Epiphone EDS-1275 Doubleneck - Budget Zeppelin?

Rejoining the lineup in iconic Vintage Cherry, the refreshed Epiphone EDS-1275 Doubleneck brings genuine rosewood fretboards, four ProBucker pickups, and 18 strings of pure rock excess back to the stage.

Few instruments scream "I play seven-minute solos and refuse to compromise" quite like a doubleneck electric guitar. Now, Epiphone is officially giving aspiring arena gods another excuse to test both their bank balances and their lumbar vertebrae with a newly refreshed Epiphone EDS-1275 Doubleneck.

Rejoining the catalog in its signature Vintage Cherry finish—alongside two exclusive additional colorways—this updated take on the legendary 12-string/six-string hybrid swaps out entry-level compromises for elevated specs.

Of course, given the steady upward march of modern "affordable" guitar pricing—especially after 2024’s eye-wateringly exclusive Jimmy Page signature models—don't expect this twin-necked behemoth to fall squarely into impulse-buy territory. And that is before factoring in the recurring financial trauma of buying three packs of strings every time you need a fresh set.

Genuine Rosewood and Classic Mahogany Construction

For players who have long side-eyed alternative fretboard woods on mid-tier reissues, the headline upgrade here is bound, genuine rosewood fretboards on both necks.

Each board is cut to a comfortable 12-inch radius and fitted with 20 medium-jumbo frets and classic pearloid split parallelogram inlays, giving chords and soaring leads equal breathing room.

Underneath the hood, Epiphone has stuck closely to the blueprint that made the original an icon:

• Body: A solid mahogany double-cutaway body with beveled edges—a welcome ergonomic touch when you are essentially wearing two guitars at once—engineered for warm, midrange-forward resonance.
• Necks: Two glued-in mahogany necks carved to fast-playing SlimTaper™ profiles to keep upper-fret acrobatics fluid rather than fatiguing.
• Headstocks: Classic Kalamazoo-style headstocks finished with mother-of-pearl Epiphone logos, completing the vintage silhouette.

Four ProBuckers and a Masterclass in Toggle Switches

Tonally, the refreshed EDS-1275 is built to cover shimmering folk-rock chime and snarling hard-rock overdrive without forcing you to swap instruments mid-song. Both necks are loaded with a matched pair of Epiphone ProBucker™ humbuckers—a ProBucker 2 in the neck position and a slightly hotter ProBucker 3 at the bridge.

Crucially, Epiphone voiced each neck with its own subtle personality. The 12-string neck's pickups wear traditional nickel-plated covers for balanced, jangly warmth, while the six-string neck’s pickups are left uncovered to deliver a brighter, more aggressive bite.

Managing all that firepower requires a control layout that looks mildly intimidating at first glance, though it remains intuitive in practice. Each neck gets its own master volume and master tone knobs—wired with high-quality CTS® potentiometers—plus a dedicated three-way pickup selector. A third three-way toggle acts as the master neck switch, letting you isolate the six-string, jump to the 12-string, or engage all four pickups simultaneously when you really want to confuse your sound engineer.

"The EDS-1275 is more than a guitar—it’s one of the most recognizable instruments ever to appear on a concert stage," says Aljon Go, Product Manager at Epiphone. "From some of rock’s most celebrated performances to today’s players seeking the same versatility and visual impact, the doubleneck continues to inspire musicians around the world."

Hardware Built to Tame 18 Strings

Anyone who has ever owned a 12-string knows that tuning stability is half the battle; multiplying that equation by one-and-a-half demands dependable hardware. To keep all 18 strings from drifting out of pitch before the first chorus, Epiphone outfitted the Kalamazoo headstocks with Epiphone Deluxe tuning machines (complete with vintage keystone buttons) paired with Graph Tech® nuts.

Down at the body, all-nickel hardware keeps things locked in via dual LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridges for precise intonation and a pair of claw-style tailpieces designed to make string changes as painless as an 18-string restring can realistically be.

Living the Rock-God Dream (and Paying for It)

From Jimmy Page immortalizing the silhouette on "Stairway to Heaven," "The Song Remains the Same," and "The Rain Song" to the two-headed stagecraft of Alex Lifeson, Don Felder, and John McLaughlin, the EDS-1275 remains the undisputed heavyweight champion of theatrical guitar gear.

At the very least, Epiphone has spared buyers the insult of charging extra for a custom-sized gig bag: an Epiphone hardshell case is included in the box to protect your investment—and your shins—between rehearsals. At least it is far more affordable than last week's Jimmy Page's $9k Dragonette combo amp!

For players ready to embrace the glorious inconvenience of 18 strings, full details on the Epiphone EDS-1275 Doubleneck in Vintage Cherry are live now via Gibson and Epiphone—just be sure to budget for a wide leather strap and a bulk order of guitar strings while you're at it.

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