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STRATOSPHERE
Inventor/designer Russ Deaver and his brother Claude formed the Stratosphere company in 1954, and introduced what is estimated to be the first doubleneck guitar that featured both six- and twelve-string necks. By comparison, Gibson did not release their model until 1958, while other designer contemporaries (Mosrite, Bigsby) had built doublenecks with a smaller octave neck.
In 1955, Stratosphere offered three models: a single neck six-string (retail $134.50) called the Standard, the single neck twelve-string version ($139.50) and the doubleneck 6/12 ($300). It was estimated that less than 200 instruments were built (source: Teisco Del Rey, Guitar Player Magazine).
In 1955, Stratosphere offered three models: a single neck six-string (retail $134.50) called the Standard, the single neck twelve-string version ($139.50) and the doubleneck 6/12 ($300). It was estimated that less than 200 instruments were built (source: Teisco Del Rey, Guitar Player Magazine).
Instruments previously built in Springfield, MO between 1954 and 1958.