Seemingly Rare Non-Trad Guitars…
- Thread starter Tele-beeb
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Peegoo
Doctor of Teleocity
I've seen a few Makos, but not a blue one!
One of the cool things about making your own guitar is it's the only one like it in the entire universe.
One of the cool things about making your own guitar is it's the only one like it in the entire universe.
radiocaster
Poster Extraordinaire
The thing is a lot of cheaper brands are not as common as people would think. Of course, most are boring strat copies, but even a plain strat copy with a weird name is much rarer than a Squier or even a Fender.
Double Stop
Tele-Holic
So do you call that custom guitar the "Paddlefish" or "Oarfish"?I've seen a few Makos, but not a blue one!
One of the cool things about making your own guitar is it's the only one like it in the entire universe.
I call it extremely cool. Wow, that's really awesome.
widefault
Tele-Meister
I've amassed a bunch of oddballs, some more special the the others
Here's a Mako from my "collection"
That's a factory paint job, and I've seen multiple like it on Reverb, but most are an earlier version without the coil-tap and a different headstock.
A rare piece of junk
60's "Douglas" made in USA Parlor guitar with one brace on the inside near the bridge. Made dirt cheap to compete with the even cheaper Japanese guitars that were flooding the market at the time.
Would one-off promos count?
Epiphone Coronet, made for the Baskin Robbins/Duncan Donuts family day.The guitars themselves are common, but the pickguards are all custom with only a few made for each event.
Milk Rocks!
Not sure if it's rare, but I've never seen another like it
Aria Pro STG, 2 pickup strat, hardtail with strings through the body
Rare based on name, and kind of on features
Rhapsoby(yes, with a b) hardtail string-through Strat copy. Likely a Samick due to the headstock shape and pickguard, but doesn't really match up to any Samick/Hondo model from the same time(~1982-3)
The alleged prototype
Maestro, Gibson's sun-Epi branding for Walmart/Big Box, non-reverse Firebird. Previous owner said the previous owner told him it was a prototype they never released, and considering I've never seen another, maybe? FYI, there are other "Maestro" branded guitars, but this has the Gibson-version logo
Good old Maestco
Also have a few Hondo/Tokai Fender lead copies that are less common
Never seen another in yellow so far
Paintjob is factory, only seen one other like it
Here's a Mako from my "collection"
That's a factory paint job, and I've seen multiple like it on Reverb, but most are an earlier version without the coil-tap and a different headstock.
A rare piece of junk
60's "Douglas" made in USA Parlor guitar with one brace on the inside near the bridge. Made dirt cheap to compete with the even cheaper Japanese guitars that were flooding the market at the time.
Would one-off promos count?
Epiphone Coronet, made for the Baskin Robbins/Duncan Donuts family day.The guitars themselves are common, but the pickguards are all custom with only a few made for each event.
Milk Rocks!
Not sure if it's rare, but I've never seen another like it
Aria Pro STG, 2 pickup strat, hardtail with strings through the body
Rare based on name, and kind of on features
Rhapsoby(yes, with a b) hardtail string-through Strat copy. Likely a Samick due to the headstock shape and pickguard, but doesn't really match up to any Samick/Hondo model from the same time(~1982-3)
The alleged prototype
Maestro, Gibson's sun-Epi branding for Walmart/Big Box, non-reverse Firebird. Previous owner said the previous owner told him it was a prototype they never released, and considering I've never seen another, maybe? FYI, there are other "Maestro" branded guitars, but this has the Gibson-version logo
Good old Maestco
Also have a few Hondo/Tokai Fender lead copies that are less common
Never seen another in yellow so far
Paintjob is factory, only seen one other like it
whoanelly15
Tele-Afflicted
Odd to me for its dual humbucker and sparkle finish. And Jet guitars are relatively unknown. This silver one is, ergonomically-speaking, as good as any of my guitars. The roasted maple neck and ebony board are silky smooth under the fingers. And the pickups are really interesting. I just measured their output last night - bridge measures at about 13.3k and the neck at 7.2k or so, with an almost out-of-phase middle position. Playing it way more than I thought I would.
LOSTVENTURE
Friend of Leo's
My first electric, early sixties, was a Kent, copy of a Jaguar, and I've never seen another one ever.
BB
Poster Extraordinaire
I had a 67 Kent 823 for several years. Hollow body with three single coils and separate volume and tone knobs for each pickup. Bought it real cheap at a local pawn shop.
I`ll try to find a picture. Pretty cool guitar with a 'lo-fi' BB King vibe to the tone.
I wasn't going to sell it, but got a stoopid high offer from a guy in Seattle punk/grunge band and quickly said "Bye Bye and Thank You!
I`ll try to find a picture. Pretty cool guitar with a 'lo-fi' BB King vibe to the tone.
I wasn't going to sell it, but got a stoopid high offer from a guy in Seattle punk/grunge band and quickly said "Bye Bye and Thank You!
I hold 80s Ibanez in a very high regard, but no one ever talks about them or plays them. I've seen far more people talk about Peavey guitars, which I hated in the 80s, than Ibanez.
This is my first guitar, that I have intermittently owned since the late 80s. It's not leaving my possession again.
If I found another wang bar (my original broke 25+ years ago) and could get it set up with a rolling nut and locking tuners like my Jeff Beck Strat, if would get played a lot more. I'm just not a big Strat guy. A couple of months back, I actually had the epiphany that a 80s Ibanez Tele would be a fantastic guitar, but as far as I can tell they didn't make one. :/
This is my first guitar, that I have intermittently owned since the late 80s. It's not leaving my possession again.
If I found another wang bar (my original broke 25+ years ago) and could get it set up with a rolling nut and locking tuners like my Jeff Beck Strat, if would get played a lot more. I'm just not a big Strat guy. A couple of months back, I actually had the epiphany that a 80s Ibanez Tele would be a fantastic guitar, but as far as I can tell they didn't make one. :/
SixStringSlinger
Poster Extraordinaire
I don’t know about “unknown”, but I do have a couple of “off the beaten path” guitars I enjoy.
One is my Ibanez Jet King 2 (Google pic)
It obviously looks cool. It balances nicely, sort of like a Jazzmaster or Jaguar. Tonally it’s a nice complement to my Les Paul. Similar enough to substitute, different enough to stand in its own.
I’ve modded mine so that the rocker switches do series/parallel rather than full/split. I’d like to incorporate a bass cut control into this one as well.
I’m on the lookout for a JTK30H, which is the semi-hollow version with (not quite but sort of) P90 pickups.
The other is my Reverend Tricky Gomez.
The influences are clear. The pickups are aesthetically Filter’Tron, but apparently more mini-humbucker in construction and sound. This guitar threatens to become my favorite whenever I play it for a while. Lots of great tones from mean to sweet, the larger (but not very deep) body is a nice change, and you can’t look bad with this hanging off your shoulder.
Mine currently has some slight visual differences; chicken head knobs and a poker chip under the switch. It’s currently awaiting a Tru-Arc bridge, and I’ve been contemplating a Varitone.
One is my Ibanez Jet King 2 (Google pic)
It obviously looks cool. It balances nicely, sort of like a Jazzmaster or Jaguar. Tonally it’s a nice complement to my Les Paul. Similar enough to substitute, different enough to stand in its own.
I’ve modded mine so that the rocker switches do series/parallel rather than full/split. I’d like to incorporate a bass cut control into this one as well.
I’m on the lookout for a JTK30H, which is the semi-hollow version with (not quite but sort of) P90 pickups.
The other is my Reverend Tricky Gomez.
The influences are clear. The pickups are aesthetically Filter’Tron, but apparently more mini-humbucker in construction and sound. This guitar threatens to become my favorite whenever I play it for a while. Lots of great tones from mean to sweet, the larger (but not very deep) body is a nice change, and you can’t look bad with this hanging off your shoulder.
Mine currently has some slight visual differences; chicken head knobs and a poker chip under the switch. It’s currently awaiting a Tru-Arc bridge, and I’ve been contemplating a Varitone.
SixStringSlinger
Poster Extraordinaire
I always thought those were cool, might go for one if I wasn’t already set for Strats. The recent-ish Roadcore series reminds me of these, somewhat.
mr natural
Friend of Leo's
Supposedly a prototype but it has a serial number. It is a little nicer than other examples I’ve played and has aged really well. Really nice V neck. Long story how it came to me.
Dismalhead
Poster Extraordinaire
Not mine, but a close friend's. 1980ish Matsumoku.
skunqesh
Tele-Holic
I"ve had this one sitting around on the 'to-do' list a long time. Got all the original parts but the oem pups were trash and the extra toggle only activated a 0.1uf cap (ala Fender's Dark Circuit) = way too muddy. Planning to refurbish it with a set of Dearmond style pups and a phase switch. Parts are on the way. Fwiw, I've seen a lot of Ventura "Barney Kessel" models that look similar - the Trini Lopez headstock version seems harder to come by.
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whoanelly15
Tele-Afflicted
That Reverend is gorgeous. Bravo!
Tele-beeb
Friend of Leo's
Cool all around…I've amassed a bunch of oddballs, some more special the the others
Here's a Mako from my "collection"
That's a factory paint job, and I've seen multiple like it on Reverb, but most are an earlier version without the coil-tap and a different headstock.
A rare piece of junk
60's "Douglas" made in USA Parlor guitar with one brace on the inside near the bridge. Made dirt cheap to compete with the even cheaper Japanese guitars that were flooding the market at the time.
Would one-off promos count?
Epiphone Coronet, made for the Baskin Robbins/Duncan Donuts family day.The guitars themselves are common, but the pickguards are all custom with only a few made for each event.
Milk Rocks!
Not sure if it's rare, but I've never seen another like it
Aria Pro STG, 2 pickup strat, hardtail with strings through the body
Rare based on name, and kind of on features
Rhapsoby(yes, with a b) hardtail string-through Strat copy. Likely a Samick due to the headstock shape and pickguard, but doesn't really match up to any Samick/Hondo model from the same time(~1982-3)
The alleged prototype
Maestro, Gibson's sun-Epi branding for Walmart/Big Box, non-reverse Firebird. Previous owner said the previous owner told him it was a prototype they never released, and considering I've never seen another, maybe? FYI, there are other "Maestro" branded guitars, but this has the Gibson-version logo
Good old Maestco
Also have a few Hondo/Tokai Fender lead copies that are less common
Never seen another in yellow so far
Paintjob is factory, only seen one other like it
One of my most MoJo strats was a hardtail Hondo (likely early korean) all I wanted to play on it was Albert Collins!
Peegoo
Doctor of Teleocity
So do you call that custom guitar the "Paddlefish" or "Oarfish"?
I call it extremely cool. Wow, that's really awesome.
It's called the Oddvark.
Tele-beeb
Friend of Leo's
Diggin’ that Jet
SixStringSlinger
Poster Extraordinaire
Thanks! Here’s how it looks now:
I’m 50/50 on the chicken heads. I like them, but I think I prefer the Tele-type knobs it had before. Trouble is I replaced the pots (and caps, just to get a taper I prefer, particularly on the bass cut) and they’re a mix of solid/smooth and split/splines shafts, and it’s hard to find a set with a set screw that will sit straight on all of them, even with the brass sleeves on the split shafts). And I like them to have the set screw since I use the screw as a pointer.
So it’s chicken heads for now, but if I do wind up putting a Varitone in that’s going to be a lot of chicken heads for one guitar.
I’m 50/50 on the chicken heads. I like them, but I think I prefer the Tele-type knobs it had before. Trouble is I replaced the pots (and caps, just to get a taper I prefer, particularly on the bass cut) and they’re a mix of solid/smooth and split/splines shafts, and it’s hard to find a set with a set screw that will sit straight on all of them, even with the brass sleeves on the split shafts). And I like them to have the set screw since I use the screw as a pointer.
So it’s chicken heads for now, but if I do wind up putting a Varitone in that’s going to be a lot of chicken heads for one guitar.
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