bandit59 Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 A few weeks ago at a sale I picked up an Epiphone ltd edition Roy Orbison 12 string , totally impressed so far. It's a repro of the Big O's 1962 Epi Bard, solid spruce top, solid mahogany back & laminated hog sides. Plays great , sounds great,looks great, right price, right time. Came with a superb case & some Orbison paraphernalia including a bound folder with a photo of Roy with the original & a cert of authenticity signed (individually in ink) by widow & son.Damn nice guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 These were overpriced when they came out in 2009, like most signature models. I got mine earlier this year brand new at about half the original price. Still some in shops here in the UK so it was not a huge seller like the 2006 Orbison 335. It is pretty good but I bet it will be better with decent strings. I am thinking of getting a set of Cleartone 11 or 12's for mine. I suspect the bridge and pins are plastic so bone replacements may help improve the tone more. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit59 Posted December 28, 2012 Author Share Posted December 28, 2012 Yes I also got mine at about half the list price . Bone saddle & pins are under way,I've already been in touch with Bob Colosi & will be sending him the saddle in a week or so, so if you want one he'll have a template. Bob supplied saddle & pins for my Taylor but that was an "off the shelf" job,good result, great bloke to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 I may probably use Jon Press (JP Guitars) here in the UK. Let me know how you get on. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit59 Posted January 10, 2013 Author Share Posted January 10, 2013 Hey Bob I took my 12 to a local guitar tech & further examination revealed that it already has a bone saddle & nut.He lowered the nut action a bit, adjusted the neck & sanded some sharp bits off the saddle & all is well.I'm going to try different strings, the elixirs are a bit on the bright side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Hey Bob I took my 12 to a local guitar tech & further examination revealed that it already has a bone saddle & nut.He lowered the nut action a bit, adjusted the neck & sanded some sharp bits off the saddle & all is well.I'm going to try different strings, the elixirs are a bit on the bright side. That is interesting, how about the pins, are they bone. I am going to put the Cleartone 10's on as I have not changed the strings since getting it but also not run through a setup. See how it sounds then. Thanks Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit59 Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 No the pins are genuine Chinese plastic & probably would benefit from a damned good throwing away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Very jealous. Had my eye on one of these for a while but picked up another Epi 12 string recently that I just fell in love with. Would be keen to try one of these... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 No the pins are genuine Chinese plastic & probably would benefit from a damned good throwing away. I will get those changed, good ones are not cheap. I emailed Gibson to see if they can confirm the nut and saddle on all these are bone, but not had a reply yet. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit59 Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 I measured up the pins last night & emailed Bob Colosi but they're a tad larger than his largest 3degree taper size so would have to custom make a set which I'm guessing would be a whole lot more expensive. I did try a std ebony Taylor pin which measures slightly smaller at the top & it seemed to fit ok & held tension without popping out.I'm liking this guitar more every time I play it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 My man over here said that could be the case. He suggested I buy a set from him and see how well they fit, and if they need to be custom he will do it. Did you try the 5 degree ones? Still not heard back from Gibson if a bone saddle and nut are standard on this. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 The release info on this shows it is factory fitted with PVC nut and saddle, so your may have been changed before you bought it. See under Hardware and Nut on this: http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Acoustic-Instruments/Square-Shoulder/Epiphone/Roy-Orbison-Signature-12-String.aspx Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit59 Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 A few weeks ago at a sale I picked up an Epiphone ltd edition Roy Orbison 12 string , totally impressed so far. It's a repro of the Big O's 1962 Epi Bard, solid spruce top, solid mahogany back & laminated hog sides. Plays great , sounds great,looks great, right price, right time. Came with a superb case & some Orbison paraphernalia including a bound folder with a photo of Roy with the original & a cert of authenticity signed (individually in ink) by widow & son.Damn nice guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit59 Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hmm the thick plottens! I scraped my saddle &nut with a sharp blade & it ain't plastic. Who knows what goes on in China, I don't know how mine would have been modified pre purchase. With the pins, I've got a new set of strings so when they go on I'll use the 6 ebony Taylor pins from the 6 string on the main strings & see how they go. Mmeanwhile the guitar tech who set it up was quite certain on bone bits & he makes them so I assume he knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Yes it is strange. Not sure when I will get mine done, as it is a 100 mile drive each way. I have 2 Don Everly Epiphones I want done as well. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 Had a reply from Gibson support. Although the press release stated PVC nut and saddle, it appears they used their 'right to vary the specification at any time' and at some unknown point changed the nut and saddle to bone. So, some have PVC and some have bone. The pins on all are plastic. I have asked if there is a serial number that denotes the change so that anyone after that will know what they have. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit59 Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Well I'm happy they exercised their right to vary specification at any time and varied said specification at the right time and in a most suitable manner. They could always have varied the specification for the bridge pins too, but no whinging here ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Gibson said they cannot tell which were fitted with bone as they were made in more than one place, and they have no records. So no way of telling without taking it to a luthier. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit59 Posted January 26, 2013 Author Share Posted January 26, 2013 Well I just changed the strings for D'Addario pb EXPs which sound great & I've used the ebony original Taylor pins on the main strings. Although the Taylor holes measure a poofteenth (approxiamately) smaller, the pins actually seem to fit a tad (similar to a poofteenth but a bees **** larger)better than the quality plastic ones do.They have failed give up & fly across the room under tension so far and all seems to be as it should be , so I'll give it a week or so & if it's still happy I'll go ahead & order a set of bone pins from Bob Colossi.So far so good, we're not beaten yet! Bob if you remove the saddle & give it the 'tooth test'(bite it) you'll know what it's made of . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Isaac Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Thanks for the tip. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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