VintAxe.com Vintage Guitars

J.B. Hutto Airline Res-O-Glas Jetson Guitar (ca. 1966)

This guitar is frequently referred to as the J.B. Hutto model since he is shown playing the instrument on the cover of Slidewinder recorded in 1972. Hutto was a Chicago Bluesman known for his slash and burn slide playing. The guitar pictured was made by Valco around 1966 for Montgomery Ward and features a Res-O-Glas body, one of the first composite materials used in guitar making. Valco proposed that fiberglass would provide a longer lasting instrument compared to conventional wood. These guitars were produced by joining two molded halves together and then hiding the seam with a strip of white vinyl binding around the edge. The 1965 version of this guitar has the identical body with a Gumby style headstock rather than the Fender style characteristic of the 1966-67 version. Valco ceased manufacturing guitars in the late 1960s. (Historical information provided by Tony Bacon, Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia; Model information from Montgomery Ward catalogs)

used in the bridge of parade

Montgomery Ward Airline (c.a. 1965-66)

This instrument was Montgomery Ward's top of the line electric solidbody guitar in the mid 60's. Identified as the "Professional Vibrato Triple Pickup" guitar in the Montgomery Ward catalog, they were "designed exclusively for Wards" by Valco. Similar to other Valco res-o-glas guitars, the Airline is constructed from two halves of a fiberglass shell around a narrow, solid wood core. The pickups, controls, and tailpiece are all anchored to the wooden core and a bead of vinyl hides the joint where the shells meet along the edge. Although the three pickups look like humbuckers, they are in fact single coils. Each pickup is controlled by a set of volume and tone knobs and there is also a master volume that allows the player to control overall output without disturbing the volume relationship among the individual pickups. The three-way switch selects treble and bass alone or in unison. The neck has a truss rod although there is no easy method of adjustment. The fretboard is bound rosewood with side dots, block inlays and 21 nickel-silver frets. Interestingly, the fret slots were cut after applying the celluloid binding, so the ends of the frets are exposed through the binding; leave it to Valco to buck common luthiery practices of the day. The headstock is the "Gumby" style with Kluson tuners. The tailpiece is a Bigsby vibrato unit and it has a tune-o-matic bridge setup. This guitar sold for $200 in 1966, a pretty pricey instrument considering you could buy the Jack White two-pickup model for $100.

- Steve

National Valco Airline (ca. 1964-1968)

The Airline brand name was used by Montgomery Wards during the 1950s/1960s on guitars supplied by a number of manufactures. This guitar was manufactured by Valco.It has the same basic body shape as the Supro Belmont and National Val-Pro 84 which were also produced by Valco during the same period. It has a red Res-O-Glas body, dual humbucking pickups and a wooden bridge. The short scale, painted wooden neck has a rosewood fretboard and no-name open back tuners. Valco’s Res-O-Glas guitars consisted of two thin halves of a hollow fiberglass shell covering a narrow solid wood core. The neck, pickups, controls, and tailpiece were all anchored to this wooden center block. A continuous bead of flexible vinyl connected the edges of the front and back fiberglass sections. Perhaps the most alluring quality of Res-O-Glas construction is the depth of color. The pigmented resin produces what appears to be a deep lacquer finish that is difficult to attain by painting wood. On close inspection, the guitar’s durable plastic finish looks almost as good today as the day it rolled off the assembly line. If I can just find a replacement Airline logo that is missing from the top of the headstock, this will be a VG+ all original guitar.

- Steve

National Newport 82 (ca. 1963-65)

The Newport 82 has a pepper red, molded res-o-glas body in the shape of a U.S. map. Inside the body, pieces of maple run from the neck joint to the endpin on both the top and back that serves to brace the body and provide support for the bridge, pickup and tailpiece. The neck is rosewood with quarter circle, mother of pearl inlays. The Gumby style headstock is longer on treble side and fitted with Kluson Deluxe tuners. The 82 has what appears to be a humbucker but it is actually a single coil controlled by a 3-way slotted switch. In the first position, the treble is turned off, in the second position the treble is full on and in the third position, the bass is turned off. There are three volume knobs, one for each tone setting, and a master volume. All hardware is chrome plated.

-Steve

National Newport 84 (c.a.1964)

The Newport 84 emerged by 1964 as a slight modification of the Val-Pro 84 first introduced by National in 1962. Comparing the Newport to the Val-Pro indicates that the Newport body was made a bit smaller (14" x 17-3/4" x 1-3/ 4"), and a slight outward curve was added to the horns at "Maine" and "Florida." Also, the tone switch and knobs were moved to the bass side of the body. The Newport came in three models: the 82, 84, and 88. The 82 had one single-coil pickup in the neck position. The 84 (pictured here) had the same, plus a transducer-type pickup built into the base of the bridge. The 88 added a third lead pickup and additional tone controls. The Newport 84 was discontinued in 1965 but some Newport models were assembled from leftover parts (some with Italian hardware) for a bankruptcy auction in 1968. This example is in the very desirable seafoam green finish. This is Paul's favorite guitar. He purchased it as a project guitar and it required several years to find the parts needed to restore it to the pristine condition pictured here. The Newport 82 retailed for $192.50 in 1964, certainly not a cheap guitar in it's day. (Historical and technical information obtained from George Gruhn, Guitar Player Magazine Rare Bird, December, 1984)

- Steve

National Studio 66 (ca.1962)

Introduced in 1961, the Studio 66 has a single cutaway res-o-glas body tinted a desert buff (rosy beige) color. The single pickup has a shell-shaped pickup cover and is controlled by single tone and volume knobs. The pickguard has a very dramatic batwing shape and is fixed directly to the body of the guitar. The painted neck is finished with a rosewood fretboard, dot inlays and Kluson tuners. It has a rosewood bridge with thumb wheel height adjustment and a trapeze tailpiece. The Studio 66 was renamed the Varsity 66 in 1964 and discontinued in 1965.

- Steve

Standell

Another fantastic plastic by Standell. The "F" holes are decals.

- Paul

Fender American Standard Stratocaster (ca. 1989)

A workhorse American Strat with a few after-market modifications. The original white pickguard was replaced with a vintage tortoiseshell guard. The original gold and red Lace Sensors have been replaced with a set of Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups. The guitar has also been upgraded with a nice set of Sperzel locking tuners.

- Steve

Fender Deluxe Plus Telecaster (c.a. 1997)

A pure stock newer American Telecaster in Antique Burst finish. This is the rare model that has the three Lace Sensor pickups in a Strat style configuration. Also has 5 way switching and a tap so you can turn the bridge pickup on at any time. I think this was the last year they were produced with Lace Sensor pickups.

- Steve

used in little joe and rosalie

1975 Sunburst Fender Telecaster Guitar

John Bara found me this fellar in the '80s. It was my staple until 2003. It is a bit shrill for my taste but stays in tune like a mofo.

- Don

Vintage Fender Bronco Guitar

This was my first "real" guitar. A friend of mine changed the price tag on it at a pawn shop in the '70s and got it for me for about $50. It was originally red but I wisely spray painted it black when I was in punk bands and then in the '80s I commisioned Motsinger to paint it with her wonderful characters. I also swapped out the pickup in the '70s and promptly lost the trememlo bar and spring SO, if anyone has vintage or replicas for sale please write!

- Don

Arai Diamond 1402T violin-body guitar (ca. 1967)

Produced in 1967-68, the 1402T has a Hofner 500/1 style body and a headstock inspired by Burns guitars of the era. The body has an antique burst finish and is bound with white celluloid on the top and back. It has the same single coil pickups, tailpiece/vibrato system, and adjustable bridge as the Model 1202T made in the same year (see the 1202T description for details). The maple neck is fitted with an adjustable truss rod and a bound rosewood fretboard with the dots inlayed along the top edge. The guitar features a round, scrolled 3-and-3 headstock that sometimes has a "Cameo" headstock badge running down the center. This example is missing the headstock badge and vibrato arm. (Technical information obtained from Michael Wright, Aria Guitars: From Classicals to Classics, Part I, Vintage Guitar Magazine, November 1996, Vol.11, No.2)

- Steve

Aria Pro II Urchin U-60T (c.a. 1982)

Only produced between 1982-84 the U-60T was the low-end guitar in the U series that also included the top of the line U-100 (neck-thru design) and U Deluxe-V (flamed maple top). The U-60T has an alder body that came finished in either Black or White. The maple neck attaches to the body using Aria's "smooth joint replaceable neck system". However, the neck pocket is cut so deep in this system that the body is subject to cracking at the neck joint, as was the case with this instrument. The neck is fitted with a 25 1/2 scale rosewood fretboard with 22 frets and bone nut. The headstock is fitted with chrome plated die cast machine heads. The humbucking pickups are two Protomatic-V's selected by a 3-way switch and controlled by one master volume and two tone knobs. Note that the U-100 model used DiMarzio dual sound humbuckers. The bridge assembly is a chrome plate through the body stringing system with vibrato unit. This example is missing the vibrato bar which looks like a longer and less bent Fender Stratocaster bar. (Technical information obtained from the 1982 Aria Pro II "Get the Aria Advantage" sales brochure, G82-12)

- Steve

Arai/Conrad/Bruno Guitar

Just got this fellow and need to get it set up and cleaned up before I have anything to say about it. It looks just like Steve's Arai Diamond. Same body, headstock, controls etc.

Conrad/Aria Diamond 1202T hollowbody guitar (ca.1967)

The body is a Gibson ES-335 inspired double cutaway thinline with rounded upper and lower horns. The top has an attractive sunburst finish and is pierced with 3-part f-holes with the rounded ends separated from the center part of the "f". The pickguard, switch cover and pickup surrounds are 4ply faux tortoise. The two pickups are single coils selected with a three-way lever switch. Each pickup has individual tone and volume controls. The bolt-on maple neck has a bound, 21 fret, rosewood fretboard and plastic block inlays. Notice that the ends of the fretboard are rounded at the corners, a sign of quality in these early Japanese hollowbodies. The movable bridge is adjustable and the tailpiece is a traditional trapeze coupled to a spring Bigsby base. The tremolo bar is one of the longest you will ever see. The three-and-three headstock is somewhat Gibson-style with a deep notch in the center. The headstock is faced with the same tortoise used on the pickguard. This guitar has a script Conrad badge indicating it was imported by David Wexler and Company of Chicago, Illinois. (Technical information obtained from Michael Wright, Aria Guitars: From Classicals to Classics, Part I, Vintage Guitar Magazine, November 1996, Vol.11, No.2)

- Steve

Arai Diamond (ca. 1971-74)

Arai and Company was founded in 1953 in Japan by Shiro Arai and began marketing Arai, Aria, Arai Diamond, and Diamond brand solid body guitars between 1966 and 1974. This instrument is labeled model 1832T and the body is clearly inspired by a mid 60's Burns Bison. The guitar is a three-tone sunburst with a three-ply pickguard, dual single coil pickups and an adjustable bridge. The tremolo unit is one of the most functional I have played although the whammy bar is just a bit too long for my taste. It has a maple neck and rosewood fretboard that plays almost exactly like my 80's Fender Strat. The chrome open back tuners are quite precise and the guitar holds tune quite well. I love this guitar for it's clear, bright tone and sinister looking horns. It also has a "real" diamond mounted in the headstock logo. Overall, this is an excellent Japanese guitar. (Historical information obtained from Michael Wright)

- SB

Bruno Conqueror (ca. 1967)

C. Bruno & Son was founded in Macon, Georgia in 1834 and the company has been in the music distribution business up until the present day (they are currently a part of Kaman Music Corporation). In 1838, Charles Bruno and C.F. Martin entered into a partnership to produce and distribute acoustic guitars that only lasted one year. These acoustic guitars are labeled with both names, and were produced in New York. Throughout their history, Bruno musical instruments were manufactured by other companies and then distributed by C. Bruno & Son. In the 1960's, Bruno imported their instruments from Japanese manufacturers. Based on the pickups, neck plate and tuners of this instrument, I believe it was made by Arai and Company (compare it to my Arai Diamond). The guitar is a very well crafted three-tone sunburst hollow body that bears a striking resemblance to a Gibson ES-335. It has two single coil pickups controlled by two volume and two tone controls via a 3-way pickup selector switch. The body, f holes, neck and headstock are completely bound. The selector switch and headstock are covered with the same red tortoiseshell plastic used for the pickguard. The neck is made from 2 pieces of wood joined at the truss rod channel and attaches to the body with four bolts. The fretboard is rosewood. The top and back of the body are each made from a single slab but I haven't been able to identify the type of wood used yet. The bridge is fully adjustable. (Historical Information provided by Mike Longworth, Martin Guitars)

- Steve

Teisco May Queen (ca. 1968)

Teisco is a Japanese company that began manufacturing guitars in 1948 but eventually developed financial difficulties and was purchased by Kawai in 1967. Kawai-made Teisco models for 1968 included the oddly shaped May Queen. This Kimberly-branded model is thought to have been sold in the U.S. through the Lafayette Company catalog. The guitar is a black single cutaway oval shaped semi hollow body with stylized "F" hole, 2 hot single coils and a vibrato. The pickguard is engraved "Teisco May Queen" and it has a bolt on neck with dot inlaid rosewood fingerboard. According to Top Shelf Music where I bought this guitar, the original owner won it as a prize at the Cedar Point Amusement Park. It is a rare and unusual looking guitar that plays and sounds great. Kawai has recently released a reissue of the 68 May Queen. (Company information provided by Tony Bacon, Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia)

- Steve

Teisco May Queen (ca. 1968)

I fell in love with Steve's May Queen and was able to grab this one for a good price because someone had used house paint to try to cover up the words "May Queen". A little Zip Strip and ta da! The guitar is a great player and lately I have been using it as my main guitar and my Rickenbacker 360 as a back up. The sexy headstock is always broken on these instruments. Steve is having his rebuilt. I'm not.

- Don

Domino Californian (ca. 1967-68)

Domino was a short-lived brand name applied to guitars manufactured in Japan by both Arai and Kawai in the late 1960's. Dominos were imported into the U.S. market by the Maurice Lipsky Company of New York. The Domino Californian was a copy of a Vox Phantom VI and was manufactured by Kawai. The body on my Californian is made of two pieces of mahogany finished in a very attractive tobacco burst color. However, the black edge painting around the body has a bit of orange peel roughness revealing the level of quality control that went into the manufacture of these budget instruments. The faux wood grained plastic pick guard is not beveled but it is surrounded with a fake laminated purfling that gives the illusion of quality. The neck is maple with a bound rosewood fretboard and has an adjustable truss rod. The guitar is fitted with 6 on plate open gear machines, an adjustable bridge and all chrome hardware. The two single coil pickups are controlled by one volume and one tone knob. The three slide switches at the bottom allow the player to select different pickup configurations. Although the shape of this guitar is not conducive to sitting and soulfully strumming, it is well balanced when standing and a joy to play.

- Steve

Domino Californian (ca. 1968) photo courtesy of Big Beat

This Californian has got a replaced Tunomatic bridge that is a big improvement over the original, a replaced tremolo arm and one replaced tuner shaft. It is a playable guitar with very nice tone.

- Big Beat

Teisco ET-100 Guitar (ca. 1963-64) photo courtesy of Big Beat

This is an early model ET-100 with a "platform" vibrato.

- Big Beat

Teisco Del Ray ET-310 Guitar (ca. 1966)

I love this dog. It features three single-coil pickups controlled by rocker switches and a single volume and tone knob. The neck is a bit wide but the action and tones are great. The pickguard is striped brushed aluminum which is hidieous on top of the sunburst wood. This model is nicked, gouged, tarnished, missing the whammy bar and a joy to play.

- Don

Green Sunburst Kimberly Apollo / Kawai / Sekova

This Kimberly was my first guitar as a young man. I recently found this replacement a guitar show in 2003. The four pickups have interesting and varying tones, the action is great and the tremelo bar is very responsive. BTW, I've seen several different sunburst variations of this instrument including unmarked headstock and floral/non-floral pickguards. I've also seen some pickup switch and selector variations.

- Don

Teisco Spectrum ET-440

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Teisco Spectrum 5 (ca. 1966-67)

The Spectrum 5 represents the pinnacle of quality attained by the Teisco Company of Japan, only one year before they were purchased by Kawai. According to the 1966 Teisco Del Rey catalog, “The Spectrum ‘5’ Electric Guitar is one of the finest guitars ever produced. It has unique features which no other guitar in the world can match. Designing and making the Spectrum ‘5’ was a labor of love. It required infinite patience and craftsmanship to sculpture solid mahogany wood into the graceful and intricate design. The magnificent lustrous finish is the result of individual coats of hand rubbed lacquer - not two or three coats - but seven coats of lacquer individually hand rubbed. The trim which follows the contour of the body is inlaid by hand. A beautifully styled triple ply laminated pick guard protects all working surfaces. The name SPECTRUM ‘5’ was coined to denote five different basic color tones which can be produced with this unusual guitar. Flick any of the five self-cancelling switches and this amazing instrument will reproduce sounds ranging from treble to bass - any combination of switches can be played to achieve an infinite variety of sounds. What appears to be six pick-ups on the Spectrum ‘5’ are actually three split pick-ups to produce stereo. The Spectrum ‘5’ can be played monaurally or stereophonically at the flick of a switch. There are two channel outputs and a volume control for each channel. The tremolo tail assembly was engineered specifically for the Spectrum ‘5.’ The bridge is an integral part of the whole assembly and is, of course, universally adjustable. The marvel of it all, however, is that the tremolo does not exert any friction (hence no wear and tear) on the strings. The tremolo action causes the whole bridge assembly to move smoothly back and forth. No amount of time and expense has been spared to create the finest and most unique guitar in the world. Length 41". Clearly Teisco believed they had manufactured an exceptional guitar, and I think the test of time has proven them right. The pointy horns and deep German carved relief along the edge of the body make this a cool guitar for the ages. The catalog claimed the necks were made of “5 plys [sic] of laminated Ebony” but mine has a maple neck with ebony fretboard. Blue seems to be the most commonly available color but I have also seen them in Black; I love my Red one. (Catalog quote obtained from a Vintage Guitar magazine article Teisco Guitars: Rock ‘n’ Roll Dreams, Part II, by Michael Wright)

- Steve

1969 Teisco Del Ray E-110

This guitar is as common as the Spectrum 5 is rare. Good action and neck but limited tone variation because of the single pickup. Classic "beginner's guitar".

Teisco TG 64

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Teisco SM 2L

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Teisco WG 4L

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Teisco EV 2T

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Teisco Decca

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Heit Deluxe (Circa 1968)

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Kingston Eko Rok Copy

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Teisco K 4L

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Univox Custom (1968)

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Swinger

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Sekova w/6 Pickups

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Prestige sd4w4

This Prestige branded guitar was made by Kawai a few years before their merger with Teisco. It was made around the same time as the more famous Hound Dog Taylor S-180 models. The bodies on these SD and Hound Dog models were made of one piece of solid mahogany. The body has what appears to be a Burns Bison inspired body shape. The fretboard is a thin veneer of Brazilian rosewood on top of a maple board. The neck is made from mahogany with a nice oversized Bigsby Fender inspired headstock. The vibrato system is super smooth and responsive. The pickups sound great with good output and chunky tone. Each pickup has an On/Off switch, so you can get any combination of the four pickups. There are also two Rhythm/Solo switches, which work with all the pickups, giving you three distinct sets of tones. There's also a dedicated volume pot for each pickup and a separate universal tone knob. This description was provided by Brad, the Guitologist

Norma Violin/Hofner Shaped Guitar

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Norma/Tomba Red Sparkle

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Kawai Fiberglass Hollow Body Guitar (c.a. 1967-69)

Although this guitar has no identifying marks other than Japan, the pickguard, bridge, tailpiece, control plate, and neck plate are similar to Kawai hollow bodies manufactured in the late 1960's. The guitar appears to be an early experiment in using fiberglass to construct hollow body guitars. The ivory fiberglass body is bound with black plastic. It has a three position pickup selector for the two single coil pickups. The bridge is rosewood with a white plastic saddle. The neck wood appears to be mahogany (not certain) and the fretboard is rosewood with abalone inlay. It has a cool Fender style headstock with inline, open back tuners. I'm still trying to pin this one down so if you have any information, let me know. It's the earliest example of a fiberglass hollow body that I have ever encountered.

-Steve

Kawai Concert (c.a. 1968)

Cousin to the Teisco May Queen, the Kawai Concert was probably more intended for domestic consumption than export. The body is shaped like a sinister violin; probably an appealing compromise to a Japanese teenager whose parents were insisting on violin lessons rather than electric guitar. The body is hollow and an attractive celluloid binding hides the joint where the two halves are joined. The f-hole is a fake, it is simply routed into the top and edged in binding. The two single-coil pickups are capable of considerable output but are attenuated somewhat by the hollow body. The neck has an adjustable truss rod and is laminated with many plies, an idea likely borrowed from Framus. The bound rosewood fretboard is fitted with rectangular, plastic inlays and 22 frets plus a zero-fret. The headstock appears to be a Burns inspired scroll and it is fitted with open back, 3-on-Plate machines. It has an adjustable roller bridge that includes a flip-up mute. The tailpiece is basically a simple two-plate affair and I find the vibrato to be limited at best. In 1969 the Concert was replaced by the cheaper quality Kawai PV-2V. (Technical information obtained from Michael Wright, Vintage Guitar Magazine, June, 2003)

- Steve

Old Kraftsman

Are these related to the Kay brand of guitars? Not much to say about this bugger. Great tone but neck is has a slight bow that screws up the intonation around the 12th fret. Hmmm, so is it a "great wall hanger" or "great slide guitar"?

- Don

Old Kraftsman (Orange)

Coming Soon

Kay Pro Series Thinline No.1993 (ca.1960)

Produced from 1960 to 1965, the Pro Series Thinline is a hollowbody guitar that looks like a slightly elongated Les Paul with a single pointed Florentine cutaway. It has a laminated curly maple top and back that is hand rubbed and polished to a natural blonde finish. The sides are finished in black. The body is bound top and back with extra heavy, extra wide celluloid that produces a striking black and white inlay on the top surface. The large white pickguard follows the contours of the Florentine cutaway, pickups and knobs. The three "high fidelity" pickups with ridged chrome covers are mounted to the top of the guitar and selected with a 3-position, chicken-beak, rotary switch. Each pickup has separate volume and tone knobs. The guitar has a bolt-on, steel reinforced, maple neck that is advertised as adjustable. The rosewood fretboard (24inch scale) is fitted with pearlette block position markers, 18 nickel silver frets and topped with a bone nut. The headstock has the scripted Kay logo over a closed V chevron and closed back tuners with plastic, Gibson style knobs. The adjustable rosewood bridge complements a beautiful chrome trapeze style tailpiece. The No.1993 Pro series Thinline had a retail price of $170 in 1961, a two-tone chipboard case would set you back another $10. (Technical information obtained from the 1961 Kay instrument catalog)

-Steve

National Chicagoan Lap Steel Guitar (ca. 1962)

The National Chicagoan Lap Steel didn’t change much over it’s history from 1935 to 1968 when the National company went out of business. One change was the logo on the headstock that transformed from a shield type badge on 1940’s models to an Art Deco dagger in the 1950’s. According to the serial number, my Chicagoan was produced in 1962 and has the gray pearloid “Mother of Toilet Seat” finish with a single coil pickup and Kluson Deluxe tuners. The musical note graphics on the fretboard appear to be characteristic of both early and late model Chicagoans with geometric graphics (circle, triangle, square, and diamond) on a black background occurring in the 1950’s.

- Steve

used in the intro of two pale blackberries

Alamo Fiesta Mark I (Model 2484W, ca.1964)

Alamo guitars and amplifiers were produced by Charles Eilenberg in San Antonio, Texas from 1949 to 1982. Alamo began by manufacturing amps and lap steel guitars and didn’t begin the production of electric Spanish guitars until 1960. Alamo Fiestas were first introduced around 1962. They featured the Acra-Tune bridge and the squiggly-tailed pickguards which would become an Alamo trademark. Fiestas were manufactured in white, red, beige and cherry finishes. The Alamo Fiesta pictured had a retail price of $59.95. The body shape of the Alamo Fiesta was changed radically in 1965 and the model was officially dropped from the product line in 1967 although it seems a few continued to be manufactured up until 1970. (Information provided by Michael Wright, Guitar Stories Vol. 2)

- Steve

Kramer XKG-10 (Ca. 1980)

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EKO 400 Ekomaster (ca. 1960)

The Model 400 was EKO's first solid body guitar and predates the U.S. distribution agreement EKO signed with the LoDuca brothers in 1962. Italian guitar historian Jack Marchal has suggested that this early solid body may have been designed specifically for the U.K. market and was likely imported by Johnny Dallas of London. You will occasionally see these early instruments with the "Dallas" over a treble clef headstock logo. Although dating an EKO precisely can be tricky, the asymmetrical headstock with a 3 over 3 tuner layout date this Model 400 from late 1960 to early 1961. As Michael Wright says "it's from before the gold rush".(Historical information about the model 400 obtained from fetishguitars.com; LoDuca history obtained from Michael Wright, Guitar Stories: Vol. One)

EKO 700/4v (ca. 1966-67)

The EKO 700/4V was manufactured between 1961-1967 by Oliviero Pigini and Company of Recanati, Italy and imported by LoDuca Brothers, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Most earlier models appear in either a Blue, Red or Silver plastic-covered sparkle finish. Mine has a mahogany body in a natural “dura-glos” finish which dates it to 1966-67 according to the 2001 Vintage Guitar Price Guide.

- Steve

EKO 500 V4 (ca. 1962-63)

The plastic covered EKO 500 was the flagship model for Oliviero Pigini and Company from the time they were introduced in 1962 until they were discontinued in 1965. This guitar exhibits a Pearl top/ Black back finish on a contoured, Jazzmaster style body. The neck is a 25 inch scale with twenty one frets plus a zero fret, rosewood fretboard and EKO's famous airplane propeller inlays. The four single-coil, Alnico pickups are controlled by single volume and tone knobs as well as six sliding switches along the top of the pickguard. According to EKO sales literature, the preset tones include: M= Full-Guitar, 1 = Jazz, 4 = Twang, 1+4 = Take-Off, 2+3 = Full-Rhythm, and 0 = Off. The hardware includes the "exclusive 8 way adjustable roller bearing bridge" and closed-back tuners. Unfortunately, this guitar is missing the bridge cover; typical since the covers were a hassle to pry off every time the player wanted to change strings. The fact that this instrument has the eyebrow shaped logo of the earlier EKO 400's rather than the script logo more typical of the 500's suggests this was one of the earlier 500's produced. (Historical and technical information provided by Michael Wright, Guitar Stories Vol. 1)

- Steve

EKO 500 V4 (ca. 1963)

The plastic covered EKO 500 was EKO's flagship model from the time they were introduced in 1962 until they were discontinued in 1965. This guitar exhibits a Silver Sparkle top/ Black back finish on a contoured, Jazzmaster style body. The neck is a 25 inch scale with twenty one frets plus a zero fret, rosewood fretboard and EKO's famous airplane propeller inlays. The four single-coil, Alnico pickups are controlled by single volume and tone knobs as well as six sliding switches along the top of the pickguard. According to EKO sales literature, the preset tones include: M= Full-Guitar, 1 = Jazz, 4 = Twang, 1+4 = Take-Off, 2+3 = Full-Rhythm, and 0 = Off. The hardware includes the "exclusive 8 way adjustable roller bearing bridge" and closed-back tuners. The hardware is original except for the tune-o-matic bridge upgrade that sits on the original posts. This guitar is an early model 500 since the tailpiece sits on top of a plastic rather than a metal base.. (Historical and technical information provided by Michael Wright, Guitar Stories Vol. 1)

- Steve

EKO 500 V4 (ca. 1964)

The EKO 500 was the flagship model for Oliviero Pigini and Company from the time they were introduced in 1962 until they were discontinued in 1965. This guitar exhibits a Gold Sparkle top/ Pearl back finish on a contoured, Jazzmaster style body. The neck is a 25 inch scale with twenty one frets plus a zero fret, rosewood fretboard and EKO's famous airplane propeller inlays. The four single-coil, Alnico pickups are controlled by single volume and tone knobs as well as six sliding switches along the top of the pickguard. According to EKO sales literature, the preset tones include: M= Full-Guitar, 1 = Jazz, 4 = Twang, 1+4 = Take-Off, 2+3 = Full-Rhythm, and 0 = Off. The hardware includes the "exclusive 8 way adjustable roller bearing bridge" and closed-back tuners. This example actually has the chrome bridge cover that is generally missing on these guitars. (Historical and technical information provided by Michael Wright, Guitar Stories Vol. 1)

- Steve

EKO Dragon (ca. ?)

Still doing research on this one

Dega (c.a. 1962-66)

The Dega/Morbidoni company was part of a cluster of small Italian manufacturers that produced guitars in the early 1960's. A comparison of guitars produced by Bartolini, Crucianelli, D'scala, Gemelli, Welson and others indicates that these manufacturers used many of the same parts and probably shared common subcontractors. Most of these small companies disappeared by 1966. The body of this Dega is made from plywood and the front is covered in blue-sparkle celluloid. The back is black and has the Alberto Morbidoni logo on the upper horn. The logo has Alberto Morbidoni Castelfidardo printed in a horseshoe banner around the top with a stylized accordion in the center of the horseshoe. The name Castelfidardo in the logo refers to the location the guitar was produced. Musical notation that spells out DEGA in quarter notes is positioned beneath the horseshoe. The neck is a bolt-on and the fretboard is rosewood with dot inlays. The headstock is marked with the same musical notation logo that appears on the back of the instrument. The single pickup has a cover similar to contemporary Crucianelli covers and is fixed directly to the body cavity. The tremolo system was clearly inspired by Hagstrom's design. I truly love the body and pickguard shapes of these early Italians. The rounded bodies are graceful as well as functional and the different pickguard styles are an art form unto themselves. (Historical information obtained from fetishguitars.com)

- Steve

Goya Rangemaster model 109 (ca. 1971)

Information Coming Soon

- Steve

Hagstrom Kent Model 1 (ca. 1965-66)

Hagstrom guitars were built in Alvdalen Sweden from 1958 to 1981 and sold in the US by Merson Musical Instruments of New York. Manufactured from 1962-1966, Kents are advertised as “having the worlds fastest playing neck”. They feature vinyl covered backs and Lucite covered fronts that were produced in red, black, white, lavender and orange. It is not unusual for the vinyl backs of these guitars to shrink and pull away from the hard plastic top creating a difficult repair problem. However the necks are extremely durable and the fretboards are made of teak. The distinguishing “cheese-grater” between the pickups makes for a cool looking vintage style and a great surf tone. Hagstrom Gitarrer, a publication documenting the history of Hagstrom guitars, shows there were 14193 various Kent models produced from 1962 through 1966. (Information provided by the Hagstrom USA webpage)

- Steve

Hagstrom Swede Model HG803 (ca. 1972-75) photo courtesy of Tracy Partridge

The first Swedes built in 1970 were called the Hagstrom L.P since the guitar sported the single cutaway body style of the Les Paul. However, by 1971 the name was switched to the "Swede" and the name stuck until the end of production in 1982. The Swede body is made of mahogany and finished in polyester with a bound top and bolt-on mahogany neck. The neck is fully bound with a 24-3/4 scale ebony fretboard, pearloid markers, 22 frets and Hagstrom's adjustable H Rod truss rod system. The asymmetrical scrolling headstock was designed by Jimmy D'Aquisto who Hagstrom had hired from the D'Angelico workshop to design their new line of archtop guitars. With its fleur-de-lis inlay and D’Aquisto designed art deco-style tuners, the Swede has one of the most artistically rendered headstocks ever created. Tuning keys were originally purchased from Van Ghent, but in the late 1970s Hagstrom switched to Schallers with the D’Aquisto designed buttons. The Swede's two humbucking pickups are controlled by a three-way switch on the treble horn, two volume and two tone controls, and a three-way switch on the bass shoulder. One switch is for tone - sharp, mellow and deep - that operates regardless of the pickup in use. The second switch is a pickup selector. The Swede pictured has the "pre-1976" tailpiece coupled with a chrome plated fully adjustable bridge. Note that the example in this photo has had the tuners and bridge pickup changed and is missing the black Les Paul style pickguard. Approximately 7,040 Swedes were produced over their 12-year lifespan. (Historical information provided by "Hagstrom Guitars: The Fastest Playing Neck In the World")

-Steve

Hagstrom Corvette

Information Coming Soon

Dynacord Cora

Information Coming Soon

Gibson L5 CES (ca. 1954-55)

Although Orville Gibson produced the first archtop guitars using carved tops, it was Lloyd Loar’s improvements to Gibson’s designs that resulted in the first L5s made in 1922. My guitar is a CES Version 2 that was produced between 1954 and 1957. The unique feature of these instruments is the “upgraded” Alnico No. 5 pickups that replaced the P90s of earlier models. While the Alnicos had greater sustaining power relative to the P90s, they suffered from the same inherent hum problems of their predecessors and were replaced by PAF Humbucking pickups in 1957. Shipping totals for the L5CES were 30 in 1954, 19 in 1955, 23 in 1956 and 22 in 1957. The Alnico L5 was popularized by Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell. I inherited my L5 from my father and the spruce top had been seriously damaged by a major impact. The guitar was expertly restored by our local luthier Keith George, a process that consumed the better part of 3 years. It is all original except for replacement binding and a replacement pickguard and bridge, both of which were lost during the long period it was unplayable due to damage. (Information provided by Adrian Ingram, The Gibson L5: Its History and Its Players)

- Steve

Gibson V-II (ca. 1979-81)

Twenty years after the introduction of the Gibson Flying V in 1958, Gibson produced their second generation V shaped guitar known as the V-II. The body is sculpted from 5 pieces of maple and walnut covered in a high gloss natural finish. Gibson used the maple and walnut in these bodies interchangeably so some examples will use walnut as the top middle and back layers and utilize maple as the thin laminate layers; other examples will be the reverse. Walnut top versions like the guitar pictured here seem to be the most popular finish although is possible to find these guitars finished in custom colors. The newly designed, high output "Boomerang" humbucker pickups are the most unique feature of this guitar since these pickups were not used on any other Gibson instruments. Each pickup is composed of two individual single coils, one coil for the bass side strings and one for the treble. The small pickguard is neatly contoured to fit snugly around the pickups and bridge. The neck is made using the same 5-ply technique as the body with the middle ply in the neck set with the wood grain reversed for added strength. The ebony fretboard has a 24 3/4 inch scale length, 22 frets, dot inlays and is topped with a brass nut. The headstock is a slightly wider approximation of the original flying V with a large V2 scripted truss rod cover and gold plated "keystone style" Gibson tuners. The unique, gold plated, V shaped tailpiece is complemented by a similarly gold plated tune-o-matic bridge. In 1979 the V-II had a list price of $1199 w/case, the second most expensive Gibson solidbody that year. The model was discontinued in 1982, just before Gibson moved all guitar production from Kalamazoo to Nashville. (Technical information obtained from a 1979 Gibson Price list and Larry Meiners, Guitar Collector Magazine, flyingvintage.com)

- Steve

Gibson ES 175 (ca. 1973)

Information Coming Soon

- Steve

Kent SG-S Hollowbody

This guy is missing the pickguard and the Kent logo on the headstock. It really only has 1 tone setting that appeals to me but it REALLY appeals to me. Great for crunchy chords. Had to buy a Gibson 335 case for it because it's so wide.

- Don

Guyatone V-6 ca. 1960's

Coming Soon

Parker Fly Classic (ca. 1997)

The classic has a solid, one-piece solid Honduras Mahogany body and this one is finished in Transparent Cherry. According to the 1996 Parker Guitars catalog, the backs of the neck and body are strengthened and unified by a thin layer of a carbon/glass/epoxy composite. The fingerboard is made of the same material and is fitted with stainless steel frets bonded directly to the fretboard. The pickups are DiMarizo humbuckers and there is also a Fishman active piezo pickup system incorporated into the bridge. The pickups are controlled by a master volume, humbucker volume and piezo volume controls. The three-position humbucker selector lets you choose between the neck pickup, neck/bridge inside coils for that “in between” sound, or the bridge pickup. The humbucker tone control is completely independent of the piezos so that there is increased flexibility in customizing the sound. The piezo/magnetic three position switch lets you select or combine the two systems allowing output that goes from full electric to full acoustic or a blend of both with your choice of split stereo or mono. The piezo system is controlled by independent volume and tone controls. The Fly’s vibrato system can be adjusted by a unique balance wheel that is behind the bridge on the top of the guitar. The wheel allows you to adjust the tension of the vibrato. There is also a stereo/mono push button switch located near the output jack that allows player to choose between sending the acoustic and electric signals to two different amplifiers or a mixed signal to one amplifier. Amazingly, the guitar weighs less than 5 pounds.

- Steve

Ernie Ball Music Man Axis Super Sport (ca. 1998)

Ernie Ball purchased Music Man in the fall of 1984, designed and built a new facility in the coastal town of San Luis Obispo, California, and moved all Ernie Ball and Music Man operations to the new plant in 1985. The Axis was first known as the Edward Van Halen guitar and was introduced in January 1990. I special ordered this guitar from the factory as Phil's graduation present in 1998. The body is Basswood with a book matched figured maple top and cream binding. It is finished in honey burst and top coated with high gloss polyester. It has 2 custom DiMarzio humbucking pickups that are selected via a 5-way lever and a chrome plated MusicMan® strings-thru-the-body bridge with solid steel saddles. The neck is maple with a rosewood fretboard and 22 high profile, medium width frets. It is attached to the body with 5 bolts. The headstock is finished to match the body and is fitted with Schaller M6-IND locking tuners. I like the 4 over 2 tuner configuration and with the neck being only a 25-1/2" scale, this is a fun little guitar to play.

- Steve

used in hey paul

Jackson Randy Rhoads model RR1 (ca. 1999)

It has been reported that Randy thought his original Jackson prototype looked too much like a Flying V so he had Grover Jackson take the body to the band saw and streamline it. The end result came out a little like the rear fins on a 1959 Cadillac. This model has an Adler body finished in metallic black with a neck-through-body, quartersawn maple neck. The neck is fitted with a rosewood fretboard, jumbo frets and dot inlays rather than the more commonly seen shark tooth inlays. The headstock was designed by Grover Jackson and is fitted with die-cast tuners. The two Seymour Duncan humbuckers are accessed via a three way pickup selection switch and controlled by dual volume and a single tone knob. This guitar was manufactured at the Ontario facility and has a final inspection date of 3.1.99.

- Steve

used in peteena says

Mapleglow Rickenbacker 360 Guitar (ca. 1996)

This is a Standard Rickenbacker 360/6 in a Mapleglo finish with a maple bound body and neck. It has a polished rosewood fretboard with 24 frets and is inlayed with triangular pearloid markers. The hardware includes Schaller tuners, chrome R tailpiece, 2 high gain single coil pickups, 2 volume/tone controls, and a blender knob. It has Ric-O-Sound and Standard output jacks. The special contour around the entire body perimeter makes the guitar very comfortable to hold and the action is like butter.

- Steve

used in the bridge of parade

Rickenbacker 370 (ca. 1997)

This Ric has an offset, double cutaway, semi-hollow maple body with a wedge shaped sound hole and mapleglo finish. The neck is a through body maple neck with a 24 fret rosewood fretboard and pearl triangle inlay. It has a snazzy two level black pickguard, a tuneomatic bridge with "R" trapeze tailpiece and a Rick-O-Sound as well as standard output jack. It’s unique sound is produced by three High-Gain pickups accessed by a three way switch and controlled by two volume, two tone, and a blender knob. The bass pickup and middle pickup are wired together. When the selector is down, the treble pickup is on, when the selector is in the middle all three pickups are on and when it is up, the bass and middle pickups are on.

- Steve

Ibanez AW200VV Acoustic

Picked this up at a local guitar shop to take on a road trip. Has a nice bright tone and features a solid spruce top which should only make it sweeter with time.

- Don

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