Image: Alban_Arthuan_Guitar_Set.jpg: Leep77 derivative work: Guitarpop (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 — via Wikimedia Commons
Fender Electric XII
| Category | Strings (12-string electric guitar) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USA |
| Classification | electric guitar |
| Wikipedia | en.wikipedia.org |
| Wikidata | Q3437148 |
Overview
The Fender Electric XII is a 12-string electric guitar designed and built by Fender in the mid-1960s. Unlike the company’s standard six-string electrics, it was created from scratch as a 12-string rather than adapted from an existing model. It is recognisable by its distinctive “hockey-stick” headstock, four split single-coil pickups, and a chime-like jangle that helped define a brief but influential moment in popular music.
Origin & History
Fender introduced the Electric XII in 1965, at the height of folk-rock, where 12-string electric guitars were briefly a defining sound. The model was meant to compete with the well-known used by The Byrds and others. Although the Electric XII attracted notable studio use, sales never matched expectations, and Fender ended production around 1969. Surviving examples have become collector pieces.
How It’s Played
The Electric XII is played like a standard electric guitar, but each of the six string positions has two strings tuned in pairs. The lower four pairs are tuned in octaves, and the top two pairs in unison, producing the characteristic shimmering doubled tone. The split pickups give a clean, well-defined sound that many players favour for arpeggiated chords and melodic riffs.
Cultural Significance
The Electric XII became famous in part through high-profile studio use. Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin used one for parts of “Stairway to Heaven,” among other tracks, and Pete Townshend of The Who also recorded with the model. These recordings ensured the instrument’s lasting reputation, even as the original production run was short.
Related Instruments
- – the leading 12-string electric of the same era
- – the broader acoustic 12-string family
- – Fender’s flagship single-cutaway six-string
- – the iconic Fender contoured electric
- Fender Coronado – another mid-1960s Fender experiment
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a 12-string electric tuned?
Each of the six string positions carries two strings; the lower four pairs are usually tuned in octaves and the top two in unison.
Is the Fender Electric XII still in production?
The original model was discontinued around 1969. Fender has occasionally reissued similar designs, but vintage units remain the most sought after.
What famous recordings feature the Electric XII?
The most cited example is Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” where Jimmy Page used the Electric XII for the layered acoustic-electric textures.
Image: photograph by Leep77 (derivative work by Guitarpop), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).