Here's a website that has some interesting stuff, including an interview with Pete Comita (never heard of him until this thread!), pictures of lots of 12-strings, and an interesting article on the creation of the 12-string bass...
http://12stringbass.net/ I wrote that article about the creation of the 12-string bass this spring. I knew it would be controversial, in fact I expected some hate mail because of it. Interestingly, nothing happened, not so much as a squeak from anybody. Perhaps that was because Hamer had already connected the 12 to the tiple in their 2007 catalogue in their description of the B12L.
I still don't think the whole story has been told and I'm convinced that the key to finally sorting everything out lies with Rick Nielsen. I would LOVE to be able to sit down with Rick some time and talk guitars. It's possible that the idea for the first 12-string bass came entirely from Rick.
The reason I posted my original question about the Alembic 8-string is that I wondered if it might have been involved in this whole situation somehow. I also find it interesting that Petersson continued to play it for two years after he had 12-string basses available to him.
As an aside, I'm a big Rickenbacker fan too, I played them exclusively for 20 years until I discovered the 12-string. Here's a photo of my fretless 8-string Rick bass in the silver finish (which thanks to the aging of the lacquer is now turning light green). It was custom made for me in 1987. It has the bound body and neck just like the standard 4003 series, as well as the stereo electronics. I easily logged over 600 gigs with it.
