NGD x 2, Resonator and 70's Stratocaster

milamber

I've been in my wife's good books for a month or two now after selling a Strat, three acoustics and a spare hardcase (which went yesterday) leaving me with just one acoustic and a hardcase.

Imagine her delight when a shiny new mahogany resonator turned up at lunchtime today, following which we had 'just a little detour' on the way to Norwich (with her 89 year old aunt in the car...) to purchase a lovely 70's Strat in Seafoam green I'd seen advertised locally.

The Strat isn't anything posh - it's a 1978/79 Hohner, but I simply fell in love with it. I doubt the photos do it justice, but the colour is sublime and it's aged beautifully in a way that a modern relic job simply can't capture. The colour has changed in all the places it touches the body and a now removed sticker on the reverse below the neckplate has left a lighter square on the finish. Overall it's darkened a shade or two, there is a touch of rust on the screws, the knobs and pickup surrounds have yellowed tastefully. Despite that, it's in remarkably good condition with just a few small chips and marks. Maple neck/rosewood fingerboard which is straight and in great condition. No idea what wood the body is made from, but it's quite a slab weighing in at just under 9lb.

Hohners are notoriously hard to identify and age, but I've been in touch with the owner of the main forum in Germany who says it's definitely a Made in Japan from either 1978 or 1979, making it the oldest Hohner strat copy he's seen. It certainly is lovely quality.

I actually bought it simply on the looks, figuring I use the body as a base for a project, but it actually plays beautifully and sounds great. Way better than my previous MIM Fender from 2008. To be honest I think I'm going to leave it well alone.

Some photos below. I haven't put any of the resonator as it's simply a new one and doubt many people would be interested anyway. Just an iPhone so the pictures aren't great - colour a shade darker than it looks in many of the photos.

http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_0991_zpsrl9h40lx.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/strat_zpskvk0a6cn.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/strat2_zpsddkakcsr.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/strat4_zpseqpurxhf.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_0994_zpsezfgtsah.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_0995_zpspkmmvuji.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_0996_zps9kmsyeus.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_0997_zpsl6gfbk4e.jpg

stimpsonslostson

"I haven't put any of the resonator as it's simply a new one and doubt many people would be interested anyway" 

And you'd be VERY wrong. We need pictures!
I bought a resonator last week... It's in the classifieds already! Nothing wrong with the guitar- it's awesome, but it's far too loud to be practical in a flat (especially as I tend to practice when my kids are sleeping). 

milamber

Fair enough I'll take some in the morning. They certainly are loud, luckily my kids have mostly left home. Fingers crossed that extremely loud, not brilliantly played bluegrass and novice slide will encourage those remaining to move out too. 

Only thing I'm struggling with a little is the wider nut width. Have tiny hands and can just about cope with the 43mm nut width on my acoustic. Being naive I assumed that an extra 2mm wouldn't make much difference, but it does. 

Voxman

Strat looks lovely - but if it was mine I'd immediately change the knobs and p/up selector cap to aged white/ivory Fender style to match the p/ups - the black tip just doesn't go, and the current knobs simply look 'wrong'.  Of course, that's just my taste & YMMV. 

milamber

Voxman said:

Strat looks lovely - but if it was mine I'd immediately change the knobs and p/up selector cap to aged white/ivory Fender style to match the p/ups - the black tip just doesn't go, and the current knobs simply look 'wrong'.  Of course, that's just my taste & YMMV. 

Pretty sure the knobs are original. They have yellowed, but certainly not to same extent as as the pickups. I agree about the black tip on the selector which doesn't fit properly anyway. Any chance of a link to the sort of knobs you suggest. I'll certainly take a look, thanks. As a bonus the Strat even matches the cupboards in my music room so important to get the aesthetics right

http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_2563_zpshalafw4y.jpg

milamber

stimpsonslostson said:

"I haven't put any of the resonator as it's simply a new one and doubt many people would be interested anyway" 

And you'd be VERY wrong. We need pictures!
I bought a resonator last week... It's in the classifieds already! Nothing wrong with the guitar- it's awesome, but it's far too loud to be practical in a flat (especially as I tend to practice when my kids are sleeping). 

Here's the resonator. Apologies for the delay - relatives around which means have I haven't got to play it much yet, but first impressions are good. I like the unfinished feel, the neck is lovely.

http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_2564_zpsdpisbzpk.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_2565_zpsbv8e03nn.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_2566_zpsrgr71dnm.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_2567_zpsz5g6upxg.jpg
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/IMG_2568_zpshxcwzfaq.jpg

stimpsonslostson

That looks great! Good score.