2010s Gabriel Ochoteco Baritone 12 String Guitar

November 21, 2020

2010s Gabriel Ochoteco Baritone 12 String Guitar

A local customer brought this behemoth in with a broken bridge and a plan. It was made by Gabriel Ochoteco in Australia and, I've got to admit, it's really fun.

I'm impressed with the design features -- an electric-style neck glued into an oversize neck block (and thus heel-less), fancy multi-ply binding, a classical-style rosette, and quick playability. The bracing is extremely light, has circular weight-relief cutouts, and is laminated for extra stiffness. It's an x-pattern but tres moderne.

The body is a normal-ish 17" jumbo shape and has solid cedar over solid flamed claro (black) walnut. Considering the owner's extremely low tuning, it sounds lush and full with a good top-end jangle that suits its being a 12-string. I'm surprised at how much bass that's actually pulled from the body.

Its owner wanted it strung for standard intervals but tuned to G below normal E tuning and a "double-up" octave on the low string. That means the lowest string is just a step and half up from the low E on a bass. Boom! This made figuring the saddle compensation for the new bridge a little difficult, but I'm really happy with the result.

Repairs included: new replacement bridge install, new compensated bone saddle, restring, lots of setup, new K&K Twin Spot pickup replacing a Fishman undersaddle.

Made by: Gabriel Ochoteco

Model: Baritone 12

Made in: Australia

Serial number: N/A

Top wood: solid cedar

Back & sides wood: solid flamed walnut

Bracing type: x, laminated bracing

Bridge: ebony

Fretboard: ebony

Neck wood: mahogany

Tone: lush, boomy, clean top-end

Suitable for: rock, country-blues, Tejano, modern, folk