Cheap, but not nasty

Kittyfrisk

Tokai Love Rock 2 Double cut. MIJ for export.

Kittyfrisk

Nighthawk custom reissue. Not much loved by most people, but it's featherweight & the neck pickup sounds lovely (and I have a Seymour Slant Humbucker to go in the bridge at some point).

SlopeSoarer

Kittyfrisk said:

Nighthawk custom reissue. Not much loved by most people, but it's featherweight & the neck pickup sounds lovely (and I have a Seymour Slant Humbucker to go in the bridge at some point).

I've never seen one of those before looks different in a good way to me: )

Kittyfrisk

I'd love a Gibson Nighthawk, but I'm too tight to splash the cash 
Gibson owners don't generally like them as they aren't 'proper' Les Pauls...

Dave_Vader

Kittyfrisk said:

1970's ? MIJ Tele copy with unusual figured neck wood. Looks like compressed laminated bamboo, but a nice chunky profile.

I've been through three of these. They are great and I love them.

Gigged one with a pair of hot rails in it for years.

Just sold the last one I had a few weeks ago as I'm downsizing and the Sue Ryder tele I got for £60 blew them all away once I put a set of old CV pickups and a wilkinson bridge in it (got given them for nowt).

Also the neck spacing is a bit thin, and my left hand is not as adaptable as it was twenty years ago.

No idea about the woods, but mine all felt good and hefty - sounded great too.

Kittyfrisk

Dave_Vader said:

Kittyfrisk said:

1970's ? MIJ Tele copy with unusual figured neck wood. Looks like compressed laminated bamboo, but a nice chunky profile.

I've been through three of these. They are great and I love them.

Gigged one with a pair of hot rails in it for years.

Just sold the last one I had a few weeks ago as I'm downsizing and the Sue Ryder tele I got for £60 blew them all away once I put a set of old CV pickups and a wilkinson bridge in it (got given them for nowt).

Also the neck spacing is a bit thin, and my left hand is not as adaptable as it was twenty years ago.

No idea about the woods, but mine all felt good and hefty - sounded great too.

@Dave_Vader ;Glad that you enjoyed them all. Did any of them have any clue as to a maker (not that it matters)?

Edit: forgot to tag poster.

rossi

I played an epi Nighthawk and it was very good .

Dave_Vader

Kittyfrisk said:

Dave_Vader said:

Kittyfrisk said:

1970's ? MIJ Tele copy with unusual figured neck wood. Looks like compressed laminated bamboo, but a nice chunky profile.

I've been through three of these. They are great and I love them.

Gigged one with a pair of hot rails in it for years.

Just sold the last one I had a few weeks ago as I'm downsizing and the Sue Ryder tele I got for £60 blew them all away once I put a set of old CV pickups and a wilkinson bridge in it (got given them for nowt).

Also the neck spacing is a bit thin, and my left hand is not as adaptable as it was twenty years ago.

No idea about the woods, but mine all felt good and hefty - sounded great too.

@Dave_Vader Glad that you enjoyed them all. Did any of them have any clue as to a maker (not that it matters)?

Edit: forgot to tag poster.

Not a one of them no. All had been stripped before I got to them - my favourite was finished in what looked and felt like fence paint.

I've seen a similar one with a National badge on it online

https://drowninginguitars.com/2015/04/26/the-finger-talker-1972-national-telecaster-ft440-2-tc-51-guitar/

This is the closest I ever found to an online version. Always assumed they were Jedson/Teisco etc.

Kittyfrisk

'Always assumed they were Jedson/Teisco etc.'
Me too, or possibly Kay, but not losing sleep over not knowing 
Cheers. 

Kittyfrisk

Vintage Lemon Drop PG. Fitted scratchplate to hide 'relicing'  

Kittyfrisk

Looks like I'll just have to keep this thread going 
Yes, it's a Hondo. Nice weight, solid maple block, great neck & sounds, plus good hardware & attention to detail. 
Corks will be sniffed, but in terms of value, playability & fun. I'll take it every time.

TheMarlin

Wow, thats's a nicely made guitar, Looks lovely!

Kittyfrisk

TheMarlin said:

Wow, thats's a nicely made guitar, Looks lovely!

I believe they suffer from 'brand association' with their worst efforts (which to be fair, could be pretty awful). 

My powers of prophesy are being very occasionally, completely wonky 
Edit: this was referring to my ability to spot a future bargain :facepalm!

More randomness to follow 

Kittyfrisk

Hondo II 'Fat Boy' L5 copy. USA DiMarzio's & as much a rock out box as a jazzer ;-)

TheMarlin

Kittyfrisk said:

Hondo II 'Fat Boy' L5 copy. USA DiMarzio's & as much a rock out box as a jazzer ;-)

I’d that a MIJ one?  I’ve always loved the sound of an L5, especially with flatwounds. That lovely dull thud woody tone.  Bit out of my pay grade...

Kittyfrisk

^ The jury is out (probably permanently) on the country of production.
Some say they were made in Japan... some say they came from Korea... some say... this is all getting a bit Jeremy Clarkson 
I don't actually know or particularly care 

mbe

The majority were made in Korea and I believe that Tokai Gakki produced the Fender Lead II copies.

Kittyfrisk

^ Like I said, Some say they were made in Japan... 
http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/65954/sold-hondo-fat-boy-l5-jazz-guitar-for-sale-215

If anyone can show me definitive evidence as to point of origin, that'll be fine by me.
Until then statements like 'The majority were made in Korea and I believe that Tokai Gakki produced the Fender Lead II copies.'  don't really mean much, as this clearly isn't a Fender Lead II copy   

TheMarlin

Not that it matters, one of the nices Fender tele’s I’ve ever played was a Fender Chinese built model. Squire China was fantastic too

Country of origin has little to do with quality

blueskunk

Squire 51 - well cool for the money. Just sold one to make way for the amazingly good Simon Neil Strat. Both under £200