Vintage Japanese Guitars

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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Vintage Japanese Guitars

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youngreverb Joined: Jun 07, 2017 Posts: 48 University Place, WA	Posted on Sep 19 2017 06:34 PM Are vintage Japanese guitars, like Teisco and its offshoots, good surf guitars? — Gabe Our beaches here get 3 foot tall waves, but it doesn't matter. You don't need to surf to play surf. Top
FritzCat Joined: Sep 11, 2007 Posts: 685 Sonoma, CA	Posted on Sep 19 2017 07:13 PM Some of them are, they vary widely. You never know unless you try. I got this one for $300, it's one of my favorites Last edited: Sep 19, 2017 19:14:06 Top
Chippertheripper Joined: Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 819 Semass	Posted on Sep 19 2017 07:15 PM if it's a player then yes, absolutely. I have a real fetish for old Japanese dime store guitars. Top
Toneschaser Joined: Jun 14, 2012 Posts: 462 Ohio!	Posted on Sep 20 2017 08:09 AM Might need a little work to make them roadworthy, but overall they are very cool! Top
CrazyAces Joined: Jul 31, 2012 Posts: 4054 Buffalo, N.Y.	Posted on Sep 20 2017 08:17 AM youngreverb wrote: Are vintage Japanese guitars, like Teisco and its offshoots, good surf guitars? Yes, many of them are wonderful for Surf and Instrumental music. Cheers, Jeff — http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic Top
JohnnyMosrite Joined: Jun 14, 2006 Posts: 913 New York City area	Posted on Sep 20 2017 11:25 AM From experience, I take a very guarded reserve with Japanese instruments - especially from the mid 60s-early 70s. One of my first electrics was a Teisco or Zimgar piece of junk my mother bought at Lafayette Radio (precursor to Radio Shack stores). When I tried to play it, it would not stay in tune for a single 'E' chord. I could literally see the neck bend forward and the action raise as I tuned. We returned it and I got a "Domino" thin line arch top - OK, but the pickups couldn't suck enough. I saved my pennies and eventually got a US Fender Mustang followed by a Harmony Rocket- still not great but a step up from "Land of the Rising None" junk. Today, I see the same pieces of junk on EBAY for $500.00 or more. Folks, there is no such thing as Vintage GARBAGE. You can't polish a turd. So.. at best I can only suggest you try the instrument in pro per or get an approval time to try it out if buying online. Giving a balanced opinion - I've run into the same crap with high end guitars made by the US domestics - with no exceptions. MHO and stuff J Mo' Top
Squid Joined: Aug 22, 2010 Posts: 1019 Portland, Oregon with Insanitizers	Posted on Sep 20 2017 11:46 AM JohnnyMosrite wrote: One of my first electrics was a Teisco or Zimgar piece of junk my mother bought at Lafayette Radio (precursor to Radio Shack stores). Funny because the same for me, except my dad bought the 4-pickup Zim Gar at a discount store in Manhattan (in 1963). It had no tension rod adjustment! At Lafayette's going out of business sale (1966) my dad bought several electrics. With serious mods they became ok. Their fretboards are as narrow as a Mosrite's. — Insanitizers! http://www.insanitizers.com Top
mad_dog Joined: Sep 23, 2008 Posts: 349 Montclair, NJ	Posted on Sep 21 2017 09:06 AM Fritz: That's a cool looking guitar. What is it ... what's it sound like? MD Top
FritzCat Joined: Sep 11, 2007 Posts: 685 Sonoma, CA	Posted on Sep 21 2017 10:05 AM This is a '66-'68 Noble, made by the Tombo company of Japan (more info here). The pickups were very uneven in terms of relative volume, so I replaced them with Mosrite-style pickups from Ed Elliott. It pretty much sounds like a Mosrite now. Last edited: Sep 21, 2017 10:05:49 Top
Squid Joined: Aug 22, 2010 Posts: 1019 Portland, Oregon with Insanitizers	Posted on Sep 21 2017 12:39 PM I happened across this listing on Reverb, a Teisco WG-4L from the 1960s for $1300. My dad bought one of these from Lafayette Electronics in NYC. It couldn't stay in tune. The switches became unreliable. The fretwork was mediocre. I hated it. https://reverb.com/item/6086583-teisco-wg-4l-reborn-custom-by-humpback-engineering — Insanitizers! http://www.insanitizers.com Last edited: Sep 21, 2017 12:39:53 Top
CrazyAces Joined: Jul 31, 2012 Posts: 4054 Buffalo, N.Y.	Posted on Sep 21 2017 01:00 PM $1300.00! Ha, that's way crazy. The actual Teiscos from that particular period can be great guitars though. They almost all came with rough to non-existent frets and yes, the switches are weak. I picked up this Silvertone branded 1436 (WG-2L) about seven years ago for $155.00. After a re-fret and cleaning it's been very reliable and great sounding as well. Cheers, Jeff — http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic Top
derekirving Joined: Nov 03, 2011 Posts: 660	Posted on Sep 21 2017 01:35 PM I purchased an 80's Made In Japan (no name) SG for $99. I love it The older MIJ are quite good. Last edited: Sep 21, 2017 13:36:05 Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Sep 21 2017 10:53 PM If by vintage you include 70s and 80s guitars – then I'm stoked. My old fascination for garage sale guitars died a few years ago after I finished my last rebuild/makeover of a mahogany Teisco offset. After much experimentation, I found the skimpy and dinky scale of student guitars unexciting. I mean, you can convince yourself that a lot of guitar sounds are 'surfy' but ultimately cheap is cheap and you get what you pay for – unless the price is hyperinflated according to some bizarre hipster notions of cool and 'rare'... But getting back to 70s and beyond – by then Japanese luthiers had really gotten it together and their work rivals American and European brands, sometimes (especially at price point) surpassing them. I played a Kurokumo "Excellent" Mosrite Ventures model today and there is nothing lacking in it as far as its prototype. Likewise Fuji Gen and Matsumoku Gibson knockoffs are ALL THAT. I'm actually trying to find a used 80s Japanese LP Special or Firebird right now because I trust the build quality over contemporary Gibsons. — Squink Out! Top
derekirving Joined: Nov 03, 2011 Posts: 660	Posted on Sep 22 2017 11:05 AM @JObeast Keep an eye on Ebay and Reverb for those 80's Japanese LP and Firebirds. Lots of these Japanese guitars have bolt-on necks (my SG does) and it still plays and sounds great. Those 80's Japanese humbuckers are killer too. Top
CrazyAces Joined: Jul 31, 2012 Posts: 4054 Buffalo, N.Y.	Posted on Sep 22 2017 11:24 AM late '70's, early 80's Matsomoku - Memphis Les Paul Custom $60.00 at church sale. It's a bolt on neck and it's mostly hollow and plywood. The neck is a little "soft" so you can't move around too much or the pitch/tuning can get weird. It is a great feeling and cool sounding guitar though. It doesn't sound exactly like a good Les Paul. It has a higher fundamental frequency response with the hollow body but I like the OEM DiMarzio pickups it has. A cool guitar for the money. The Greco's from this period can be really nice too. Cheers, Jeff — http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic Top
CrazyAces Joined: Jul 31, 2012 Posts: 4054 Buffalo, N.Y.	Posted on Sep 22 2017 11:28 AM '80 or '81 (can't remember, LOL) Greco 330/360 copy. Killer guitar, love this more than a few Real Rics I've owned. — http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic Top
montereyjack66 Joined: Jul 23, 2014 Posts: 646 LA -ish	Posted on Jan 24 2018 09:08 PM I recently got me a not so bad shape Teisco beater. Any lines on after market trem bars etc? MJ — mj bent playing for benter results Do not attempt to adjust your TV set. https://www.facebook.com/Bass-VI-Explorers-Club-179437279151035/ https://www.facebook.com/Lost-Planet-Shamen-366987463657230/ Top
FritzCat Joined: Sep 11, 2007 Posts: 685 Sonoma, CA	Posted on Jan 24 2018 09:27 PM There's this one Top
WoodyJ Joined: Apr 05, 2006 Posts: 1547 Bethlehem, GA	Posted on Jan 24 2018 10:04 PM 1964 Zen-On ZES70 with the original case. My very first electric guitar was identical to this one that I found decades later. My original one came from a Lafayette Radio Electronics catalog priced at $49.95. I paid for it with lawn mowing income when I was 15. Note the gold foil pickups - they sound really good through a good amp. However the action on my original one (and this one) was/is sky-high terrible. It is currently on consignment at Atlanta Vintage Guitars. — Jack Booth (aka WoodyJ) The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005), 2025 The Hula Hounds (1996-2000) The X-Rays (1997-2004) The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012) Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990) Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Jan 24 2018 10:29 PM montereyjack66 wrote: I recently got me a not so bad shape Teisco beater. Any lines on after market trem bars etc? MJ Those cheesy whammies are all over the place - I think Allparts has one. It’s like the Höfner design. — Squink Out! Top

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