Help me out here... Valco-made kit guitar?!?

[Michael Ambrose]

So, here's the story.

One of my students was going to buy a drum kit from some guy, and ended up taking an interested in this guitar... I've got NO CLUE on this one, and I'd really like to call Frankenstein on this... but maybe someone can spot this.

Now, neither I nor my student have our hands on this guitar right now, so don't ask us to pull up the PG or look for serials or anything... Pics are all we got!!

So... whaddya think?!?

DEFINITELY a Valco-made pickup and pickguard... Valco-esque headstock, but a little too narrow to be authentic... and semi-hollow with a set neck?!?

Two owners, current owner bought it from the original, who said he built it from a guitar kit... did Valco ever produce a guitar kit?

Definitely has the potential to be a SICK player's piece... but what in the world is it?!?

[simonm]

Never seen anything like it, but Valco could have supplied some parts to whoever put the kit together, maybe one of their more obscure house brand customers (spotted another one a few weeks back - Minuetta).

The headstock shape is odd but the slim nut and zero fret, and the view of the back look Valco to me, although I don't recall seeing these kinds of tuners on a Valco. Body is not Valco-like, but obviously fits the neck. The tailpiece is the weirdest part IMO.

[jeff mercer]

Hey, Micheal. What a strange axe ! I would've thought it HIGHLY unusual to have a set neck on a 'kit' guitar. It'd take more than just basic skills for a non-luthier to properly glue, set, angle etc a neck, rather than just screwing it on like all other kits I've seen. Y'know, if didn't get it right the first time, you were stuffed ! Very odd..

[Michael Ambrose]

Hey gang...

I just got my hands on the guitar for the first time today... and I've got to say I'm completely STUMPED.

First things first... this beast is TRUE HOLLOW with an extra "board" glued under the top on which the pickups rests. (Also... no idea how that pup is mounted in there... but I can't pull it out!!)

Next... I pulled the "Valco" Pickguard... and yeah, its straight-up Supro.... but that aside, it looks like there used to be TWO F-HOLES on top!! The treble-side f-hole has been butchered to accomodate the pickguard and eletronics.

The neck is set... and set well... the heel is flush and smooth against the body... though it has been re-finned black (you can scratch it to reveal the original blue underneath)... and its a baseball bat neck... Bound fretboard... thumbnail markers... Grover sta-tite tuners (arranged asymmetrically)...

Pics are coming, guys!... but until then, just picture that guitar body up above with symmetrical f-holes... any ideas?!?