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Mystery Guitar
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=32847
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Author:  Green_Song [ Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Mystery Guitar

I recently bought this guitar for a restoration project. It needs very few things (New nut, bridge and tuners; but that's it) Really my only question is what kind of guitar this is. It doesn't have a brand name and I would have no idea where to start looking. The only markings on it that I've found are the silver "P" logo on the headstock and the serial number 272 stamped where the neck joins the body. If any one has any information on this thing, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks

Author:  Chris Pile [ Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

I used to refer to those as "horrible, wretched, plywood nightmares".

Author:  AlBDarned [ Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

Zing! wow7-eyes

Author:  nyazzip [ Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

fingerboard looks like a nice piece of rosewood, and the dots look like they might be real MOP?
i bet 99.999% of people couldn't hear the difference between a plywood body, and a curly birdseye burl rottenwood aged free trade organically grown high altitude jujubinga one.

Author:  Green_Song [ Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

Hah, given that I only payed five bucks for it at a local flea market I guess I can live with it not being a diamond in the rough(potentially). We'll see how it sounds.

Author:  WindyCityBluesBox [ Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

appears to be a brandless knockoff of a fender

Author:  Chris Pile [ Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

I guess I should add that I've owned and enjoyed certain cheap guitars, but hated working on them for clients (who usually had expectations that were too high).

Author:  alan stassforth [ Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

I just worked on a Harmony "Rocket",
the whole time thinking it was a pile of junk.
When I fixed all the broken grounds,
replaced a pickup with an original one my friend paid $130 for,
I was surprized at how good it sounded!
Single coil pups @ 11k ohms.
Can you measure the ohmage of the pickups with an ohm-meter?
Good luck, I hope it sounds/plays nice.

Author:  VirgilGuitar [ Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

I believe that is an original 1972 Walgreens Thunderbird Special. It came with a pint of Thunderbird, 3 pics and some Alka Seltzer. Correct me if I'm wrong everybody - idunno My guess is you can still make it sound kickarse - as long as you can get the action good and replace some electronics/pups - looks like a fun project regardless - enjoy!

Author:  VirgilGuitar [ Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

PS - this guitar may take the cake for "Largest Pickguard" in history! :D

Author:  Chameleon [ Wed Jul 13, 2011 9:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

Old pieces of junk can be fun. A friend of mine gave me Lotus Strat copy that was taken apart with some parts missing, a tuner gone, no neck plate, one bridge piece. I've since added the necessary parts and re-fretted it and man, it sounds pretty good. I rigged a bridge to make it basically a hard tail and the sustain on it is actually pretty impressive. The only thing left I wanna do with it is change the neck pickup. I was playing with it and accidentally broke the thin copper wire connected to the lug and since I've resoldered it, it sounds like it has half the volume. I'll probably just put another pickup in there, I've got a few lying around.

The friend that gave me that guitar has a Fender Mustang that somebody found in a dumpster. Totally trashed, looks REAL old. Paint job is cracking all over. Frets are ground almost down to the board. Had most of its electronics missing. Rusty old bridge. He fixed it up and it plays just fine. He put some of those re-issue Mustang pickups in there and a new pickguard (totally doesn't match the trashed guitar at all) And I don't think they sound that good, but maybe it was the miniature amp I played it on.

Anyway, good find.

Author:  Mike Dotson [ Thu Jul 14, 2011 10:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

Teisco and/or Kawaii made most likely. Poorly built for the most part but awesome sounding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V818_mi-mwA

Author:  theguitarwhisperer [ Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

Looks like it was made in the same factory as the old Ibanezes from the 50's.

Author:  dpm99 [ Fri Jul 15, 2011 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Mystery Guitar

For $5, that was a steal. I've always wanted to restore one of these old MIJ's. I'd assume that's what it is, anyway. Don't be surprised if those pickups are a little craptastic though. Good find! Please post more pictures as the work progresses.

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