1958 Danelectro 3923 Double-Neck Electric Guitar/Bass

Above: new video of both guitar and bass sounds (2023)

Above: old video from 2020 (guitar and bass demo)

Above: old video from 2020 (bass demo)

Update October 2023: my pal Charlie is downsizing, so this guitar is back in here for resale. It arrived back exactly as it left and even in tune!

Imagine my surprise when this beaut landed on my doorstep, huh? A customer/consignor of mine has been buying-up all sorts of nice old gear, and this was in the mix.

A double-neck guitar/bass configuration always seems an oddity to me until you realize how practical it would be in a small-band setting if you're a player who has to switch roles -- or maybe there are songs where a low "tic-tac" bass melody would be more appropriate than cowboy-strumming. Either way, considering that at the time dedicated bass amps were few and far between and there was a definite love for larger (15") speakers in nicer off-brand guitar amps, one could see how a blend like this would fit right into the scene.

This one dates to the first year of production for this model and it's one of the cleanest old Danos I've ever handled -- thanks in no small part to the original hard case which has kept it fresh. Both necks had '60s-era strings on them and the action was alright when it arrived. However, it did need some fuss -- the original 3-way switch was bad (and so rewiring was in order -- the usual Dano on/of/on series-in-middle option doesn't make sense for this configuration) and it needed the usual setup-side work to play its best.

Post-work, I love the sound of both necks. The lipstick pickups have a clean, clear, rootsy, almost "acoustic" quality to them that's always lovely. The bass has a ton of presence and warmth, but lots of clarity, too. If you stick with the video you'll see me plug the bass side into my bass amp in the last 1/4 of the clip.

Repairs included: fret level/dress on each neck, proper compensation of the saddles at each bridge, setup, and rewiring to a Les Paul-style control layout inside -- a normal 3-way switch in parallel and tone/volume separated on the stacked controls for each pickup.

Setup notes: action is perfect and both necks are straight -- 1/16" overall height on the guitar neck and 3/32" to 1/16" bass-treble action on the bass neck. Strings are 46w-10 w/plain G on the guitar neck and extra-light 95w-35w on the bass neck. Even though it's short scale, the bass necks on old Danos still seem to like lighter gauges best.

Scale length: 25" guitar neck and 29 3/4" bass neck

Nut width: 1 5/8" both necks

String spacing at nut: 1 7/16" both necks

String spacing at bridge: 2 3/16" both necks

Body length: 17 1/2"

Lower bout width: 17 1/4"

Side depth at endpin: 1 5/8"

Top/back material: masonite

Middle material & bridge/neck blocking: poplar/pine

Fretboard: rosewood
Bridge: rosewood saddle, steel base

Neck feel: slim/medium D-shape, ~16" boar radius
Neck wood: poplar w/steel bar reinforcement, aluminum nuts

Weight: 9 lbs 7 oz

Condition notes: it's quite clean and all-original save a new 3-way switch and a rewiring job (though I used all the original components -- caps, pots, and as much original wire as I could). The finish looks great and everything works as it should. There may be small scratches or scuffs I've missed but it's soooooo clean for one of these oldies...

It comes with: original hard case in fantastic condition and original leather strap and cable.