Mysterious Rocket Bodied Semi-Hollow

[Rattierevolution]

Hey, so I work in a recently re-opened music store, and long story short, we have a lot of real old equipment with no paperwork, labels, anything. I've been able to research most of what we have, except for this one funky shaped semi-Hollow guitar.

I'll have a picture up hopefully later today, or tomorrow, but to describe it:

It's a semi-hollow guitar, shaped kind of like an Eko Rokes, with a lacquered wood finish, and cut F-holes. The pups look like old dynasonics or old silvertone pups, the neck is also very similar in construction to an old silvertone we have, so it's most likely from the 60's. the headstock is like an elongated arrow, there are no serial numbers, logos, or anything inside the F-holes, it's a regular ghost, heh.

SO any info would be awesome, i've never seen anything like it, and have no real leads for research, Hopefully someone out there would know!

[VintAxe]

Mysterious indeed, I look forward to seeing pictures of what you have.

[Rattierevolution]

Ok, grabbed some quick pictures when i was out, Hopefully this'll help




and there's a gallery


Pretty strange huh?

[Spud1950]

Wow. Most unusual and extremely cool Never seen one like that. Just a guess, but to me the pickups,bridge, tailpiece, knobs, plus the general look point to it being a Kawai made guitar. By the way,Kawai made quite a few of the 60s Silvertone branded models.You should grab that one for yourself.

[Rattierevolution]

Thanks for the lead, I'll see what i can do with that, I'm definitely considering getting it, I feel like I'm not going to make any money at this job

[theehman]

The multiple bindings on the body put Kawai to mind, as well.

[elronnightshade]

wow, need more be said, its beautiful

[VintAxe]

Hey Guys, this one was just too unusual for me to pass on so I bought it. I'm still researching it's origins so if you have additional ideas I'd like to hear your thoughts.

It is actually quite playable. It arrived with a loose tone pot which the seller disclosed and when I plugged it in it had a noticeable grounding buzz. I'm assuming the pot has rotated and broken the ground wire. I'm sending it off to my luthier Keith tomorrow. I know all about the fishing line and teasing the electronics out through a pickup hole but hollow body electronics is something I give to Keith. He can accomplish in an hour what it would take me a day to do.

Here are some additional pictures that might help with the ID:

The first surprise is that the neck is made up of thin laminate strips like old Framus necks.



The multiple body binding reminds me of late 60's Kents.



I don't think the knobs are original since the controls are 2 volumes and a tone and the knobs are marked 2 tones and a volume. I also didn't realize that there was no pickup switch the only control is the knobs.




The closest match I've been able to find on the pup so far is on an electric mandolin listed in Bizarre Guitars of the 60's. It has the same plastic in the insert and surround as the guitar pup. The mandolin was made by Suwaneena.



The old open backed tuners actually hold tune quite well.

[johnnyb]

cool, good buy. the laminate also is on some teisco guitars. my et-440 had that. the pickups look like old Hoshino Gakki type. the bridge definately looks teisco. the pickup holders dont look right to me. i wonder if there are other holes underneath. looks like 2 sides are beveled and the ends are straight cut. plus the screws are right on the edge. doesnt seem production to me. could it be a case of left over pieces parts?

[VintAxe]

Hey johnnyb, thanks for your observations. I'm also pretty convinced it's Teisco/Kawai but just wondered if anyone had other ideas.

I too have seen the laminate necks on Teiscos so that helps support the attribution.

The bridge looks Teisco to me as well.

I think the pickup holders are original but I'll have Keith check for extra holes when he fixes the grounding issue. The bridge holder is beveled on all 4 sides and the neck holder is straight cut on all 4 sides. The holders bend slightly with the curve of the top so they probably put the screws on the edge to keep the holder in contact with the top on the edges.

[johnnyb]

the pickups attach a little different than other pups. not like the normal, screw to the pick-guard with a couple of springs to keep it secure. that type needs a metal bracket for the pup to attach to and that attaches to the pick-guard. might be tell tale for the guitar. it also explains the warping of pick-guards and holders.

[Michael Ambrose]

I THINK I might have a lead for you, Steve-o!

Follow this link...

http://cgi.ebay.com/UNIQUE-VINTAGE-GREC ... 500wt_1154

... to a Greco-branded piece I've never seen before... a sort of Hallmark-esque piece bearing some similar markers to your rocket-bodied piece!

Interesting!!

[VintAxe]

Hey Michael, I think you are definitely on to something here. The build characteristics are similar in so many areas I'm persuaded. I'm going to see if he'll send me a shot of the back of the headstock so I can get a good look at the tuners. If they are the same, I'm going to vote you Master Sleuth

[cheepaxes]

Even if you can't get him to send a pic of his tuners, he might look at the picture you took of yours and confirm or deny that they're similar.

[DeMontGuitars.com]