Greetings all,
I was trying to research an old Aristone guitar that I was doing a pickup rewind on and stumbled across this forum - with the wealth of knowledge here, I had to join even though my field is slightly different - I make electric mandolins based on classic guitars and also make and repair pickups (oh no, I can feel a teardrop Vox mando coming on)!!
My first guitar was a Rosetti acoustic - a nasty thing but aged 6, I didn`t know any better and it was more like a double bass (I`m not sure if 3/4, 1/2 etc. existed then but if they did, then my dad didn`t know about it).
Fast forward three years and I spend my birthday money on an Egmond pickup and figure out where the wires should be poked into the chassis of our radiogram with matchsticks!!!
My first solid electric was a red Vox single cutaway - not sure what sort but it vaguely resembled a Bigsby, had a wooden bridge and pickups that looked like they were faced with formica. This was for my 12th birthday and I was also given a stonking little 5w Selmer amp.
My next Vox was bought from a school friend - again, not sure what it was but it was Stratish with a sycamore neck, plywood body and three chrome pickups.
After that, I got into making my own guitars, the only exceptions being a Kimbara Strat in the `70s and an Epiphone SG in the `90s.
I`ve also had a few basses down the years as mostly, that`s what I`ve played in various bands but until recently when I discovered Warwicks, I hadn`t a clue what they were (just cheapies that I`d sorted).
I`m now looking forward to finding inspiration here among the many virtually forgotten makes of the past.
Cheers
Pete