Gardiner Houlgate, renowned as “the specialist auctioneers,” is about to surpass its usual offerings in its upcoming March auction. While the auction house is known for selling items like antique clocks and guitars owned by icons such as Gary Moore, this upcoming event promises something even more extraordinary. Forget six-string guitars—it’s about to auction off a six-necked electric guitar, affectionately dubbed The Beast.
As is customary for this Wiltshire-based auction house, it has amassed a collection of rare and valuable items for the four-day event, which will feature around 1,300 lots.
Among the notable items up for bidding are a 2003 Squier Stratocaster, used to test the pickups that would eventually be featured on Brian May’s BMG Super reproductions of his legendary Red Special. Additionally, there’s a 1978 Ibanez prototype made specifically for Jeff Beck. The auction will also see guitars once owned by Gordon Giltrap, Scott Gorham, and Steve Diggle of Buzzcocks change hands. However, what truly stands out are the multi-neck custom guitars crafted by Gary Hutchins.
Two of Hutchins’ five-neck electric guitars will be featured, as shown in the image above. Gardiner Houlgate’s Luke Hobbs and Joby Hobbs are taking cues from Rick Nielsen with his iconic 1981 Hamer guitar. But as the auction wraps up on March 14, will these guitars stand as the most peculiar on offer? It’s hard to imagine anything more unusual.
According to the auction lot description, even Hutchins himself had reservations about the practicality of a six-neck guitar. Who, after all, truly needs a guitar featuring a 12-string neck, a six-string with a Floyd Rose double-locking vibrato, a standard six-string, a four-string bass neck, a seven-string guitar neck with a Floyd Rose, and, just for good measure, another six-string neck?
The Beast has an impressive history, having been displayed at London’s V&A Museum during the 2011 Power of Making exhibition. The lot description notes: “This fact is inscribed to the back of the guitar by Gary Hutchins with his signature.” The guitar also starred as the centerpiece of an Art Works guitar exhibition. Hutchins is known for creating boutique and retro guitars, often admitting that his instruments “should never have been made.”
If you feel that The Beast deserves a spot in your collection, the bidding starts at £2,000. Finished in metallic red, the guitar will come with its original gig bag—another custom touch, no doubt.
There’s also a five-neck guitar in the auction, one of which is signed by Hutchins and several others. Associated with Norman Cook, it features three six-string necks, a 12-string neck, and a fretless six-string neck. The starting bid for this one is £2,500. Another salmon pink version is available with a similar configuration but without signatures, starting at £800.
Of course, if you share Hutchins’ own concerns about the necessity of a five-neck guitar—perhaps deeming it a bit absurd—there are more “sensible” options available. For instance, a Hutchins triple-neck guitar that combines a 12-string, a six-string, and a five-string bass neck, all in a metallic blue finish, will be up for grabs. This guitar comes with its original gig bag but will require a spare bridge and nut to make the 12-string neck functional—a great project for any enthusiast willing to embrace the challenge of three necks.
Bidding for the triple-neck starts at £300, making the Squier Stratocaster an even more appealing alternative. You could snap it up and acquire rare pickups—especially considering BMG doesn’t sell them as spares. For those who favor Gibson, a Heritage Series Moderne is also available, with bidding starting at £5,000.
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