my Attitudes. In a few weeks I'm gonna give my luthier a call to arrange that.
This bass ways a TON. Usually when people say a bass is heavy I take it with a grain of salt but this thing is a beast. It makes my Attitudes feel like toys in comparison and even sitting down playing it, it finds a way to make my back sore! Regardless its really fun to play, could use abit of setting up and maybe some different string gauges for my tuning but it still plays and sounds great.
As to be expected with its massive headstock and body shape the second you take you hand off it, the neck is heading for the floor but neck dive never really bothers me.
Know what I realized? I really need to stop buying peoples signature basses! I have four Billy Sheehans, one Tony Franklin and now a John Gallagher! Few years back I used to own a Geddy Lee aswell.. Regardless, this 12 string had alot of the things I was looking for. Dean and LTD make some aswell but they are active pickups in positions I don't want them in.
Might try and get a video with this thing up sometime soon.

thats neato. unique body style.

annoying guitarists ... ha!

not lovin the gold hardware but wuddayagonnado? not a part ide wanna hafta find in black.

goodness thats a lot of magnets! endless wiring configurations!

Its chrome, not gold.
Flash is playing tricks.
I'd prefer black myself.

Cool   

Does it suffer from neckdive with that bodyshape? Just wondering...

Yes horribly hahaha.
I mentioned it in the first post.

probably got sell a kidney to buy strings for it, lol

but man yeah, that's a cool bass!

hip63

Ha!
Yeah probably but I don't think the octave strings need to be change that often.
If bass strings online sells single 12 string octave strings I'm thinking about getting rotosounds for the bass strings when it comes time to buy a new set of strings.

rotosound would probably put a set together for you for that bass, if they dont have it already. ide shoot em an email and ask.

so each set of 3 ... is it like a bass string, a barritone bass strings and a guitar bass strings?

i couldnt imagine the cost difference for buying full sets (and throwing away 4 strings).

The octave strings are the same, I'd guess they'd be a longer scale guitar string or maybe a piccolo string.
Not really sure.

These are the strings that came on it.
http://www.bassstringsonline.com/DAddario-XL-NICKEL-ROUND-WOUND--Bass-Set-12-String-_p_86.html

those arent too expensive. thought they would be more. that company could make you up a set and has single strings too ... thats cool.

Yeah I've ordered singles from them before just not sure if they do single octave strings for the 12er.
Gonna message the owner soon and ask.

Nice acquisition, Al! And yes, of course, I know this is John Gallagher's signature 12er.   

Now that I've had sometime to spend with this bass, I must say its AMAZING.
When played thru my rig the sound is so full and massive. Going thru my EBS Sheehan pedal its like a super heavy guitar.
When I got it and played it thru my practice rig at home, I noticed when jamming along with songs it was mostly the high end guitar strings coming thru so I kinda thought "Great, I basically bought a guitar with a bit more bass" but when it went thru my 4x10 it was a complete 180. Just this huge overdriven guitar sound with a ton of low end but not muddy at all. I think that I would completely drown out the guitar player(s) if I was using my 8x10. It also is extremely versatile sound and playing wise. With clean/overdrive tones and being able to go between hitting bass/octave strings separately the amount of sounds you have at your finger tips is nearly limitless! One of the bands I play in is just one another guitar player and I think this will become my main bass for that band. I don't even think I need to get this thing wired stereo. Its sound is so massive already but I am playing around with running it stereo by using both outputs on my Boss TU-2 Tuner Pedal, think thats the way Dug Pinnick gets his stereo sound. The pick ups Oktober made for this bass are great. The P Pick up is the one I'm using the overdrive on. Its powerful and handles the overdrive well like my Dimarzios in my Attitudes. The only complaint I have so far is the tuning machines for the octave strings. They are abit stiff at times but they do hold tuning well. If I can find some replacements that are a direct fit I will consider upgrading them.

I just sent John a message with the link to this thread. I'm sure he'll be pleased!

tuners? is it simple like 4 bass tuners and 8 guitar tuners or are they custom oddball sizes?

@Eric
Awesome! John and Oktober designed a AMAZING bass! So much so I might have actually ordered one in black from Oktober....
Might sound crazy to some but I had just sold some gear and wanted it to go to something musical and when I fired this thing up thru my rig I just feel in love with the sound of it so much so that I never want to NOT have this sound in case something ever happens whether it was stolen/gets broken I have a back up and one for different tunings.

@Mike
I'm not to sure, should email Oktober and find that out.

you could just snap a pic of the back of the headstock and post it here.

im just wondering if its something Gotoh or Hipshot would keep in stock or you have to make something work or have parts made. ive been around the block enuff times, i could probably tell by just looking at it.

Okay will do! Will have the pictures up in few mins

Here you go

awesome find!!!!

Thanks!

that suxx. they are nice machineheads. they all look like gotoh to me.

http://www.warmoth.com/Gotoh-SG38-Tuners-C727.aspx

http://www.warmoth.com/Gotoh-GB7-Bass-Tuners-C730.aspx

if they arent gotoh and i was gonna replace em, ide use these anyway.

yo al. the lightening bolts on the fretboard; are they stickers? lacquer? inlay?

Inlays.
If the tuners are Gotoh I'II just leave them.
The small ones are just abit stiff but other than that they are fine, maybe they will loosen up abit with time.

I'm sure John could tell us for certain what exactly went into his bass design, although I believe he said that they made some changes along the way.

Raven is coming to Vancouver again!
I wonder if I could some how get John to sign my 12 string.

Yep! They are coming to Seattle about that time, and we are going to be there, no question.

I'm certain that John would gladly come out to sign your bass, as he and the Raven boys are really accessible at shows. If you'd like, I can let him know that you'll be bringing your 12er to the Vancouver show for him to sign.

That would be awesome!