by Michael Ambrose » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:00 am
Time for the Valco junkie to weigh in... hahaha!
I'm sorry to say, I'm thinking Frankenstein here. I've never seen that combination of features on any Chicago-esque instrument.
That pickup config, mid and bridge, is definately a custom cut... as is the selector and the pot on the upper bout.
Gumby headstock with Kessel Kleenexes? Definately never happened.
I can't tell from the pics, but is that a string-through body? DEFINATELY not stock.
The dead giveaway is the set neck. You'd be hard pressed to find a single solid-body guitar come out of Chicago with a set neck. Even the top-of-the-line National Resoglass axes had two/three-bolt necks. Off the top of my head, I can actually only think of four guitars that come close... the Roy Smeck, a corresponding Kay (both finished in this nasty textured countertop material, though some Smecks turned up in natural), the Stratotone Newport, and Kay's answer named the Stradolin... all with some crazy neck-through design... NONE which would be confused for this piece.
Like I said, this one's got Frankenstein written all over it.
Pull the pickguard and shoot some high-res pics, especially of the pots. Try and pull some pot and pickup codes if you can.
If you can, pull the neck and check the pocket.
For a split second, I wanted to entertain the idea of this being a Murph... just a though... i can't remember if Murphs were set-neck or bolted.
Anyhoo...
POST MORE PICS!! I'm jazzed on this one!! hahaha...