Guitzilla

I have always had an interest in playing the guitar with the "2-hand-tapping" method, in which you tap on the neck of the instrument instead of using a pick.

I saw this Danelectro doubleneck in a store, and knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do with it...so I bought it. It has one neck like a standard guitar, and an additional baritone neck that is tuned lower, more like a bass. (I tune it down to A, if you're wondering.)

This guitar lets me play BOTH guitars at once, tapping with each hand on each of the two necks. Since one is tuned lower, you get a wider range of notes to choose from, and it allows you to play bass parts and guitar parts at the same time.

I re-wired the guitar(s) with stereo output, so that each guitar puts out a separate signal, so I can run the guitar through various effects without changing the sound of the baritone. Each guitar has its own volume/tone and pickup selection controls. I also added a toggle switch for an optional mono (blended) mode for playing the guitar through a single-channel amp when necessary.

Then comes the best part: I added a Roland GK-2A guitar synthesizer pickup to the standard-tuned guitar, so I can hook it up to my Roland GR-1 guitar synth. A guitar synth allows you to play your guitar, but you hear synthesizer sounds like pianos, strings, organs, etc.

LISTEN!

Click here to listen to a rough piece I am working on with this wonderful new instrument. This piece of music is played LIVE. No overdubs, no multiple tracks. It's not perfectly played, but it'll give you an idea of what I'm trying to do with this thing. I am certainly going to spend a lot of time exploring this guitar, and I hope to feature it a lot on the next "Flying Makely Brothers" CD we are working on.