# What's the deal with... double guitars? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 29, 2003, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123 "2003-06-29T09:41:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Juggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/juggler/32/3194_2.png) [@Juggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juggler)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123/1 "2003-06-29T09:41:39Z")
Weee finally one of these “OP eaten by hamsters”. I can cross that of my list of things to see. Still have that Mount Everest though. And I have no idea what the deal with double guitars is. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123/2 "2003-06-29T11:23:13Z")
I assume you mean a doubleneck guitar like Jimmy Page used with Led Zeppelin. the deal is a) they’re heavy b) they look cool c) they may afford you some variety without having to switch off guitars in the middle of a song d) the most popular configurations seem to be guitar/12-string guitar, guitar/bass e) Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick has a monstrous custom Hamer with 5 necks. There’s a standard six-string, a 12-string, a six-string with a whammy bar, a fretless neck, and I can remember what #5 is. ---
**Author:** ![RawkStah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@RawkStah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RawkStah)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123/3 "2003-06-29T11:45:21Z")
That custom is totally functional? I thought it was a joke, kind of like an amp that goes to 11… But, yeah, they look damned cool. 'Specially Junior Brown’s half-standard half-pedal steel. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123/4 "2003-06-29T13:09:58Z")
Aw, you beat me to it. I was just going to give a big plug for **Junior Brown**. His “Guit-Steel” might be a gimmick in the hands of a lesser musician. But it’s what he needs to play his music. I’ve seen him live a number of times, and watching him play is like watching a juggler. He plays lead on both instruments and sings lead at the same time! I’m always amazed at how much he can keep going at one time. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123/5 "2003-06-29T13:34:41Z")
One very practical benefit (which I know pedal and lap steel players make use of a lot): you can tune the different necks to different tunings. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123/6 "2003-06-29T14:18:39Z")
Pictures of [The 5-neck](http://www.newspapertaxi.net/pages/ntReview.asp?reviewID=75) and [Another one?](http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=artistdetail&id=36)–follow the “CLICK HERE” link on this one to see yet another 5-neck and more. Also, here are [Junior’s Guit-Steel and Steve Vai’s 3-neck (heart shaped)](http://www.graceandfury.com/customshop.htm) and others. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123/7 "2003-06-29T17:16:11Z")
The deal with two lead guitars is simply to frustrate all of us air guitarists in the audience who can’t figure out which one to strum to. I know that’s not what the OP meant, but it’s a long-standing pet peeve of mine that I had to get out. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123/8 "2003-06-29T19:25:47Z")
How appropriate that the thread about double guitars was actually a triple post! ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123/9 "2003-07-02T01:49:42Z")
“You know those guitars that are, like, _double_ guitars?” –Otto (approved!) ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-double-guitars/185123/10 "2003-07-02T02:36:30Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by 11811 \* **I assume you mean a doubleneck guitar like Jimmy Page used with Led Zeppelin.** When I saw the thread’s title, I INSTANTLY thought of Page. Now that was how one should play a guitar, yes? [Hijack] Has anyone seen/purchased the new Led Zep DVD? I’ve heard glowing reviews, and can’t believe I haven’t obtained it yet… [/End of hijack]