Be aware- Defective Hamer CH12 on Guitar Center

[VincentYGB]

I just returned this 12er to GC Tucson so it'll be popping back up shortly. Cheap at $599 but the string mount's ferrules are spinning and the piece is pulling up. It's a Korean one, which  is basswood, so if you have the skills to install larger ones, the rest of the instrument is in great condition. I have too many other projects to mess with it. 

 

[DarkHammer]

this should be an easy fix

[burningyen]

What do you mean by the piece is pulling up? 

[DarkHammer]

1 hour ago, burningyen said:

What do you mean by the piece is pulling up? 

I think he meant to say that ferrules are too small in diameter compared to diameter of the holes, and don't stay in place.

If that's the case, one can easily correct this by adding small stripes of paper sheet between ferrule and the hole.

 

Anyway, what's really the point of 12 string bass? Can someone please explain? 

Edited November 8, 2025 by DarkHammer

[mathman]

1 hour ago, DarkHammer said:

I think he meant to say that ferrules are too small in diameter compared to diameter of the holes, and don't stay in place.

If that's the case, one can easily correct this by adding small stripes of paper sheet between ferrule and the hole.

 

Anyway, what's really the point of 12 string bass? Can someone please explain? 

For starters go listen to some Cheap Trick,  King's X, or Pearl Jam's Jeremy.

[VincentYGB]

Should have said tailpiece. Here's a pic from my old CH12. The tailpiece should be flush against the body, although in the pic you can see it's slightly raising on the left. On the black one I returned, the entire tailpiece was lifting almost 1/2" up on a 45 degree angle. The four mounting screws just turned in the ferrules. At least they weren't popping out but the tailpiece was lifting as the bass was tuned to proper pitch. I've had both a CH12 and a B12L in the past. The basswood of the Korean CH12's is fairly soft, unlike the B12L's.

Edited November 8, 2025 by VincentYGB
info added

[mathman]

Well,  Always wanted a 12 string bass.  Can't make myself spend the money on a USA version.  This is a $21 shipping experiment to see if I can make it work. We will see.

[Hbom]

Congratulations mathman! I thought the same thing but GC wouldn't ship it to me. I hope it works out.

Edited November 8, 2025 by Hbom

[mathman]

2 minutes ago, Hbom said:

Congratulations mathman! I thought the same thing but GC wouldn't ship it to me. I hope it works out.

Thanks.  Excited.  Shipping to a nearby guitar center was. Pretty cheap.

[Hbom]

2 minutes ago, mathman said:

Thanks.  Excited.  Shipping to a nearby guitar center was. Pretty cheap.

When they 1st opened a new GC in Anchorage, they would ship new and used guitars and amps free to the store, then I could pick them up there. They stopped that practice in the 1st year. Now it seems they don't even want to ship to Anchorage, their store or my home, at all!

[DarkHammer]

1 hour ago, mathman said:

Thanks.  Excited.  Shipping to a nearby guitar center was. Pretty cheap.

I hope you enjoy it!

[mathman]

4 hours ago, Hbom said:

Congratulations mathman! I thought the same thing but GC wouldn't ship it to me. I hope it works out.

I left it in the cart for a time.... guess I am glad for me they wouldn't ship to you.  If it doesn't work for me I will gladly ship it to you for cost.  I haven't purchased a shipped guitar from guitar center before but if I get the packaging I will use it to forward it to you. ( only if I don't like it you understand.)

[mathman]

Picked it up today but really busy with lots of life and wife.  Hope to check it more tonight.  It is in nearly new condition except for the bridge string mount.   Still has the plastic on the rear access cover. 

[mathman]

Gotta learn how to adjust a dual truss rod…

[VincentYGB]

Hope it works out for you and the tailpiece doesn't go snap, crackle, pop! As an owner of a number of US G&L basses, I'm already familiar with what Rice Krispies sound like.

[RobB]

On 11/13/2025 at 2:32 PM, mathman said:

Gotta learn how to adjust a dual truss rod…

I put a small Sharpie dot on each nut and loosen/tighten each the same amount. Also helps to give a gentle tug on the headstock (insert joke here)  before final tightening. 

[mathman]

Thanks. Great idea.  Now that I have tuned it I do not think I need to adjust the truss rods.  I was obviously not accustomed to the pull of 12 err 11 bass strings.  Neck is fine and need to lower bridge back down to set up correctly.  I will save this for later.

Edited November 17, 2025 by mathman

[VincentYGB]

1 hour ago, mathman said:

Thanks. Great idea.  Now that I have tuned it I do not think I need to adjust the truss rods.  I was obviously not accustomed to the pull of 12 err 11 bass strings.  Neck is fine and need to lower bridge back down to set up correctly.  I will save this for later.

Ah yes, this is where one learns what "the four mounting screws just turned in the ferrules" and "45 day return policy" mean. The salesman that took the return is a bassist and gave the usual "our luthier will be checking this issue out" which in GC-speak means "it'll go right back up for sale no matter what the problem is". I've dealt with GC online sales and returns many times.

If you return it to a store they'll refund the $21 shipping if you show anything wrong or it's not in the condition described. Just ask. Plus, you get to keep the box and packing.

Edited November 17, 2025 by VincentYGB
info added

[mathman]

Well I am definitely going to keep it.  I am just a bedroom player occasionally jamming with friends at this point.  Once I removed the guitar string it seems to stay in tune well enough.   In the future I will work out some way to fix it but for now I am just playing Gonna Raise Hell for a while!

[Hbom]

Glad that it turned out to be a keeper @mathman. I was curious, but TBH I will never be a good bass player and I'm glad you got it.

edit: I'm also happy to hear that it is playable as is. 

Edited November 17, 2025 by Hbom

[mathman]

14 hours ago, VincentYGB said:

Ah yes, this is where one learns what "the four mounting screws just turned in the ferrules" and "45 day return policy" mean. The salesman that took the return is a bassist and gave the usual "our luthier will be checking this issue out" which in GC-speak means "it'll go right back up for sale no matter what the problem is". I've dealt with GC online sales and returns many times.

If you return it to a store they'll refund the $21 shipping if you show anything wrong or it's not in the condition described. Just ask. Plus, you get to keep the box and packing.

BTW, Thanks for posting about your returning it.  would have never thought to look at that time otherwise.

[mathman]

Update!  Freaking love this bass!

[cmatthes]

On 1/27/2026 at 7:39 PM, mathman said:

Update!  Freaking love this bass!

They’re fun, right?!?!

[pablo]

On 1/27/2026 at 9:39 PM, mathman said:

Update!  Freaking love this bass!

I don't have enough fingers for that bass guitar😂