I stopped in at my local vintage guitar store, and this guitar immediately caught my eye. It played even better than it looks, and sounds fucking awesome, so I took it home.
Not entirely sure what it is though. Japanese and 60's pretty obviously to me, but there's no name on it. From the headstock shape and the nails where there used to be a nameplate I'm thinking 60's Ibanez? I'm sure Changkeez will be able to tell me for sure though.
Obviously someone cared enough about this guitar at some point to have his name engraved on the neck plate.
Last edited by colin on Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The internet doesn't seem to have any record of a "Blake William Young" but if you reverse it, it's young William Blake. In his youth, William Blake participated in the Gordon Riots against Newgate Prison. It must be a clue!
Loving the mix of the block inlays with the dots at the 12th fret! Earlier tonight I was thinking to myself about how sweet it would be to have a bouzouki made with a bound rosewood board with big white dot inlays and a block inlay at the 12th fret. Looks like the Guyatone homies were thinking the same way but in reverse (and without the binding.)
Thanks Kosta! I guess I didn't take any photos that show it but the fretboard is bound on this one. The switch on it seems to be a bright switch like on a Jag . I'll take it all apart later tonight or tomorrow to check things out.
colin wrote:…I guess I didn't take any photos that show it but the fretboard is bound on this one. The switch on it seems to be a bright switch like on a Jag…
I've done some more hunting around and research and I'd say that Changkeez is definitely right about it being a Guyatone. Haven't been able to find what model it is or another one quite like it, but it shares a lot of characteristics with other Guyatone models; especially the fairly distinctive small block inlays with dot 12th fret markers.
The pickups in it really do sound great! Somewhat Fendery sound, nice and chimey and clear. Bright, but still balanced. More jangly than twangy, I guess? And they really sound great with fuzz which is a must. Surprisingly not too prone to feedback even when stacking multiple fuzz/dirt pedals. A wee bit microphonic, but not too much.
