Here’s a story for you,
I bought a Eko Ranger 12 for £15. Got it at the Ruthven Mews place on Ruthven lane off Byres Rd. I’m pretty chuffed with getting it at that price, but its in a pretty bad condition. Supposedly worth £200+ when new, original issue (i.e. the one I’ve got I think) was from the 70s, but there is also a reissue now of the same guitars, which makes me feel even better that I got this one! 🙂 I bought it because it was cheap, and I thought it would be a fun project to keep me occupied. I also really wanted to get a 12 String. So, go figure!
It actually plays well enough, despite needing some things done. I love it. But its pretty hard to play when not used to it! I’ll get there though. And one thing I will say is that going from playing it back to playing my 6 String… The 6 feels like a Uke!!! Which is awesome, because it also feels easier to play, so I can’t complain.
Anyway!
In general, all it really needs is new machine-heads, a new saddle and a general clean up. I’ve already discovered that the machine-heads are awkward due to their 118mm spacing! I must say here that the spacing being like that is damned weird. The standard is 125mm, which seems reasonable, but this is such an odd measurement to have chosen. I said to the guy I was emailing about it on Ebay that they must have done it knowing that it would cause folks like me problems 30-40 years on! But anyway, I know of somewhere I can get it for £30, but if anyone knows where I can get them cheaper…?
I’m kinda tempted to stick a Henry nozzle down in the body and just hope for the best as far as cleaning is concerned. I have polish etc, which makes the rest easy. But cleaning inside, not so fun!
Its really the bridge and saddle that I’m having trouble with… The current one is functional, but very worn. The result is that some of the strings, especially the high and low Es, slip out of place every so often. So I want to change the saddle, but not the whole bridge.. I have a blank saddle to put in, but I don’t quite know how, given the mechanism on the Ranger 12 bridge. So I’ve asked on a forum: Do I need to buy something specific, or will an everyday 12 string one do? How do I properly fit it in? More especially, do I need to file grooves for the strings in order to keep them in place, and if so then how best do I do that? Basically any advice or help I can get I would very much appreciate!
Someone has asked for pictures, so I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone by putting a blog entry here, and publishing photos here too. Not of the whole guitar, sadly, but that will come once I’ve got it fixed up! haha So, hopefully this will work! But I’m not entirely sure. Theoretically there should be pictures of the bits that need done here, but we’ll see if that works!
That’s all for now, but rest assured: This excites me!!!
A Thought of the Blues 