Look What Just Walked In The Door

[PumpJockey]

A friend just dropped these off as "I don't want these, maybe you can use them".

On the right is a Fernandez cheap-o with a FR-style bridge. I'll pull the pups and measure the output. I have an Ibanez in for a busted neck repair. Maybe they'll want this neck installed. They seem about the same profile.

In the middle is an Elger Tele-style in "toilet seat yellow" with a single coil and a humbucker in the neck. I know nothing about these, but will plug it in shortly.

To the left is a mid-70s (I think from its history) Gibson SG with a snapped-off set neck. The guitar and the case have a severe mold problem from being stored in a damp basement. If the pickups work that's value right there.

At the very least these can be contributions for Ye Olde Bottomless Parts Bin, but suggestions as to something more worthwhile are welcome. :idea:

 

[62 Jazzmaster]

whoa, that's an interesting assortment of projects, please keep us updated!

 

[Luthier Atlanta]

Man wish you were closer that old SG would be a nice project.

 

[PumpJockey]

More info:

The SG serial number places it as either a Kalamazoo or Nashville-made, dated sometime in 1970-1972. My intention is to remove the pups and electronics and see if there is enough meat attached to the neck to glue it back to the body. The whole thing needs to be gone over with a mild bleach solution inside and out. I'll put a meter on the pups and see if they are working (fingers crossed). I'll look at the other electrical parts, but not sure what shape they are in. I want to replace as little as possible. The tuners seem OK. Haven't gone over the frets yet.

The Elger is evidently a "lawsuit" era guitar, made in Japan by the company that later became Ibanez. They were made for a distributer in the Philly area, which fits, as my friend grew up around there. I plugged it in and the bridge pup worked but when I hit the switch everything stopped, so no idea about the neck pup. Obviously I'll inspect and possibly replace the knife switch.

 

[Brian J.]

you have cooler friends than i do

 

[guitarbuilder]

Looks like you can rebuild the SG mortise and maybe the tenon and reglue them... I've worked with less....LOL. Probably patent number stamp PAFs and very possibly the larger peghead with skinny O like you see on all those Ebay overlays. A half a hundred dollars in parts alone. The fretboard commands 100 dollars on a good day...maybe more. Some of those 70's necks were a bit skinnier than a normal 1-11/16" LP neck. Too bad they don't have the embossed logo on the pickup covers... at least not from my view here.

 

[PumpJockey]

Looks like you can rebuild the SG mortise and maybe the tenon and reglue them... I've worked with less....LOL. Probably patent number stamp PAFs and very possibly the larger peghead with skinny O like you see on all those Ebay overlays. A half a hundred dollars in parts alone. The fretboard commands 100 dollars on a good day...maybe more. Some of those 70's necks were a bit skinnier than a normal 1-11/16" LP neck. Too bad they don't have the embossed logo on the pickup covers... at least not from my view here.

Upon further examination, more good news. The pickups work, as do all the pots and the switch. They are all fairly corroded on the outside, I should spray them with contact cleaner or something similar. No stamping or numbers of any kind on the pickups.

The headstock measures 3 7/16" at the upper flare and 3 1/16 at the lower. The translucent gold overlay on the chrome Gibson logo is starting peel a bit.

1 11/16" at the nut. 13/16" thick at the first fret, just under 1" at the 12th fret.

The only piece of hardware missing is the upper strap holder and I haven't searched the case yet.

There is enough surface area on the break for a good solid glue joint. I may just try to glue, clamp and see what happens. But first I am taking everything off, putting it aside and cleaning the surface with some mild soap. It is moldy. The case exterior is going to get a wipe with a diluted bleach mix but I am not sure I want to do that to the guitar.

There are some issues with the finish: light spots where moisture or something got through dings in the clear finish. Not sure if I would re-finish this in the original brown or leave it "relic'ed".

 

[FenderGyrl]

I have a few of those El Cheapo Teles. They're fun to clean up and keep around the house. You can get some interesting mojo out of some of them. I have never been able to find an ashtray cover for them. We just replace the bridge saddles and round off any sharp edges on the base plate. The bridge pickups are usually weak. The neck pickups can be a pleasant surprise sometimes. Below is some info I found on the net. I can't say for sure how accurate it is. JazzyFrank plays one similar to yours.



The company that started importing these quality copy guitars was Elger Guitars. The founder of Elger Guitars, Harry Rosenbloom, was the first American to import Japanese made guitars. He imported guitars from the Hoshino Gakki company, who made guitars under the brand name Ibanez. In 1971 Hoshino bought Elger Guitars, which became Hoshino USA.

In 1954, Harry Rosenbloom opened a music store in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, northwest of Philadelphia. Due to the post-World War II music boom, his sales soon outstripped his inventory, and he began a company called Elger Guitars in an attempt to manufacture enough guitars to fill his needs. The Elger Guitar company made a relatively small number of hand-built, high quality guitars through the early 1960s.
By 1965 Rosenbloom stopped manufacturing guitars and become the exclusive North American distributor for Hoshino Gakki instruments. Hoshino had recently acquired a small Spanish guitar company named Ibanez, and it was decided to market the instruments under this brand name. In 1971 Hoshino purchased Elger Guitars, renaming the company "Ibanez U.S.A." and retaining the company headquarters in Bensalem, Pennsylvania as a distribution and quality-control center.

 

[PumpJockey]

I have a few of those El Cheapo Teles. They're fun to clean up and keep around the house. You can get some interesting mojo out of some of them. I have never been able to find an ashtray cover for them. We just replace the bridge saddles and round off any sharp edges on the base plate. The bridge pickups are usually weak. The neck pickups can be a pleasant surprise sometimes. Below is some info I found on the net. I can't say for sure how accurate it is. JazzyFrank plays one similar to yours.

I'm looking forward to messing with it. First step will be to get the electronics working, then set up the neck, then see what needs to be replaced/upgraded. I have a bin full of bridge pups to try, but I hope that neck hummer works.

The body color is very similar to the first Strat I ever owned, which I thought was butt ugly at the time, but now has a retro-cheesy vibe I love.

 

[Warm Gums]

Too cool, I would have a go at saving the SG..
Even if it doesn't go back together perfectly I bet you could make it into a wicked slide ax..

 

[PumpJockey]

Good lord, I see what you mean about the bridge saddles. You could open an artery on one of them.

But the thing is actually properly intonated and the neck is straight. I can lower the action to a very reasonable level.

And in better light I see it is not "toilet seat yellow" but actually a very faint mint green.

 

[PumpJockey]

Too cool, I would have a go at saving the SG..
Even if it doesn't go back together perfectly I bet you could make it into a wicked slide ax..

Exactly my plan.

 

[Coach56]

Way cooler friends then I have ! ! ! ! !

 

[Speedy454]

Those pickups in that SG are most likely patent # decal T tops. They probably measure in at 7.75K. If they are not ruined, they are pretty good sounding pickups. I have a set, and they are pretty nice sounding. They are starting to increase in value somewhat too. I've seen them sell on fee bay for about 100 to 125 each.

 

[FenderGyrl]

Good lord, I see what you mean about the bridge saddles. You could open an artery on one of them.

But the thing is actually properly intonated and the neck is straight. I can lower the action to a very reasonable level.

And in better light I see it is not "toilet seat yellow" but actually a very faint mint green.

(Laughing) Yep, Leather work gloves and a Tetanus shot required to work on some of those old guits! I have never seen a mint green one. Mine have the original Bridge pickups. The bridge cut out isn't the right size for a replacement pickup, probably why JazzyFrank changed his. My bridge pickups have a cool hollow sound that is fun to mess around with. You might wanna check to see if the neck pickup is one of those Maxons ( a single coil in a humbucker can). Some of those can still sound pretty cool though.

 

[PumpJockey]

Repairs started on the SG.

There was a large surface area to the break so I glued up and clamped, left it overnight.

Then I drilled a pilot hole, dipped a wood screw in glue and reinforced the joint. I Dremeled off the screw head and covered the reinforcement with the last chunk of wood from the break. I'm going to hope that this is as strong a bond as the original.

 

[bingy]

Love this story. Thanks for being part of the forum.

 

[neocaster]

The company that started importing these quality copy guitars was Elger Guitars. The founder of Elger Guitars, Harry Rosenbloom, was the first American to import Japanese made guitars. He imported guitars from the Hoshino Gakki company, who made guitars under the brand name Ibanez. In 1971 Hoshino bought Elger Guitars, which became Hoshino USA.

In 1954, Harry Rosenbloom opened a music store in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, northwest of Philadelphia. Due to the post-World War II music boom, his sales soon outstripped his inventory, and he began a company called Elger Guitars in an attempt to manufacture enough guitars to fill his needs. The Elger Guitar company made a relatively small number of hand-built, high quality guitars through the early 1960s.
By 1965 Rosenbloom stopped manufacturing guitars and become the exclusive North American distributor for Hoshino Gakki instruments. Hoshino had recently acquired a small Spanish guitar company named Ibanez, and it was decided to market the instruments under this brand name. In 1971 Hoshino purchased Elger Guitars, renaming the company "Ibanez U.S.A." and retaining the company headquarters in Bensalem, Pennsylvania as a distribution and quality-control center.

Thanks for the history lesson. This is in my backyard. My wife passed on a job offer from Hoshino a few years ago that would have had her in the Bensalem shop.

 

[PumpJockey]

Back together. Strung it up after this was taken. The Gibson pups sound as expected, the neck is way skinnier than my usual Louisville Slugger Tele necks, but over all this is a very nice instrument.

Debating the whole refinishing thing. Right now it bears the scars. A refinish may be counter to what I like about it.

Next up: the "Elger/Hoshino Gekko/Ibanez"

 

[Coach56]

Oh man, I LOVE the way this looks and normally I am not into "aged" guitars. This one has real age to it.

Play it like you stole it!

-Harry