Most Probably the Only One Ever Made…

1971 Gibson EMS-1275 (Eight String Mandolin + Six String Guitar).

This custom-built double-neck (conventional six-string neck in the lower position combined with an eight-string mandolin neck) weighs just 9.50 lbs. The conventional guitar neck has a nut width of 1/58 inches and a standard Gibson scale length of 24 3/4 inches; the mandolin neck has a nut width of just under 1 1/4 inches and a short scale length of 14 inches. Neither neck has a 'volute' and neither neck has "Made in USA" stamped on the back of the headstock. Solid mahogany body with beveled edge (16 1/2 inches wide and 1 3/8 inches deep), two one-piece mahogany necks, and bound rosewood fretboards. The conventional guitar neck with 20 jumbo frets and inlaid pearl split-parallelogram position markers; the mandolin neck with 24 thin frets and inlaid pearl dot position markers. Each headstock with inlaid pearl "Gibson" logo and two-layer (black on white) truss-rod cover with "Custom" engraved in white. Serial number "688117" impressed into the back of the headstock of the conventional guitar. The guitar neck with individual two-line Gibson Deluxe tuners with double-ring tulip-shaped Keystone plastic buttons, the mandolin neck with open back Waverley 'strip-tuners' with circular keystone buttons. Three patent-number humbucker pickups (all with rectangular black labels with "Patent No. 2,737,842" on the underside and black plastic rings) and with outputs of 7.55k and 7.61k on the conventional guitar and an output of 7.66k on the mandolin. All three pickup covers with "Gibson" stamped on the top. The black plastic pickup rings are stamped on the underside "M8-788 / 70 595", "M8-593 / 70 596" and "M8-788 / 70 595" respectively. The potentiometers are all stamped "137 6514" (CTS April 1965). Two five-layer (black/white/black/white/black) plastic pickguards with bevelled edges, the guitar side with six screws and the middle with seven screws. Four controls, one volume and one tone for the conventional guitar and one volume and one tone for the mandolin, plus a three-way pickup selector switch for the conventional guitar in the center of the body and a three-way neck selector switch on the treble horn of the pickguard of the conventional guitar. Black plastic 'witch-hat' knobs with white markings and metal tops. The conventional guitar with a Gibson ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic retainer bridge with metal saddles, the Mandolin with an ebony 'bar' bridge. Both the guitar and the mandolin with screwed-on non-adjustable bar tailpieces (with three screws on the guitar and two screws on the mandolin). The original strap buttons are positioned on the heel of the mandolin neck and on the lower edge. The mahogany sunburst finish is as new without a hint of any fading. There are a few tiny surface marks on the lower edge of the body and one tiny surface chip on the upper edge, otherwise this incredibly rare instrument is in is in mint as new (9.50) condition. Housed in the original Gibson black rectangular hardshell case with orange plush lining (9.25). The original receipt dated "10-5-71" is included.

According to Larry Meiners's Gibson Shipment Totals 1937-1979 (p. 20), only seventeen EMS-1235s (Octavo 6 + 6-String) were shipped between 1962 and 1967- and not one of these had an eight string mandolin neck. There are no records of any double-neck guitars being shipped between 1968 and 1973 but obviously some were produced. This incredibly rare instrument has with it the original hand written receipt from Suneson's Music Center in Minnesota. The receipt is dated "10-5-71" and states "1 Gibson Dbl. Neck Guitar & Case $1,020 + tax $30.60 = $1,050.60 Factory Special Order".

We have seen one other 'SG' shape Gibson double-neck with an eight string mandolin - that instrument was serial # "307623". That guitar, with a cherry finish, was shipped in 1965 and had a tune-omatic bridge for both necks. We sold that guitar in June 2006. There is another EMS-1235 (six-string + eight string mandolin) that is owned by Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick and is featured in Bill Rich's book Guitars of the Stars - Volume 1 - Rick Nielsen (p.73). That guitar has the original Gibson 'hollow' doubleneck body and has a similar bridge on the mandolin to our guitar. As far as we know only one other SG shaped EM-1235 was shipped - but on that guitar, the other neck was a four string 'tenor'. That instrument (again unrecorded by Meiners) was shipped in 1966, had a cherry finish, ebony fretboards, and gold hardware. The instrument was listed by Elderly Instruments in their April 2009 catalog for $13,500.

"The first Gibson double necks were built in Spring 1957 and later in the year a Double 12 and a Double Mandolin were displayed at the July 1957 NAMM convention in Chicago. Both models featured a conventional 6-string neck in the lower position combined with a 12-string neck on the Double 12, and with a short scale 6-string neck tuned an octave higher on the so-called Double Mandolin (a real misnomer!). The enlarged body was of the double cutaway type with sharp Florentine horns and at a distance it could be mistaken for a solid body owing to the absence of f-holes. The early double necks are primarily characterized by their unique hollowed-out body construction featuring of a carved spruce top without f-holes. For additional weight saving, the body depth was kept to 1 7/8" at the rim and, regardless of other appointments, this feature qualifies them as thinlines. The interest generated at the show was sufficient to convince CMI and Gibson to include them in the line, albeit on a custom-order basis only and not as standard production items. The Double 12 (later known as the EDS-1275) and the Double Mandolin (known as the EMS-1235) were first described in the November 1957 issue of the Gazette and subsequently displayed in the 1958 catalog. At respectively $475.00 and $435.00 the two models were in the same price range as the ES-5 Switchmaster, but cost significantly less than a Super 400CES, a L-5CES or even a Byrdland. They were available in a choice of three finishes: sunburst, solid white and solid black" (A.R. Duchossoir, Gibson Electrics -- The Classic Years, p. 83).

"At the end of 1962 the original thinline double necks were phased out and superseded by solid bodies patterned after the ultra-thin SG design pioneered on Les Paul guitars. Notwithstanding the change in body style, double necks continued to be built to custom order only and few were shipped during the 60s before being (temporarily) withdrawn from the Gibson catalog" (A.R. Duchossoir, Gibson Electrics -- The Classic Years, p. 196).

"On the SG-styled double necks, and unlike the thinline models, the two necks share the same individual volume and tone controls and pickup selector switch…Notwithstanding the change of body style, double necks remained built to custom order only. Mid-60s catalogs indicate that they dould be ordered with 'your own choice of double neck equipment'. In other words, any neck combination was possible" (A.R. Duchossoir, Gibson Electrics -- The Classic Years, p. 196).

From the 1963 Gibson Guitar and Bass Catalogue (p. 15): "These fine products of the Gibson custom department offer the unique crafting and individual attention which is found only in custom-built instruments. Gibson's custom department has long been famous for the special models built to the individual specification of top artists in all phases of the music business. Whatever they sought in a guitar, the Gibson custom department was able to achieve it. This same special treatment is given to the double electric guitars because they are in reality all custom-built instruments. Each receiving that special individual treatment…The Double Mandolin combines a six-string guitar with a mandolin to give you a unique character…a special tone to command attention. Two slim, fast, low-action necks of one-piece mahogany, Rosewood fingerboards and pearl inlays. Adjustable Tune-O-Matic bride on guitar neck. Special combination, adjustable bridge on mandolin neck wth rosewood base and nickel-plated saddle. Twin humbucking pickups with separate tone and volume controls for each neck. Toggle switch to activate either or both pickups. Neck selector switch to activate either neck" (at http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/gib63p15.php).