I’d like to confirm that the guitar is not a Guyatone!
I’d like to confirm that the guitar is not a Teisco!
What you have is semi rare guitar. There are a few possible sources of this guitar. I can only tell you the options, but can’t with certainty say which option it is.
Firstly the guitar is all original!! It’s missing a bridge cover and a trem arm.
The truss cover should be writing out. These is the only Japanese guitar that I am aware of that had a rear truss rod cover.
Looking at the components of the guitar will tell you where it is possibly from.
The neck is the main starting point. The side inlays are always associated with Teisco. However there were other guitars manufacturers using side inlays. These include Zeon and Fujigen Gakki. So this limits where the neck could have been made.
Now the headstock is a one off. It was built with this body that is a match for a Teisco MJ model guitar. Now there is some talk that Teisco may have outsourced some guitar work to Fujigen Gakki. This work being the construction of necks and bodies. The design looks like a preliminary design of the Teisco 4 x 2 Hook headstock.
Now there are a couple other versions out there that have this body and neck configuration, but with different hardware. I seem to recall about 3 but can’t be 100% sure.
• Crown Logo – Same as yours
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dl ... true&rt=nc
• Givtone – Different fit out
http://drowninginguitars.files.wordpres ... ivtone.jpg
The truss cover should be writing out. These is the only Japanese guitar that I am aware of that had a rear truss rod cover. Plus a Marco Polo with a 3x3 neck, same body, different Hardware.
Looking at you guitar the next thing to look at is the guitar pickups. Now these were used Kawai and some other guitar manufacturers. So it could be assumed that Kawai sourced these pickups for an electronics supplier. Hence they would have been available to other guitar makers. Teisco built there own pickups and didn’t use this type.
The toggle switches. Notice they have the printing stamped into the switches. Well these have the same story as the pickups. Again Kawai did use these, but are also found on other manufactures. (Not Teisco)
Now the tuners should have the clear plastic covers on the back. This is an important piece of information as theses plastic tuners were used in the late 50’s to the very early 60’s.
Now because it has an adjustable truss rod it places the guitar in the early 60’s.
Now the bridge is something special. You don’t see those on many other guitars, if any at all. The tail piece again is used on other makes. But which ones slip my mind at the moment. Even the knobs are metal stamped.
We can eliminate Zeon because of the truss rod and the pickups.
So here are the options for you and all this is speculation;
1. Fujigen Gakki made and Teisco did not like the new Headstock design so it was fitted out with other hardware by Fujigen Gakki;
2. Fujigen Gakki made it with outsourced hardware that they fitted as one of their earlier guitars.
3. Fujigen Gakki made and sold the bodies and necks to Kawai to fit out with hardware.
4. Fujigen Gakki made and the bodies and necks were sold to another small time guitar manufacturer whom fitted out the hardware.
5. Some other small time guitar maker copied Teisco / Fujigen Gakki styles and produced this model. (Unlikely but possible).
There are actually a couple other options that I won’t discuss, because it will confuse people. So that’s all I can really offer on this one at this time.
Don’t forget to check out the Teisco World Web Site.
