Chilli here is in great shape – as you can see. It’s a 12-string Jumbo. I had to change its strings and give its fretboard and bridge a little drink of the magic potion, which while nourishing them, also made their grain pop. Eventually, I shone up Chilli even more.
This one is special. It has a bone saddle and nut…AND, abalone-topped brass bridgepins. They say that metal bridgepins seem to accentuate the high register of the instrument. We will check that out once we string ’er up!
But do look at that bridge. Beautiful! However, the overriding thought here is that because it is not a single, solid piece of wood, thicker strings just won’t do. Also, it’s a 12-string – double the tension that six strings exert.
Extra-light strings it is then (.010” – .047”). But even with a larger headstock stringing her up was a pain because the space between tuning machines is very small, and keeping track of ball-ends, which bridgepin goes into which hole, which string pairs with which string…
It took me a couple of hours but it was well worth the time. What’s more, the action on this stunner is lower than normal and there’s no buzzing anywhere along the fretboard.
And yes, the metal bridgepins do brighten up the sound appreciably, a joy for a finger-style player.
