Double neck options

[thebigz]

I just read about Jayster's new double neck, and he's got me gassing.

So I'm wondering about double necks in general - what is the general use for the 12 string neck (that seems to be the most common)? I'm thinking that if I do get one, I'll want to put a piezo in it to get a real nice acoustic sound. How do they sound with distortion?

Also, how big of a job is it to put a piezo in? I'm looking at maybe one of the epiphone SG double necks, so I'd already be doing pickup work throwing a JB/JB set in the 6 string side, so I can do pickup stuff, but I've never dealt with a piezo on any level.

[SEEGERMANY]

Here's a pic of my 1982 Gibson. I normally keep .008s on the upper 12-string tuned to standard 440 tuning. If I change to .009s, I usually tune down half step to relieve tension on the neck.

On the bottom 6-gun, I string it with .010s which seem to compliment the warmest humbuckers I've ever had the pleasure of owning.

I normally use my 12-string for rhythm work with the occasional single note accents from time to time. It's great for Bon Jovi, Heart, and even a Zep or two tunes. Imagine that! If you keep it clean, you can run it through a BOSS Acoustic Simulator with pretty fair results.

A good doubleneck can provide you a wealth of tones and if you've got the chops, they can be a real crowd pleaser. Just ask chaps like Lifeson, Page, Hannon, Slash, Mustaine, Emmet, Schenker, etc, etc.

[SEEGERMANY]

Being old, I sometimes grasp for words that just seem to want to escape my vocabulary. However, after a second cup of coffee, the word "TEXTURE" popped into my decaying brain matter.

I use my Gibson to supply texture to a song. Matter of fact, this guitar has spent lots of time in the studio adding texture and depth to arrangements. On stage, it gives a guitarist the ability to add rich, deep enhancements to just about any style of music.

[Newc]

Good luck finding a 12-string piezo saddle.

Your best bet would be to get 3 or 4 Barcus-Berry DISQOUS transducers and finding the best places on the body to mount them. It might not look all that pretty having big black dots and wires running across your guitar, but you'll get a far better tone than using a piezo TOM.

[hippietim]

Don't put piezo's on it. Get some TV Jones TV'Trons. I have those in my electric twelve string and it has the sound of the gods with a nice clean setting.

My band decided to pickup Wish You Were Here - so the other day at rehearsal we tried it for the first time and rather than grabbing an acoustic I played my electric twelve and their jaws all dropped. It sounds fucking fantastic.

[thebigz]

Well they had 2 Epiphones at GC, so I gave them a spin. 12 string with heavy distortion sounds awesome! Playing things like Aces High sound so full!

I would be totally gassing for one now, but I can't live with it only being 20 frets. I looked around on ebay and found this. Cheap guitar, anyone know much about Galveston guitars and if this is worth the money? I wish it had the Jackson-type bolt on neck so I could replace one with a better neck. As it is, I know nothing about Ibanez necks or anything, which is what this seems to use.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Double-Neck-6-String-12-String-Electric-Guitar-V_W0QQitemZ350088560659QQihZ022QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Spivonious]

I made my own piezo bridge once. Took an old Yamaha 120SD (had a fixed bridge that looked like a Fender trem but was string-thru) and bought a piezo speaker at Radio Shack for about $10. Had to break the actual piezo unit out of its plastic casing, but after hooking it up to the output jack and putting everything back together it sounded pretty good. Just really, really quiet. I guess they need some sort of preamp to be of any use.

[skorb]

As it is, I know nothing about Ibanez necks or anything, which is what this seems to use.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Double-Neck-6-St...QQcmdZViewItem

chinese junk, dude. you can do better.

the epiphone 1275 is better than this.

[thebigz]

Hmmmm, thats what I was afraid of.

With full CNC access, I could make a pretty decent one myself, wouldn't you think? I would just need to find the necks...

[wanthairspray]

I made my own piezo bridge once. Took an old Yamaha 120SD (had a fixed bridge that looked like a Fender trem but was string-thru) and bought a piezo speaker at Radio Shack for about $10. Had to break the actual piezo unit out of its plastic casing, but after hooking it up to the output jack and putting everything back together it sounded pretty good. Just really, really quiet. I guess they need some sort of preamp to be of any use.

Yeah, you can make your own piezo equipped guitar for about $2 or less. A preamp is needed as you said. But you can make one cheap too.

http://www.scotthelmke.com/Mint-box-buffer.html

On the original topic, I am still working on a project doubleneck, hoping to do a "Fuze" and have fretless/fretted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuQ3kHntqVU

[ejpii]

I picked up a Dean Hardtail doubleneck. I like it alot. Sorry I don't have pics at this time to show it off though.

EJ

[thetroy]

Agile has a couple of doublenecks that you might consider for like $600 with case at rondomusic.com

They are Korean so a step above the Galveston

[Dave L]

Is the Yo-Kramer doubleneck discontinued? Otherwise it might be worth a look.

[pro-fusion]

I'd go for the Agile doubleneck also. Their build quality is a cut above Epiphone etc., and they aren't made of "mystery wood."

BTW, Jimmy Page and Alex Lifeson did all kinds of cool stuff with 12-strings and a distorted amp. Check out the song "The Song Remains the Same" for just one example. I always wondered how such a spindly little guy like Page managed to stay upright while wearing that Gibson 1275. My old 1275 weighed a ton.

John McLaughlin also used a 1275 in Mahavishnu Orchestra, but I'm not sure he used it with distortion...though even his clean tones on the first two MO albums are pretty husky.

I want an electric 12-string, but since I'm studio-only these days, I don't need another chiropractor's special...

[Aaronharmon]

I run a piezo through distortion all the time, sounds great.