Maya Bambu

[Adey]

Hi chaps, I'm new to the forum and thought I'd post up a few pics of the new guitar I just bought as I'm quite pleased with it.
Hopefully they will get attached properly, as I'm new to this sort of thing....

It's Bambu CB-615 (the 625 has active pick-ups. This has the same pick-ups but without the circuitry). Overall it's in good original condition. I had to drop the action down a bit when I got it as you could drive a bus under the strings. It's much better now, but I think I'll take it in for a fret dress so I can get it down a bit lower. Having said that, the frets look to have very little wear in them.
It has a brass nut, and again looks like it could do with a bit of filing, but I'll let others deal with that!

The access cover to the electrics is solid brass about 2mm thick. This must add to the weight as it is very heavy

It makes a great variety of sounds. The front pick up is I gather a single coil. The bridge is a humbucker with a coil tap switch.

[Adey]

That worked OK, so here's a couple more pics...

I believe that the old girl has a bamboo (hence the name) and walnut through-neck and ash wings.

Everything works, which is nice. The machine heads are particularly nice to use - they are buttery smooooth.

There is one small are where the lacquer has been chipped off, about 10mm across on the top edge. I will probably look at getting this repaired. Other than that, you wouldn't know it was 35ish years old.

I haven't found a serial number on it yet. Nothing on the headstock, under the truss rod cover or in the rear cavity. Maybe there is something in the pick-up cavities. I'll have them out when I get round to changing the strings.

[VintAxe]

Hey Adey, nice looking guitar. The literature describes the mini switch as a a low cut switch wired to the neck pickup. There is a wiring diagram in the brochure if you are interested.

If you figure out the year of production please let me know. It will help me date the brochure I own.

Nice find, you are the only kid on your block that has a guitar with a laminate "bambu" neck

[Adey]

I'll have to have another fiddle with that switch. I thought it was doing something with the rear pick-up...

I have done a bit of web searching and found the attached page about another Bambu with a stamped serial number, but mine doesn't have one there. This one was built in 1978 and the author reckoned that only 20 or so were made.


However, the same factory seemed to make clones. The Azumi Nanyo is almost identical.

[VintAxe]

The switch very well could be in the bridge pup circuit, it wouldn't be the first time that actual production didn't match a description in the sales literature.

Thanks for the links,

sb