"The Unique Koontz Custom Triple-Neck…"

1965 Koontz Custom Triple Neck.

This is a one-of-a-kind Custom Triple-neck guitar was specially built by New York Luthier Sam Koontz between 1965 and 1967. Unique triple-cutaway, multi-bound flamed maple, chambered body with 'Florentine' cutaways measuring 19.50 inches in width and just under 1 3/4 inches in thickness. This 'monster' guitar weighs a healthy 19.20 lbs (definitely not for a six-stone weakling) and has three (bolt-on) one-piece mahogany necks. All three necks have individual Grover 'Rotomatic' tuners with kidney-shaped metal buttons. The three headstocks are all multi-bound with black laminate faces. The six-string guitar (in the center) has "Koontz" and a nine-piece decoration all inlaid in mother-of-pearl. The twelve-string and the six-string bass necks just feature the nine-piece decoration. All three necks have 'dome' shaped black plastic truss-rod covers, each with two screws. Each neck is secured by four screws. The six-string neck has a nut width of just under 1 5/8 inches and a medium-to-thick profile. The twelve-string neck has a nut width of 1 13/16 inches and a medium-to-thick profile. The six-string bass neck has a nut width of just under 1 15/16 inches and again a medium-to-thick profile. Each of the necks has a bound ebony fretboard with pearl 'split-block' position markers. The six and the twelve-string have a 'zero' + 20 jumbo frets and a scale length of 24 3/4 inches. The six-string bass has a 'zero' + 15 jumbo frets and a scale length of 34.00 inches. Each neck has a specially wound Koontz pickup in the neck position. The six and twelve string pickups with six individual pole-pieces, the six-string bass pickup with a single 'blade' bar. Six controls (three volume and three tone) all mounted on a metal plate behind the Bigsby tailpiece on the six-string guitar. 'Rickenbacker' style seven-sided black plastic control knobs with plain metal tops. Three-way neck selector switch mounted between the six-string and the six-string bass. Three-way 'bass-boost' switch on the six-string bass. Two separate four-layer tortoiseshell over white plastic pickguards, each secured by two screws. All three guitars have specific Koontz bridges with individually adjustable metal saddles and metal covers. The six-string guitar (in the center) has a 'Horseshoe' style Bigsby vibrato tailpiece unit. The six-string bass and the twelve string guitar have specific metal fixed tailpieces, each secured by five screws and each with a metal cover (secured by four screws). There are some areas of wear on the body, especially on the back of the six-string where there is a fairly large area of surface loss. There are also some small areas of surface loss on the sides of the body. The top and back of the body are a wonderful three-tone sunburst with quite dazzling 'flame'. In spite of the aforementioned areas of surface loss we still give this extraordinary instrument a good solid (9.00) exceptionally fine condition rating. Housed in the original Koontz three-latch rectangular brown imitation crocodile hardshell case with burgundy plush lining (8.75). Complete with the original brown cloth case-cover. All six potentiometers have been replaced (in 2001) and inside the control cavity is a rectangular white label from Mirabella Guitars & Restorations in Babylon, NY which is signed "Chris Mirabella" and dated "5/2001."

In 1965, collector Nelson Ferrer commissioned renowned luthier Sam Koontz to build a guitar to his specifications after his requests to the major manufacturers were turned down. It had to have three necks: for twelve and six string guitars, and a six-strong bass.

"He contacted me and we agreed on the specs and a price of just under $900 with delivery of four to six months  ," Ferrer recalled to 20th Century Guitar in a March, 2001 article about this custom, one-off instrument. In order to accommodate Ferrer's desire for a 34-inch scale for the bass, Koontz had to modify Nelson's original body design to hold that size neck.

By the time all the outstanding issues were resolved and the guitar finally finished to Koontz's satisfaction, Ferrer took possession of it in 1967. It was worth the wait.

"While the guitar looks a bit unwieldy to play, it is surprisingly comfortable. Each neck gets a single pickup located near the end of the respective fingerboards, there is a volume and tone control for each pickup and a three-position selector switch for each neck…The 12-strong and 6-strong necks get their own mini-pickguards, and all three adjustable bridges get covers as do the strong anchors. the 6-strong bass gets a mute near the bridge and the 6-strong guitar gets a Bigsby.

"The Koontz Custom Triple Neck is a remarkable instrument for its time and a very well-executed piece with a bound body front and back as well as the necks and headstocks, fancy headstock overlays, split-block fingerboard inlays and a handsome sunburst finish. Even for Sam Koontz, one known for stepping outside the bounds of conventional guitar making, the Triple Neck is a most unusual and interesting guitar" (Acunto, Lawrence. Koontz Custom Triple Neck, in 20th Century Guitar, March 2001, pp. 112-113).

Sam Koontz made his first guitar in 1959. By his death in 1981 he had built over two hundred, each lovingly crafted, each an ongoing, innovative step in developing the Koontz reputation as a master luthier who was a tireless seeker of improvement and refinement for his instruments to achieve the finest in tone and construction. His  electronic innovations were ahead of their time. Clean design and with a variety of useful features, not gimmicks, and the finest craftsmanship were his trademarks.

He began as shop foreman for Framus, later designing guitars for them, as well as for Martin. Next step: designing guitars for Standel and Harptone. In 1970, he set up his own shop and the rest is history. Pat Martino, Vic Cenicola, Howard Krive, and Harry Leahey are just a few of the great players who commissioned Sam to custom-build guitars for them.

Semie Mosely is credited with building the first Triple-Neck electric guitar in his Bakersfield garage in 1954. It possessed standard 6-string, octave, and mandolin necks.

This Koontz, then, is the second Triple-Neck guitar ever constructed but is the first Triple-Neck guitar to integrate a standard 6-string, 12-string, and 6-string bass.

Sam Koontz, who died in 1981, did not live a long life but his guitars live on carrying the Koontz legacy of unsurpassed excellence.