This is my finally completed project, what I assume is a Kawai era Teisco from the Sears catalog, model #1411. This one was in the 1980 Fall/Winter...it was my first guitar...a Christmas present. I've done some online research and have seen it in the 1977 Sears Wishbook with a different tailpiece and slightly different headstock shape. Also in the 1975 Wishbook with one pickup (as a #1401) with a clamshell stop tailpiece. And in a 1978 Montgomery Ward catalog with a "Global" label.
This one is assembled from a few different 1411's...it took me a while to find a neck with playable frets. And the pickups - single coils in humbucker covers - came from yet another one. The thing plays well and sounds incredibly good...my original in 1980 was completely unplayable out of the box. But this one is amazing, I am completely satisfied with the result!
Here's what I put into it:
- Strip and re-paint/re-poly of the headstock due to damage
- 6 on-a-plate tuners rebuilt using modern plate/pegs/knobs and original gears and posts
- 2nd string tee added to eliminate resonant ringing
- Fret levelling and crowning
- Re-cut of nut slots to proper depth after fill with super glue/baking soda
- Neck shim to fix string height/action
- Gouge repair on the lower body
- Wax potting of single coil pickups to eliminate microphonic squealing
NOTE: Bridge = 6.4K, Neck=5.6K...they have a ballsy sound with some bite
- Pickguard replacement with new custom cut in the original shape
- Complete rewiring including new pots (old ones were junk)
- Salvaged original tone cap
- Copper foil shielding of the control cavity and pickguard back
- Bridge replacement (original was junk) with Teisco tune-o-matic style
- Vibrato tailpiece modification so guitar stays in tune, added a block to give it a "home" position
- Vibrato tailpiece modified with nylon washers and full length mounting bolt for more reliable use
- Vibrato spring replacement with new spring cut to correct length
- Vibrato arm replaced (didn't have the original) with one that works better (more functional arm length & angle)
Enough talk...here are the pictures: