What weird/goofy electrics do you have, or used to have? - Page 2

Twang · August 14th, 2005, 09:28 PM

Well, I've got this little beauty my daughter calls the "Kitchen Counter Top":

I have no information on it at all...neither have any of the guitar techs I've taken it to. They have all commented that most "piano" companies that got into making guitars for a few years bought their knobs and hardware from existing guitar companies...but no one recognizes anything on this.

If anyone knows anything about the DECAR line of guitars straight out of Decatur IL please let me know.

Oddly enough I am taking it to NYC this Thursday to have new tuning pegs installed and a set up. Someone played this thing for years...now I'm next.

Oh yeah, I bought for $60 it in Little Rock last summer at a used clothing store...

Tim Armstrong · August 14th, 2005, 09:50 PM

That DECAR is pretty cool!

My very first electric was a later version of the Hagstrom II, in sunburst without the swimming pool between the pickups. Skinny little neck, Jaguar-style vibrato, played like butter. I never actually played it through a GOOD amplifier (I had a little Univox solid-state practice amp), so I can't really speak to its tonal qualities...

Cheers, Tim

ye olde fretmonkey · August 14th, 2005, 10:56 PM

The Decar looks like a KustomKraft or Old Kraftsman (or a cutting board)...is it semi-hollow?

J-man · August 14th, 2005, 11:11 PM

Looks like it's closely moddled on a Danelectro..

Maggot · August 15th, 2005, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ye olde fretmonkey

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggot

Hot Pink '60s Standel Moserite Copy with mirror pickguard. Sounded awesome. Playability was so-so but not too bad. Never should have gotten rid of it.

- See a pattern?

dued...that is crazy!! Do you have any pics of it?

No I don't. It was a truly spectacular looking guitar. Sounded pretty good too. I still remember the way it smelled. I remember the headstock had a hot pink face and looked kind of like a loaf of bread (Like a Fender 12-String headstock with a lump at the top). The trem was Bigsby-style, and it had roller bridge saddles. The action was a little high, but it was playable if you weren't trying to be too speedy. It would have made an outstanding slide guitar. I felt that it couldn 't be my first guitar because of playability issues, so I sold it so I could go to Hungary and get dumped by my then-girlfriend. It ended up being a fun breakup, but I still wish I had the guitar.

Dust my Broom · August 15th, 2005, 05:06 AM

once i owned a PRS.

Wild Rice Chris · August 15th, 2005, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dust my Broom

once i owned a PRS.

I'm sorry.

Although many people like them, I can't get myself to like the sound or the feel...guess that doesn't leave much else, huh.

I do have the calendar, and did meet Paul Reed Smith about 10 years ago...

BradKM · August 15th, 2005, 01:29 PM

Wow! Framus is well represented here. I've got a closet full of them right now. My first decent bass was a '72 Framus Caravelle, and it inspired me to pick up several of their guitars later on. I love the bass, but will probably clear out the guitars to make room for more additions in the near future.

The guitars are a '67 Atlantic, that is actually pretty cool, just not for anything with more than a hint of distortion, and a '60 Texan acoustic.

They're oddballs, but most of them are surprisingly well built, and don't sound half bad.

Other weirdos that have passed through my hands include a Western Auto True Tone, an Egmund (couldn't have weighed more than three pounds) and a current mongrel of my own creation that sports a Strat body, Jackson neck, single humbucker, and Esquire tone circuit. I built it just to clean a lot of the spare parts off of my workbench.

I love scooping up old trash guitars and futzing with them for a while, but it's getting more expensive. Even the cheapest of the old oddballs are demanding higher prices now, and since the mid to late '70s most of the budget models have been copies of standards, which just don't have the cheeseball factor that I love about the older ones.

WickedGTR · August 15th, 2005, 08:08 PM

I have one of the limited edition Burns Hank Marvin 1964 reissues ... Nice guitar!

Twang · August 16th, 2005, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

That DECAR is pretty cool!

My very first electric was a later version of the Hagstrom II, in sunburst without the swimming pool between the pickups. Skinny little neck, Jaguar-style vibrato, played like butter. I never actually played it through a GOOD amplifier (I had a little Univox solid-state practice amp), so I can't really speak to its tonal qualities...

Cheers, Tim

Thanks Tim!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ye olde fretmonkey

The Decar looks like a KustomKraft or Old Kraftsman (or a cutting board)...is it semi-hollow?

Hey YOF, it's a solid body. Looks like the back and sides were painted with yellow house paint :P

It's gotta be a 'student' guitar because it's kind of small...if I learn anything about it after my trip to my brother's tech I'll let y'all know.

telel6s · August 16th, 2005, 02:17 AM

These are pics of my actual Yamaha.

Wild Rice Chris · August 16th, 2005, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradKM

Wow! Framus is well represented here.

Only Framus I have is a six-string banjo...of course, I suppose that that is kind of a goofy guitar...

I really want to find a Framus Jan Akkerman model. I've never seen one in person, but they look like a unique design.

BradKM · August 16th, 2005, 09:57 AM

Chris,

I think the recently reformed Framus has reissued the Akkerman. I'll see what I can dig up. That being said, the new Framus guitars have been on the market for a few years now, and I still haven't seen one in person, so you may have just as much luck finding a vintage piece.

Blazer · August 16th, 2005, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradKM

Chris,

I think the recently reformed Framus has reissued the Ackerman. I'll see what I can dig up. That being said, the new Framus guitars have been on the market for a few years now, and I still haven't seen one in person, so you may have just as much luck finding a vintage piece.

The Reissued Akkerman now known as the AK 1974 because Jan Akkerman didn't want his name use with this new model, is a different beast from the original.

a Real seventies Framus Akkerman

The Current Framus AK 1974

According to several interviews Akkerman did in the seventies, he wanted his Framus model to sound like the Gretsch White Falcon he had been using at that moment. He teamed up with Bill Lawrence to produce the bright sounding humbuckers found on the Akkerman. He also wanted a wrap around tailpiece because of the sustain.

The Modren day version leaves nothing of that, it has Duncan humbuckers and a tune o matic bridge and stop tail, making it more like a Les Paul.

Twang · August 22nd, 2005, 11:26 PM

Decar update...if yer interested

I had a noon appointment last Friday to take my Decar mystery guitar to New York's Lower East Side Guitar Guru/Legend Ritchie Baxt. My brother was right when he told Ritchie that he bet he'd never seen a guitar like this before even though he works on over 1,500 guitars a year and has been doing this forever (he's 64). Ritchie grinned when I pulled it out of the case and after a few minutes of inspecting the guitar he had determined the following:

Decatur, IL + Guitar = Decar

He felt certain the guitar was made by Kay (Chicago, IL) specifically for Decar, a small shop in Decatur. Once he removed the linoleum 'MOT' pickguard it was clear that the routing for the Tone and Volume controls were machined but the pickup route was done by hand probably at the Decar shop...a custom!

Next he checked the Dearmond pickup (made for Kay) for a date but it was unreadable, so he dated the pots. Turns out it was made in 1956! Which would help explain the linoleum pickguard, top, bottom and head stock, since linoleum, although around forever was the hot thing to use in houses in the 50s. Futuristic AND durable.

So then Ritchie installed new tuners, and gave it a complete setup which included; shimming the neck, replacing the tone pot (saving the original for me), fixing the jack and giving the frets a little love.

I picked it up a few hours later and it plugged it into the amp under his bench and it sounded amazing. Very bright and clear. He told me I had a real piece of Americana...and that his two appointments following mine wanted to buy it from him....and that I really had gotten a steal and to enjoy it.

Mystery solved = 1956 Decar (Kay)

Good times.

ye olde fretmonkey · August 23rd, 2005, 09:40 AM

Kay, that makes sense. That's why I was thinking Kustom Kraft or Old Kraftsman.

I had a robins-egg blue Kay with the same sort of p'up on it.

ever been to Decatur IL?

Twang · August 23rd, 2005, 07:28 PM

Yep, you were on the right track ye olde fretmonkey.

I love the sound of this little guitar. That pickup mixes with the linoleum perfectly. :D

I have been to Decatur once...that was enough

deadalbatross · August 23rd, 2005, 07:43 PM

I have a sixty nine teisco del ray et 200. Its got that pencil thin tulip shaped body, but this one was solid mahogany, the bakelite floral pickguard and two microphones where pickups should be (bit of humor). I managed to get a tremolo from a later model to fit on it, works out good, only a few tuning problems. Its got the laminate neck, which I love but wish it was thicker, zero fret, and almost no frets left. I did a refurb on her and Painted the body lime gold with a matching headstock. All the metal is cherry, and it still plays pretty good, I keep her a step down just for safety reasons.

August 14th, 2005, 09:28 PM	#41 (permalink)
Twang Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Age: 44 Posts: 664	Well, I've got this little beauty my daughter calls the "Kitchen Counter Top": I have no information on it at all...neither have any of the guitar techs I've taken it to. They have all commented that most "piano" companies that got into making guitars for a few years bought their knobs and hardware from existing guitar companies...but no one recognizes anything on this. If anyone knows anything about the DECAR line of guitars straight out of Decatur IL please let me know. Oddly enough I am taking it to NYC this Thursday to have new tuning pegs installed and a set up. Someone played this thing for years...now I'm next. Oh yeah, I bought for $60 it in Little Rock last summer at a used clothing store... __________________ "we don't wear rhinestones because we think we're cool, we wear rhinestones because we think they're cool" - gp

August 14th, 2005, 09:50 PM	#42 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Berlin, Maryland, USA Age: 49 Posts: 9,550	That DECAR is pretty cool! My very first electric was a later version of the Hagstrom II, in sunburst without the swimming pool between the pickups. Skinny little neck, Jaguar-style vibrato, played like butter. I never actually played it through a GOOD amplifier (I had a little Univox solid-state practice amp), so I can't really speak to its tonal qualities... Cheers, Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

August 14th, 2005, 10:56 PM	#43 (permalink)
ye olde fretmonkey Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin Posts: 3,355	The Decar looks like a KustomKraft or Old Kraftsman (or a cutting board)...is it semi-hollow? __________________ Just 'cause that's the way things are, that never did make it right.

August 14th, 2005, 11:11 PM	#44 (permalink)
J-man Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Wales/Scarborough Age: 20 Posts: 6,257 9 Photos	Looks like it's closely moddled on a Danelectro.. __________________ Write a wise saying and your name will live forever. - Unknown "The large print giveth and the small print taketh away." - Tom Waits

August 15th, 2005, 05:06 AM	#46 (permalink)
Dust my Broom Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 160	once i owned a PRS. __________________ "We just played that..........didn't we?"

August 15th, 2005, 01:29 PM	#48 (permalink)
BradKM Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 418	Wow! Framus is well represented here. I've got a closet full of them right now. My first decent bass was a '72 Framus Caravelle, and it inspired me to pick up several of their guitars later on. I love the bass, but will probably clear out the guitars to make room for more additions in the near future. The guitars are a '67 Atlantic, that is actually pretty cool, just not for anything with more than a hint of distortion, and a '60 Texan acoustic. They're oddballs, but most of them are surprisingly well built, and don't sound half bad. Other weirdos that have passed through my hands include a Western Auto True Tone, an Egmund (couldn't have weighed more than three pounds) and a current mongrel of my own creation that sports a Strat body, Jackson neck, single humbucker, and Esquire tone circuit. I built it just to clean a lot of the spare parts off of my workbench. I love scooping up old trash guitars and futzing with them for a while, but it's getting more expensive. Even the cheapest of the old oddballs are demanding higher prices now, and since the mid to late '70s most of the budget models have been copies of standards, which just don't have the cheeseball factor that I love about the older ones.

August 15th, 2005, 08:08 PM	#49 (permalink)
WickedGTR Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Hillbilly Hollywood Posts: 2,127 4 Photos	Burns Marvin I have one of the limited edition Burns Hank Marvin 1964 reissues ... Nice guitar!

August 16th, 2005, 02:17 AM	#51 (permalink)
telel6s Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 1,176 80 Photos	Yamaha SA-15 -- color pics These are pics of my actual Yamaha. __________________ Mama always said, "A little tone is good for the soul."

August 16th, 2005, 09:57 AM	#53 (permalink)
BradKM Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 418	Chris, I think the recently reformed Framus has reissued the Akkerman. I'll see what I can dig up. That being said, the new Framus guitars have been on the market for a few years now, and I still haven't seen one in person, so you may have just as much luck finding a vintage piece.

August 22nd, 2005, 11:26 PM	#55 (permalink)
Twang Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Age: 44 Posts: 664	Decar update...if yer interested I had a noon appointment last Friday to take my Decar mystery guitar to New York's Lower East Side Guitar Guru/Legend Ritchie Baxt. My brother was right when he told Ritchie that he bet he'd never seen a guitar like this before even though he works on over 1,500 guitars a year and has been doing this forever (he's 64). Ritchie grinned when I pulled it out of the case and after a few minutes of inspecting the guitar he had determined the following: Decatur, IL + Guitar = Decar He felt certain the guitar was made by Kay (Chicago, IL) specifically for Decar, a small shop in Decatur. Once he removed the linoleum 'MOT' pickguard it was clear that the routing for the Tone and Volume controls were machined but the pickup route was done by hand probably at the Decar shop...a custom! Next he checked the Dearmond pickup (made for Kay) for a date but it was unreadable, so he dated the pots. Turns out it was made in 1956! Which would help explain the linoleum pickguard, top, bottom and head stock, since linoleum, although around forever was the hot thing to use in houses in the 50s. Futuristic AND durable. So then Ritchie installed new tuners, and gave it a complete setup which included; shimming the neck, replacing the tone pot (saving the original for me), fixing the jack and giving the frets a little love. I picked it up a few hours later and it plugged it into the amp under his bench and it sounded amazing. Very bright and clear. He told me I had a real piece of Americana...and that his two appointments following mine wanted to buy it from him....and that I really had gotten a steal and to enjoy it. Mystery solved = 1956 Decar (Kay) Good times. __________________ "we don't wear rhinestones because we think we're cool, we wear rhinestones because we think they're cool" - gp

August 23rd, 2005, 09:40 AM	#56 (permalink)
ye olde fretmonkey Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin Posts: 3,355	Kay, that makes sense. That's why I was thinking Kustom Kraft or Old Kraftsman. I had a robins-egg blue Kay with the same sort of p'up on it. ever been to Decatur IL? __________________ Just 'cause that's the way things are, that never did make it right.

August 23rd, 2005, 07:28 PM	#57 (permalink)
Twang Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Age: 44 Posts: 664	Yep, you were on the right track ye olde fretmonkey. I love the sound of this little guitar. That pickup mixes with the linoleum perfectly. :D I have been to Decatur once...that was enough __________________ "we don't wear rhinestones because we think we're cool, we wear rhinestones because we think they're cool" - gp

August 23rd, 2005, 07:43 PM	#58 (permalink)
deadalbatross TDPRI Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 24	Lets get retarded in here I have a sixty nine teisco del ray et 200. Its got that pencil thin tulip shaped body, but this one was solid mahogany, the bakelite floral pickguard and two microphones where pickups should be (bit of humor). I managed to get a tremolo from a later model to fit on it, works out good, only a few tuning problems. Its got the laminate neck, which I love but wish it was thicker, zero fret, and almost no frets left. I did a refurb on her and Painted the body lime gold with a matching headstock. All the metal is cherry, and it still plays pretty good, I keep her a step down just for safety reasons.