Danelectro Bellzouki 2-pickup model 7020 Model 12 String Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar, c. 1961, made in Neptune, NJ, brown sunburst finish, masonite and poplar body, poplar neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex original hard shell case.

A great example of one of Danelectro's most interesting guitars, the Bellzouki. These are the FIRST electric 12-string guitar model ever marketed, predated only by the "Top half" of the almost mythical Stratosphere Twin doubleneck, and Gibson's subsequent extremely rare twin neck guitars from the late 50's.

Several years before Rickenbacker developed their famous 12-string New York studio ace Vincent Bell went to Nathan Daniel with an instrument he'd been recording with…a Greek Bazouki tuned like a guitar. Together they developed two guitars based on the idea, a teardrop single pickup model and this rather abstractly shaped double pickup Deluxe version. They first appeared in the 1961 catalogs and were produced until the late 60's. There is also an old rumor that Danelectro had somehow ended up with a large quantity of .008 gagued string wire, and thus "invented" octave tuning for the "G" string pairs (older 12's usually featured a doubled "G").

This Bellzouki has several unusual features…the tuners are Kluson deluxe individual keys instead of the more often seen "Skate Key" Danelectro models; there is no "Vincent Bell Signature design" plaque on the body (and nothing to indicate there ever was) and it has never had the usual strap button on top of the head. Although we can't find the usual stamped Dan-O date code (yes we've looked in the obvious places!) we believe this is a very early model. The semi-solid sunburst body is built in standard Danelectro fashion with a pine core and edging and Masonite top and back.

The two lipstick tube pickups are controlled with individual volume and tone controls and a master volume, along with a selector switch mounted in a rather eccentric location. The bridge and neck are standard Dan-o pattern, this being the initial use of the wide "V" shaped headstock later seen on several other models.

These are a very underrated guitar; with a wide comfortable fingerboard and two great-sounding Danelectro pickups this is one of the more useful electric 12's ever designed. Eccentric for sure, but a great-sounding and surprisingly versatile instrument, and a great testament to the talents of both Nathan Daniel and Vinnie Bell.
 
Overall length is 39 9/16 in. (100.5 cm.), 13 1/16 in. (33.2 cm.) width, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) deep. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Very clean overall showing few signs of use; this was obviously a studio rental instrument for some time; both guitar and case are marked as such (faded magic marker on the back of the guitar's head) but was apparently rarely rented! The plastic pickguards pinned (not screwed) to the top have shrunken and curled somewhat, pulling loose from some of the pins. Otherwise a great playing and sounding electric 12 with very little wear. Excellent + Condition.