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Double Necks - Any advice?
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  1. #1
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    Default Double Necks - Any advice?

    I'm jonesing for a 6/12 double neck. I'm leery of the cheap Korean models, but I don't want to spring for a $5000 Ernie Ball. I've priced all the components from Warmoth ($1500ish without pickups), so building one may be a possibility.

    Anybody have experience with a double neck of any stripe? Any advice on what to watch out for (besides back pain)? Pickup combination suggestions? Control configuration and location ergonomics? Inquiring minds want to know...
    Q: How many guitars is enough?
    A: Just one more...

  2. #2
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    I remember a Fender type based on (I believe) a Tele style. Never played one.
    Guitars
    Wilburn Versatare, '52 FrankenTele(Fender licensed parts), Fender USA Roadhouse Strat, Fender USA Standard B-bender Telecaster, Agile AL 3000 w/ WCR pickups, Ibanez MIJ V300 Acoustic, Squier Precision Bass,
    Amps
    Ceriatone Overtone Special, Musicman 212 Sixty-Five, Fender Blues Jr., Peavey Classic 30, Fender Super Reverb, Traynor YCV-40 WR Anniversary w/ matching 1x12 ext. cab, Epiphone SoCal 50w head w/ matching 4x12 cab (Lady Luck speakers), Avatar 2x12 semi-open back cab w/ Celestion speakers
    Pedals
    Digitech Bad Monkey, Digitech Jamman, DVM's ZYS, Goodrich volume pedal

  3. #3
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    I did some snooping, it seems there are quite a few double necks out there, unless of course you're set on building one yourself. I'll pass the links along here if you're interested. Gibson and Epi are easier to find, and there was a Peavey (think Jeff Cook/Alabama sig model) on fleabay if you wanna have a look. As a side note, none of these will cost 5 grand (like the E.Ball you mention). Also listed is a '79 Ibanez Musician.
    I notice the Epi's vary from under a grand to around $1500 depending on where you look. Add a grand to the higher figure and you're into Gibson territory. Personally, for that much money, I would want to put my hands on the guitar and check the quality. If you build your own from Warmoth parts, of course, you can check the quality as you build, reject parts that don't meet your standards, and own your own personalized axe when you're done.
    I have no way of knowing the quality of any of these......... I merely listed them so you can check some options. Many people would not buy Ebay items, others won't buy from the mega-mart music stores, and you may not care for the brands here.........in any case..........
    I hope this helps.

    http://www.zzounds.com/item--EPIEGDC

    http://www.music123.com/Epiphone-Lim...66449.Music123

    http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...tar?sku=519395

    http://cgi.ebay.com/1980s-Hydra-Doub...temQQptZGuitar

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-EDS-1275-...3A1%7C294%3A50

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Custom-ED...3A1%7C294%3A50

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Ibanez-ST1300-Do...3A1%7C294%3A50
    Guitars
    Wilburn Versatare, '52 FrankenTele(Fender licensed parts), Fender USA Roadhouse Strat, Fender USA Standard B-bender Telecaster, Agile AL 3000 w/ WCR pickups, Ibanez MIJ V300 Acoustic, Squier Precision Bass,
    Amps
    Ceriatone Overtone Special, Musicman 212 Sixty-Five, Fender Blues Jr., Peavey Classic 30, Fender Super Reverb, Traynor YCV-40 WR Anniversary w/ matching 1x12 ext. cab, Epiphone SoCal 50w head w/ matching 4x12 cab (Lady Luck speakers), Avatar 2x12 semi-open back cab w/ Celestion speakers
    Pedals
    Digitech Bad Monkey, Digitech Jamman, DVM's ZYS, Goodrich volume pedal

  4. #4
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    There are also some cheaper ones - $499.99 to $550.00 at rondomusic.com

    Agile TC-630 Double White (6/12-string Tele like)

    Agile TC-630 Double Checker (6/12-string Tele like)

    They even have a $545.95 Lefty

    Agile Valkyrie Double Neck White Left Handed (6/12-string Agile SG like)

    I have no idea how good they are, but folks do like the other Agile guitars they have gotten via rondo.

    Gil
    Where ever you go, there you are

    a 1973 Léro Model 58 Dreadnought; a 1998 Ovation 1861 Standard Balladeer Natural; Taka - a 2005 Squier '51 Black
    Yume - a 2006 Squier Standard Strat Cherryburst; Houbi - a 2008 Fender VG Strat Blizzard Pearl won via fender.com

    Pedals: Home made board; Visual Sound 1 Spot Power; Danelectro Chicken Salad, Fab Chorus, Echo & Flange; DVM Phasers To STUN; EHX LPB-1; Fender PT-100 Tuner
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  5. #5
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    I like the Agile LP copy I bought off fleabay.
    I didn't include Agiles, however, and was even leery of including the Epiphone because of Fab4's remark "leery of the cheap Korean models" in his post.
    Having owned only one Agile, and no Epiphones, I included Epi's only, as they are the more expensive, generally acknowledged, popular brand.
    Last edited by oldguy; February 14th, 2009 at 06:52 AM.
    Guitars
    Wilburn Versatare, '52 FrankenTele(Fender licensed parts), Fender USA Roadhouse Strat, Fender USA Standard B-bender Telecaster, Agile AL 3000 w/ WCR pickups, Ibanez MIJ V300 Acoustic, Squier Precision Bass,
    Amps
    Ceriatone Overtone Special, Musicman 212 Sixty-Five, Fender Blues Jr., Peavey Classic 30, Fender Super Reverb, Traynor YCV-40 WR Anniversary w/ matching 1x12 ext. cab, Epiphone SoCal 50w head w/ matching 4x12 cab (Lady Luck speakers), Avatar 2x12 semi-open back cab w/ Celestion speakers
    Pedals
    Digitech Bad Monkey, Digitech Jamman, DVM's ZYS, Goodrich volume pedal

  6. #6
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    Thanks for the links. The Epi/Gibson SG-type designs are out of the running for me due to upper fret access issues, but I like the idea of a Tele-style double neck.

    I was able to try three double necks at a local guitar store today - a Dean Hardtail and two Earnie Ball Sillhouettes, a white one with a rosewood fingerboard like Steuart Smith plays on the Eagles Farewell I DVD and a black one with a maple fingerboard.

    The Dean lived down to my expectations. It felt nice enough, but the pickups were dull and uninspiring. My fear with the low-priced models is that you'll get two crappy guitars stuck together. I've been pleasantly surprised by "cheap" guitars in the past, but this wasn't one of those times...and at $800-900 used, the Dean isn't exactly cheap.

    The Earnie Ball guitars were a different story. Everything felt and sounded first class. They can be had for $3500 out the door...about what you might expect for two really, really GOOD guitars stuck together. I thought the maple neck version felt and sounded a little better. The maple 12-string neck was definitely easier to play, but that might have been a set up issue. A little trussrod tweak might bring the rosewood neck right up to par.

    One thing I was interested to try was the neck placement. The Dean had the 12-string neck on top, but the EBs had it on the bottom. Steuart Smith wears his guitars really high, so he asked for the six neck on top where it would be more comfortable for him.

    I kinda like that idea in theory, but in practice the low-side 12 put my fretting hand at an awkward angle for grabbing 12-string chords. Even something as simple as the lead line from "A Hard Day's Night" felt harder than it should be. It'd probably be something I could adjust to, but on a 12-string I need all the help I can get. It may be a deal breaker; ya don't want to drop $35 C-notes on a guitar ya don't love.

    The Warmoth DIY option may be the way to go. I'd be more excited about it if Warmoth's 12-string neck didn't have such a dorky headstock shape...and if they had 6-string and 12-string necks that complimented each other.

    What all that in mind, this eBay listing is intriguing:
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=170303221409

    But $750 for an unknown quantity with no return policy is JUST that much beyond what I'm willing to do. The search goes on...
    Q: How many guitars is enough?
    A: Just one more...

  7. #7
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    Danelectro Makes a double neck 6/12. I have never played one, but for 600 its not to pricey. Although I have played my friends single neck Dan and really liked it, hope that helps.

  8. #8
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    So here's what I ended up with:



    A Korean-made Dean Hardtail, one of a run of 200 produced a couple of years ago. I paid a little over $900 for it, which is actually what places like Sam Ash sold them for new. This one was used but virtually unplayed. It still has the protective plastic over the pickups and control plates.

    I dithered over two Ernie Balls for a long time, but ultimately I decided that I had to have the 12-string neck on top. Having it underneath, like on the EBs, just put my hand in too awkward a position. Since this was the only other double neck in town, I took it home.

    Some eBay stores have a blue Galveston that's made in the same factory and is essentially the same guitar, although it has 24 frets and a bit different body. It can be had in the $700 range, so it would have been my next choice. There's a lot to be said, though, for buying what you can play firsthand, and for shopping locally. If you have acces to great guitar stores like the independent ones in Denver, I think you should support them.

    So there it is. The 12-neck needs some intonation work (I'll have to flip the G-string saddle around), but otherwise the setup is first rate. The pickups could really stand an upgrade; they're pretty dark and compressed, but I knew that going in. It seems to be a Dean thing. I have a set of Gibson Classic '57s and a set of Burstbuckers laying around, so those may go in someday.

    Now...what songs should I learn? Hotel California, check...I Call Your Name...Suite Madam Blue...More Than A Feeling...No, not Stairway to Heaven, puhleeze... Any other suggestions?
    Q: How many guitars is enough?
    A: Just one more...

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