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Thread: Gibson doubleneck

  1. #1

    Default Gibson doubleneck

    No one has visited this neck of the Cafe for a while but still seems like the appropriate place.
    I watched "The Last Waltz" for the first time in forever last night and Robbie R. was playing what I would guess was a '50's doubleneck Gibson, 8 string mando on top and 6 string electric on bottom. Anyone know anything about this? It really got my MAS riled up although I assume it would be very rare and stratospheric in $.

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Gibson started producing double neck instruments in 1958 in several configurations. The early ones bring very high prices. The later ones with SG style bodies, which were made in the 1960's are more common, but still quite expensive. Various re-issue models have been made from time to time since the 1970's, and are less valuable.

    There's probably a website for Gibson double necks somewhere.

  4. #3

    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    '61 EMS 1235.
    Post first Google second.

  5. #4

    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    The Gibson Story book has a picture of one that is probably later which has SG appointments.

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    Registered User jefflester's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Quote Originally Posted by rcc56 View Post
    There's probably a website for Gibson double necks somewhere.
    https://www.abalonevintage.com/gibso...lowbody_sg.htm

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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZRA1M5TlSk

    Cool, though rather guitar centric playing.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  9. #7

    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Now that I heard the mandolin I'm not as enthused.
    But they're not as rare as you might think.

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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Oy, cringeworthy demonstration by doofus with obligatory backwards ball cap. Demonstrations of electric guitars don't try to play Doc Watson fiddle tunes on them, typically just piling on overdrive and effects. But this mandolin demo is just annoying banging away with no style or taste.

    That said, the drawbacks of the mandolin side are an overlarge humbucker, and poor placement of same. And a non-compensated bridge, not even a Tune-o-matic. Gibson going cheap on this one.

    BTW, on the doubleneck page linked above, there are four with a mandolin neck. Many smaller necks appear to be soprano guitar, only six pegs.
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Wright View Post
    Oy, cringeworthy demonstration by doofus with obligatory backwards ball cap. Demonstrations of electric guitars don't try to play Doc Watson fiddle tunes on them, typically just piling on overdrive and effects. But this mandolin demo is just annoying banging away with no style or taste.
    .
    He is not nobody. No, he is not mandocentric or oriented towards "our" music at all. He is, however, an amazing and accomplished rock guitar player. And very conversant in the history of rock guitar. He replaced Richie Sambora in Bon Jovi. And yea, as a rocker I think it is mandatory to be a bit of a doofus. That part I will give you.

    But I could not find other examples where both necks were played.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  13. #10
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    But I could not find other examples where both necks were played.


    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Wright View Post
    BTW, on the doubleneck page linked above, there are four with a mandolin neck. Many smaller necks appear to be soprano guitar, only six pegs.

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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    That is a good couple of videos!
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  15. #12
    Registered User mandolinstew's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    John Paul Jones has a triple neck.(not Gibson)

  16. #13
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    One of the stranger things that I have seen was at a Hot Tuna concert during the mid 1970's. Jorma Kaukonen played the whole set on a doubleneck made from a Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson SG. It was probably cobbled together by someone in the SF bay area. But he only used the Strat half. He may have abandoned that instrument before the end of the tour.

    Quite a folks were using doublenecks back then. Most of them gave them up before too long. They're awfully hard on the back.

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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Hilburn View Post
    I watched "The Last Waltz" for the first time in forever last night and Robbie R. was playing what I would guess was a '50's doubleneck Gibson, 8 string mando on top and 6 string electric on bottom.
    I don't know if it's good or bad news that I still know, umpty-leven years since the last time I watched this, THE best concert film of all time (sorry, "Stop Making Sense"), that I know exactly which song that is. The good news is seeing that instrument, the first time I'd ever seen such a remarkable creation of luthiery. The bad news is Robbie never plays the mandolin neck! And I will bet dollars to donuts that is why I remember which song it was. Beyond it being one of my favorite Band songs, there's that double-edged sword of amazement and frustration, a double-whammy of astonishment. I mean, why pull that gorgeous geetar out on stage if ya ain't gonna do the do? Are ya just showing off? (He kind of was; throughout the movie there are bits where he's ego-tripping. Maybe being roomies with the director meant he thought he could do that.) Lawdy, I wanted to hear that mandolin neck. Does Robbie play mandolin? Seems Levon was the man in the band for the mandolin. Anyway, I felt gypped by this double-neck double-cross. Though I've learned to live with it. Sort of.

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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Quote Originally Posted by mandolinstew View Post
    John Paul Jones has a triple neck.(not Gibson)
    Yes - mandolin, 12-string guitar, 6-string guitar. Why it isn't mandolin, guitar, bass I don't know.



    Here are some pics, front and back. Note his rune on the back. Also, Jimmy Page has his own, same configuration.

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    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  19. #16

    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    My fantasy instrument is a pre-war D-28 with a hole cut in the shoulder the size of a mandolin and a Loar stuffed into it with the lower F-hole in the soundbox of the guitar. It's all held together with carriage bolts and wingnuts. Of course there would be felt padding between the mandolin and guitar. I'm not crazy.

  20. #17
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    No, of course not. If there were no felt padding - now, that would be crazy!
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

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  22. #18

    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Maybe a couple of Alvarez's

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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Anyone else here remember the Collins Kids from late-fifties TV? Here's a cut with Larry Collins. I don't think we ever saw him play on the upper neck though.


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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    One of the more interesting, and difficult jobs I ever had, was the restoration of what was probably Gibson's first doubleneck guitar: The "Jack Penewell Twin Six."

    It was a modified 1930's Roy Smeck acoustic body in maple, with 2 six string Hawaiian necks. It looked pretty good on the outside, but internally, it was a mess. It was made for Jack Penewell, an early Gibson dealer/agent and a popular performer of the era.

    Here's a link to the instrument: http://www.frettedamericana.com/prod...on-double-neck
    And no, I do not own the instrument, nor is it for sale.

    Enjoy.
    Last edited by rcc56; Apr-25-2021 at 6:59pm.

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  26. #21

    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    I do like that Gibson mando/6 string. Would be great to have them take a run at improving the design with modern pickup tech.

    I like doubles and confess to owning one. It's like a swiss-army-knife as I can switch the necks up. It's been a 12/6 then a 12/baritone then a 12/bass6 and now a 6/bass6.

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  28. #22
    Registered User bbcee's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    I was speaking with these guys about whether they could modify the guitar half of the kit to be a shorter-scale tenor guitar. Strangely, they said no and I decided life could involve totally modding the kit, but maybe the time would be better spent becoming a decent mandolin player. Nice kits, though.

  29. #23
    Mandogenerator Mike Black's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    John Paul Jones has the most amazing Triple neck - Mandolin - Octave mandolin (or Mandola) and 8 string Bass, made by the amazing Andy Manson.

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  30. #24

    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    Quote Originally Posted by bbcee View Post
    I was speaking with these guys about whether they could modify the guitar half of the kit to be a shorter-scale tenor guitar. Strangely, they said no and I decided life could involve totally modding the kit, but maybe the time would be better spent becoming a decent mandolin player. Nice kits, though.
    Eastwood did a couple mando double-necks through their crowd funding. There was this Warren Ellis 4-string mandolin and tenor:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    An 8-string mando and tenor would have had more appeal to me. An interchangeable tenor/guitar neck would be added bonus.

    And they did a Tele with a mando attached to the upper horn, which made a bit more sense:

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    During crowdfunding they were ambiguous as to what the final look would be - Warren Ellis headstocks on both necks or the mish-mash showed in their prototype. Looks like they did the mish-mash, which isn't to my liking.
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  31. #25
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    Default Re: Gibson doubleneck

    wow - I so totally want that '65 EMS 1235. And I've never been a fan of the SG shape (on bass either, which I also play). But that thing is killer, and as the guy says, it's actually a pretty practical instrument the way it's put together.
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