Jorgensen Custom Thunderbird 12-String Bass

This custom 12-string bass was built in 2016 by Dave Jorgensen of Logan, Utah. It is the second of two 12-string basses he built. The top is maple and black walnut. The back and neck are walnut with two maple strips. It is 30” short scale. The pickups are Mighty Mites. The wiring sends the bridge pickup directly out with no tone control through its own jack. The neck pickup goes out a second jack with a tone control to a bass amp.

Dave writes, “12-string basses are totally amazing. I had this bass in my head for a long while and decided it needed to be built. I play bass in a Beatles cover band, so it doesn't get gigged with, but it was a great project. The Cheap Trick connection is pretty obvious. When I first saw Cheap Trick play in Salt Lake City opening for KISS, I had never heard of them. I was blown away. Tom was playing a Thunderbird. I'm a huge Cheap Trick fan, second only to The Beatles.”

The first 12-string bass built by Dave Jorgensen started with an unfinished Carvin neck-through-body bass. It has an Ebony fretboard with a 1¾” nut width, locking Sperzel tuners, and active Jazz pickups. It is 34” long scale and weighs 9¼ pounds. Jorgensen completed this bass in 2010.