Gibson Custom Shop EDS-1275 Double Neck Alpine White

A completely new and exciting instrument ... combines the conventional six-string guitar neck with a twelve-string neck' six strings double strung which can be tuned either in thirds or an octave apart for reinforced resonance and unusual tonal effects." ' Gibson catalog, circa 1962.

Of all the guitars introduced by Gibson in 1958, a key year in the development of Gibson as an indisputable force in electric solid body guitar design, the most talked-about models are still the innovative Explorer and the Flying V. Yet most people forget that 1958 was also the first year of the Gibson double neck guitar, which in its original incarnation was offered in two distinct models:

The Double 12, the forerunner to today's EDS-1275, had what would become the most conventional twin-neck combination: a 6-string neck and a 12-string neck. The more unusual Double Mandolin had two 6-string necks: one regular 6-string and one short scale length with its strings tuned an octave higher than a regular guitar, which was intended to reproduce the sound of a mandolin.

Undoubtedly, the two unique instruments were a sight to behold, but they offered the consummate stage guitarist two instruments in one for versatility and ease of playing. They were also produced on a "custom-built to order only" basis, making them rare finds in today's vintage guitar marketplace.