That's monstrous! Didn't think anybody would be so crazy creating such things. Nobody needs to ask "why?", it's simply because they can...
So it's a Japanese artist, who creates them. Yoshihiko Satoh.
http://www2.tbb.t-com.ne.jp/hipopo-art/e_works.html
http://www2.tbb.t-com.ne.jp/hipopo-art/works/works_HTML/Present Arms 20_ArcType.html
"
Present Arms / Arc Type
2011
wood, paint, electric guitar parts, etc
230 x 118.5 x 6.5 cm
Candy Apple Red
Engraving is a challenge to the immediate opposite media of music. The idea is not to have the consciousness of sculpture = three-dimensional, but to establish it in the sense of "the real thing" that shares the space with the viewer. Developed from that, this ArcType seeks to discover the hidden bilateral aesthetics of Japanese culture by presenting an amplified American culture symbolized by a proliferating necked stratocaster."
He probably saw Eric Clapton in Tokyo with his Daphne Blue one to get the idea for the color!
Anyway, in 2002, he won the KIRIN ART AWARD Grand Prix for "Present Arms", a 12-neck guitar conceived as a challenge to a rock guitarist he idolizes. (not Clapton but
Char, who is considered one of Japan's greatest guitar players.)
And yes, fully functional!
Back to the USA:
That below guitar is called "
The Rock Ock". It was was designed by Gerard Huerta (
http://www.gerardhuerta.com) and built by Dan Neafsey (
http://DGNcustomguitars.com). Hardware was supplied by Mojo Musical Supply (
http://www.mojotone.com) and the instrument was commissioned by The National GUITAR Museum (
http://www.facebook.com/guitarmuseum). Currently you can see her in The Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii.
And there's a GAD worthy picture with her:
And with enough people you can play such a 8 neck one!
Ralf
