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Doubleneck question

#21
Deleted member 264575 said:
I'm currently looking for a Doubleneck (4 or 5 string / 8 or 12 string). I've pretty much run out of searches, so I thought as a last gasp effort, I'd ask here. Anyone know of any manufacturers that may have produced one?

To save time, this is what I already know;
1. I know Rickenbacker made a 4080-12, but I don't feel like waiting 100 years and paying $30K to get one, lol.
2. I know Carparelli made them. I am keeping my eyes out for one.
3. I know there are Chinese copies of the 4080-12 (and other DNs) made, but I don't care for the Chinese DNs I've seen.
4. I know it will weigh a ton. I'm OK with that.
5. I know it will have limited use. I'm OK with that.
6. I know I can get a custom axe made by a luthier. That will be my choice, if I can't find a used one.
7. I know that most people don't care for Doubles. I'm OK with that. <---[EDITed from 'most people think they're stupid'. :oops:]

If anyone has any useful suggestions, I'd really appreciate it.

Cheers,
Neal.
Click to expand...
I have searched for 4080's and have done some bidding on a few...typically they go from 6-10 K and the conditions have been questionable.
I am having mine made by a luthier who is pretty much one of the best Rickenbacker guys around and it has been less than any 4080 I have ever bid on. I had specific requirements that you would never be able to get on a stock 4080 , a major one is the guitar neck being on top. I also wanted one similar to Mike Rutherford's (I am in a Genesis Tribute Band) and needed the 12 string. Mikes was originally made by cutting a 4001 and a 360/12 in half and putting them together (thats why his has the original slash sound hole and separate controls for the guitar).
I sent a 4001 body down to him and he did all the work building the guitar part from scratch. Mine has neck thru body design, which the 4080 doesn't have . A 4080 has bolt on necks. The beauty of having it made is you can do what you want ...I had Ebony boards done over the bubinga, Hipshot bridge over the stock...I really don't care what the Rickenbacker purist's say , I want it functional for me and according to MY likes , not an Exact Rickenbacker copy that would be less than ideal for me. It will be roughly 14 lbs.
I am going to post the whole build on my own thread here when it is finished ,which should be before Christmas. Meanwhile I'll post a pic of the stage it is in at this point.
DN3.jpg
dnp2.jpg
 
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#23
Walfretless5 said:
I have searched for 4080's and have done some bidding on a few...typically they go from 6-10 K and the conditions have been questionable.
I am having mine made by a luthier who is pretty much one of the best Rickenbacker guys around and it has been less than any 4080 I have ever bid on. I had specific requirements that you would never be able to get on a stock 4080 , a major one is the guitar neck being on top. I also wanted one similar to Mike Rutherford's (I am in a Genesis Tribute Band) and needed the 12 string. Mikes was originally made by cutting a 4001 and a 360/12 in half and putting them together (thats why his has the original slash sound hole and separate controls for the guitar).
I sent a 4001 body down to him and he did all the work building the guitar part from scratch. Mine has neck thru body design, which the 4080 doesn't have . A 4080 has bolt on necks. The beauty of having it made is you can do what you want ...I had Ebony boards done over the bubinga, Hipshot bridge over the stock...I really don't care what the Rickenbacker purist's say , I want it functional for me and according to MY likes , not an Exact Rickenbacker copy that would be less than ideal for me. It will be roughly 14 lbs.
I am going to post the whole build on my own thread here when it is finished ,which should be before Christmas. Meanwhile I'll post a pic of the stage it is in at this point.View attachment 513244View attachment 513245
Click to expand...

That is GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!

And a Genesis tribute band... very cooooollll!
 
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#30
lz4005 said:
I played one similar to that once. The back of my hand hit the guitar tuners when I was playing the bass at the first three frets. Not good.
Click to expand...
Yeah. I play bass on stage but double on guitar in the studio and have long had one eye open for a bass+guitar double neck, but it struck me early on that, unless it's headless, you'd want the bass neck on the bottom to avoid that kind of problem.
 
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#31
Sid Fang said:
Yeah. I play bass on stage but double on guitar in the studio and have long had one eye open for a bass+guitar double neck, but it struck me early on that, unless it's headless, you'd want the bass neck on the bottom to avoid that kind of problem.
Click to expand...

A lefty headstock on the guitar can also solve that problem. Or like I was talking about earlier, non-parallel necks.

The worst one I ever played was at NAMM one year, and I forget who made it, but the necks were so close I literally couldn't get my hand in between the two to use the upper neck. It was terrible.
 
#34
image.jpg
I would recommend getting an m brace as in this picture below. They are cheaply made but can allow you to put a 8 string or fretless on a stand while you wear your fretted 4 or 5. Its a great idea because it saves your back. Double neck basses are normally super heavy. And its cool because you can swap out different basses on it where with a doubleneck you pretty much stuck with what it is.

The carvin doubleneck picture above is actually a kit bass made out of parts purchased from carvin. It's not mine but if i really wanted a doubleneck that's probably the route of go as you can buy a (mostly) pre cut body, two neck through necks, and a blank body for the space between the two necks. Not a tone of skill involved to pull it off. Some wood work and glueing the average handyman can pull off. Applying a finish is probably where i would screw it up though
image.jpg
 
#36
That Warmoth P/Strat body looks cool, and being a warmoth, you could get it routed for any pickups you want to make it sound however you want. They also make 12 string necks...
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There are a lot of pretty great neck options that would work with that body style, you could put together a really cool double neck from them.
 
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#37
Walfretless5 said:
...I had specific requirements that you would never be able to get on a stock 4080 , a major one is the guitar neck being on top.
Click to expand...
lz4005 said:
...The back of my hand hit the guitar tuners when I was playing the bass at the first three frets. Not good.
Click to expand...
Sid Fang said:
... but it struck me early on that, unless it's headless, you'd want the bass neck on the bottom to avoid that kind of problem.
Click to expand...
I totally disagreed with you guys and wanted the bass on top, 12 on bottom. So, I put on my Ric and did some measuring/imagining and what to my surprise, you're all correct. I was wrong. I didn't think the 12 string keys would come anywhere close to my fingers when playing the bass, but I'm almost certain now that they will. Of course *slaps forehead*...the bass always goes on the bottom...duh. Thank you for saving my back-bacon on that one. I almost put a whammy on the whole thing!

Cheers,
Neal.
 
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#38
Deleted member 264575 said:
I totally disagreed with you guys and wanted the bass on top, 12 on bottom. So, I put on my Ric and did some measuring/imagining and what to my surprise, you're all correct. I was wrong. I didn't think the 12 string keys would come anywhere close to my fingers when playing the bass, but I'm almost certain now that they will. Of course *slaps forehead*...the bass always goes on the bottom...duh. Thank you for saving my back-bacon on that one. I almost put a whammy on the whole thing!

Cheers,
Neal.
Click to expand...
or if you'd like, you can go headless. the steinberger spirit line had a double-neck. you'll see a few pop up from time to time. when i have the time and funds, was planning to do a custom build based on the spirit double-neck. was gonna take the neck and hardware from a xq-2 fiver and the neck and hardware from a steiny guitar and slap them on a chambered alder or mahogany body with a quilt maple top. nice and light.
 
#39
Deleted member 264575 said:
I totally disagreed with you guys and wanted the bass on top, 12 on bottom. So, I put on my Ric and did some measuring/imagining and what to my surprise, you're all correct. I was wrong. I didn't think the 12 string keys would come anywhere close to my fingers when playing the bass, but I'm almost certain now that they will. Of course *slaps forehead*...the bass always goes on the bottom...duh. Thank you for saving my back-bacon on that one. I almost put a whammy on the whole thing!

Cheers,
Neal.
Click to expand...

b472e0df-d4fc-4ed3-b4aa-bc35461718dd.JPG


Ironically ALL Rickenbacker 4080's had the bass on the top....The only one that I knew of with the guitar on top was the Rutherford and that was because HE had it made that way from two existing guitars. I may be wrong and if I am , someone please post a picture of a stock 4080 with guitar on top. All of Geddy Lee's to my knowledge were stock 4080's with guitar on the bottom.
 
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#40
Walfretless5 said:
View attachment 513706

Ironically ALL Rickenbacker 4080's had the bass on the top....The only one that I knew of with the guitar on top was the Rutherford and that was because HE had it made that way from two existing guitars. I may be wrong and if I am , someone please post a picture of a stock 4080 with guitar on top. All of Geddy Lee's to my knowledge were stock 4080's with guitar on the bottom.
Click to expand...

No, you're right. I think this has been discussed earlier in the thread.
 

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