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Got a New Old Guitar recently

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RockerRocker Frets: 5110
in Guitar
Yeah, a short scale hollow body. With a pickup. It did not cost much, it has no name on the headstock. The neck is baseball like, no truss rod. I was told it is a fifties guitar. No idea if this is the case - it is what it is. Needs a bit of TLC, I will leave it with a tech in Dublin in the next week or two. And post pics here some day soon. And I will update this post after the setup work is done. My search for a yellow guitar continues though...
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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Comments

  • Shark_EyesShark_Eyes Frets: 377
    It's not official until we see pictures.
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  • RockerRocker Frets: 5110
    The case:


    Case opened:


    The guitar body:


    Close up of the pickup:


    The 'no name' headstock:


    Update of description:

    Firstly, I described it as a short scale guitar.  It is not as it has a 25" scale length.  It is a small body guitar, looks like a scaled down jazz box.
    When I first saw it, I thought it was a Hofner.  The owner had no details or history hence it was on offer at a very low price.  Even though it is in need of a setup, it sounds good - bright and cheerful.  It has a zero fret and *might* need a neck reset.  The pickup is surprisingly good, more P90 than Single Coil.  The case is definitely non original.

    Anyway I have it home now and it will spend some time with a guitar tech in Dublin soon.  I will report if and when it gets a once over by a tech.  Hopefully I will figure out a way to post sound clips.....

    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • RockerRocker Frets: 5110
    If someone who knows 'how' would please fix the pictures, I will owe you a pint.  Thanks.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • Shark_EyesShark_Eyes Frets: 377
    edited June 2015
    Edit: It didn't work

    On photobucket, just use the link of the actual image - the image has to end in .jpg (or .gif .png or whatever) 

    Also you might have your photographs set to private.
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  • jd0272jd0272 Frets: 3871
    Nerp.
    "You do all the 'widdly widdly' bits, and just leave the hard stuff to me."
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  • Shark_EyesShark_Eyes Frets: 377
    Rocker said:
    The case:


    Case opened:


    The guitar body:


    Close up of the pickup:


    The 'no name' headstock:


    Update of description:

    Firstly, I described it as a short scale guitar.  It is not as it has a 25" scale length.  It is a small body guitar, looks like a scaled down jazz box.
    When I first saw it, I thought it was a Hofner.  The owner had no details or history hence it was on offer at a very low price.  Even though it is in need of a setup, it sounds good - bright and cheerful.  It has a zero fret and *might* need a neck reset.  The pickup is surprisingly good, more P90 than Single Coil.  The case is definitely non original.

    Anyway I have it home now and it will spend some time with a guitar tech in Dublin soon.  I will report if and when it gets a once over by a tech.  Hopefully I will figure out a way to post sound clips.....

    I used the direct link of your pictures (on the right of the image).
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 74470
    What a cool thing! It's definitely German, probably late 1950s, and almost certainly a Hofner or a very close relative made in the same factory - lots of little things are identical, although I don't think I've seen one exactly like that before. The brand name would have been on the upper bout where you can see the remains of something.

    The f-holes are especially cool, even though they're only subtly different from normal they look much more like 'musical notes'.

    The case is a late-70s or early-80s acoustic case by the look of it, probably Japanese.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

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  • underdogunderdog Frets: 8334
    edited June 2015
    Can't see to fix them either.
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  • RockerRocker Frets: 5110
    Sorry about the pics problem guys, I will look at it again when next at my computer. Thanks for the positive comments @ICBM, gives me hopes that my plans will come to something. I never had a small guitar before, enjoying the novelty of it.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 74470
    Other Hofners of this age are really nice things, if you can get on with the generally telegraph-pole necks - they didn't have truss rods until around 1959, which is why I think it's 50s even if it's not actually a Hofner-branded guitar. So much about it is pure Hofner that I think it may be, though.

    They're not amazingly well-made, but good enough to play well and sound nice when they're set up properly. Neck joint problems are fairly common, including the 'standard' split through the height of the heel parallel with the body top, so don't be frightened if it needs work here. I forgot to say, the bridge is on backwards too! But I trust your tech will spot that.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 28744
    Ooh, I like that. Everything about it screams "The Quarrymen" :D
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30357
    Lovely guitar. I also think it's some kind of Hofner although I've not seen a similar pickup before.
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  • RockerRocker Frets: 5110
    I'll never understand computers!  All my Photobucket pictures are set to Public.  Yet they refuse to display.  Fortunately @Shark_Eyes got them to display.  Well done Sir.  Someday I might get the hang of this kind of thing.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • OilCityPickupsOilCityPickups Frets: 11990
    edited June 2015 tFB Trader
    I rebuilt a Hofner pickup like that a few months back The pole piece screws are a give away to the make ... though Hofner manufactured pickups for a couple of other makers ... and to be sold on under other brand names.
    DON'T DISTURB THE PICKUP ... like most old Hofner units they die very, very easily: moving wires, a bump ... the early ones are tough to rewind too, as they are 'air coils' with no bobbins. 
    Professional pickup winder, horse-testpilot and recovering Chocolate Hobnob addict.
    Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups  ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message  

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  • RockerRocker Frets: 5110
    Thanks @GuitarWeasel. I will pass on your comments to the tech in case it has to be removed to allow other work...
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • RockerRocker Frets: 5110
    Took the guitar to the tech yesterday. While waiting for the lights on O'Connell street, a guy walked into the guitar case. He hit it hard in his groin area. His girlfriend almost fell down laughing at him. He said nothing to me. I said nothing to him. He might watch his step a bit better from now on.... Poor chap...
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • martmart Frets: 5213
    You want to be careful - that sort of thing could lead to a cracked nut.
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  • JohnBJohnB Frets: 121
    Very cool 
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  • hobbiohobbio Frets: 3441
    I like this a lot.

    electric proddy probe machine

    My trading feedback thread

     

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  • Phil_aka_PipPhil_aka_Pip Frets: 9794
    That control plate just screams "Hofner" - or at least made by the same people that made components for Hofner.

    Good luck with the fixup.

    Suggest padding the case with something to stop the guitar from slipping around.
    "Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
    Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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