The Fender Alternate Reality Electric XII made a hard-to-find model available again. Though they have a number of effective uses in performance and recording situations, there are few electric 12’s that have kept up with advances in 6-strings. The 1965 Fender Electric XII delivered a solid and reliable 12, with individually adjustable saddles for precise intonation – unlike many other 12’s. This model was introduced in 2019, and is now out of production.

Here we’re looking at a Fender Alternate Reality Electric XII in Lake Placid Blue, built during 2019 in Fender’s Ensenada, Mexico facility. It is in excellent condition with only the lightest wear, and is sold with its original gig bag.

The Fender Alternate Reality series is “a limited-edition run of models where multiple Fender design clues are mixed and matched within a single instrument.”, though the Electric XII relies almost entirely on the original design.
https://www.fender.com/articles/instruments/new-dimensions-check-out-the-fender-alternate-reality-series

As a couple of possible interesting asides, an early Electric XII was converted to six-string and used by Johnny Winter for his performance at Woodstock. Second, one of the key differences in sound between a classic Ric 12 and pretty much everything else is the orientation of the octave pairs – on a Ric, the lower octave string is first in the path of a downstroke, on others the higher octave string is. Reversing this orientation, which typically requires adjustments to or replacement of the nut can have a significant sonic effect.

Here’s the builder on the Fender Alternate Reality Electric XII:

“Originally released in 1965, the Electric XII was designed from the ground up for performance and authentic Fender tone. Featuring dual split-coil pickups, a special 12-string hardtail bridge and a 3-position pickup selector, this jangly offset will definitely get attention onstage.

The split-coil Fender Alternate Reality Electric XII pickups were designed specifically for this guitar, and they have the sound that made Fender famous—crisp, clear and balanced. The 3-position switch lets you activate either pickup on its own or in tandem. The fully adjustable hardtail bridge sports 12 individual saddles, ensuring spot-on intonation, which is the key to successfully wrangling twice the usual number of strings. The maple neck’s “Modern C”-shaped profile works well for almost any playing style and sports a comfortable 9.5”-radius fingerboard with 21 medium-jumbo frets and a distinctive ’65 12-string headstock.

With its unique sound and cool aesthetics, the Fender Alternate Reality Electric XII is a sterling example of our tradition of purposeful innovation. It’s just the thing for adding a uniquely creative touch to your music. Includes deluxe gig bag.”

Fender Alternate Reality Electric XII Specifications: