Gardiner Houlgate describes itself as “the specialist auctioneers” but even by its standards – selling antique clocks, electric guitars owned by the likes of Gary Moore – it has outdone itself for its forthcoming March auction. Forget six-strings, it’s selling a six-necked electric guitar. And of c ourse it is called The Beast.
As is its wont, the Wiltshire, England auction house has gathered some super-significant rarities among the 1,300 items going under the hammer.
There is the 2003 Squier Stratocaster that was used as a testing platform for the electric guitar pickups that would ultimately be deployed on Brian May’s BMG Super reproductions his iconic Red Special.
There is a 1978 Ibanez prototype that was built for Jeff Beck. Guitars once owned by Gordon Giltrap. Scott Gorham and Steve Diggle of Buzzcocks will be changing hands. But
what really grabs the eye for this four-day auction are the multi-neck custom guitars made by Gary Hutchins. There are two five-neck electrics, which you can see pictured above, as Gardiner Houlgate’s Luke Hobbs and Joby Hobbs make like Rick Nielsen with his 1981 Hamer. But when they bring the Hamer – sorry, the hammer down as the auction closes on 14 March, will they have sold a weirder guitar? Surely not.
As the lot description reads, even its maker was unsure whether a six-necked guitar was advisable. Who, indeed, has use for a guitar with a 12-string neck, a six-string with a Floyd Rose double-locking vibrato, a standard six-string, a four-string bass neck, a 7-string guitar neck with a Floyd Rose, and – what the hell – another six-string neck for good measure?
The Beast was previously on display at the V&A, in London, where it was featured in the Power Of Making exhibition in 2011.
“This fact is inscribed to the back of the guitar by Gary Hutchins with his signature,” reads the lot description. “The guitar also featured in an Art Works guitar exhibition as the centrepiece. Hutchins make boutique and retro guitars, often creating instruments that, by Gary’s own admission, ‘should never have been made.’”
If the thing that should not be, should be in your collection, bidding starts from £2,000. The Beast is finished in metallic red and ships in its original gig bag, which is good to know because that’s definitely a custom order, too.
As for the five-necks, one comes signed by Hutchins and assorted others – it was associated with Norman Cook. You get three six-string necks, a 12-string and a fretless six-string on that one (starting bid £2,500). There is a salmon pink version available two with a similar configuration. No autographs on this one. This welcomes bids from £800.
Of course, if you do agree with Hutchins’ nagging suspicions that, hmm, maybe, upon reflection who does need a five-neck guitar. It’s a bit ridiculous, right? Well there are some more sensible options available in the auction.
Maybe three necks will be more your speed; there is a Hutchins triple-neck that combines 12-string, six-string and five-string bass guitar necks on one metallic blue hybrid guitar, and it ships in the original gig bag.
You will have to source a spare bridge and nut to bring the 12-string neck online but that’s a good project for anyone crazy enough to want three necks. C’mon, who is crazy enough these days to play three necks? Well, we can certainly think of one man.
With bidding opening at £300, maybe the Squier Strat is a better bet. You could pick that up and bag yourself some super-rare pickups – BMG doesn’t sell them as spares. And for the Gibson enthusiast, there is a Heritage Series Moderne for sale, starting bid £5,000.
You can check out these crazy builds – and all the guitars up for auction – at Gardiner Houlgate. The four-day auction opens on 11 March, closes on the 14th.
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