[Maddaxe111]

Hey just wondering if anyone could help a buddy of mine out.
He owns this English electronics guitar. My quess is that it's from the 50"s.
We have looked all over the web for info.
Thanks . . .
If you need more pics let me know . . .
Maddaxe111

 

[DannyBoy]

thats quite a hideous axe ... i'll keep checking back here cause im quite intruiged by it ... wish i knew , i'll try n look around though

 

[stingx]

Send the picture to these guys and for $30 USD they'll tell you more about it than you'll care to know:

http://vintageguitarpro.com/appraisals.shtml

 

[VB]

I could be wrong....... but thats a late 40's Magnatone.
The pickups are from the late 50's and aren't original.
The Coaxial screw type plug is the big clue. It looks like some one hacked into the wooden bridge to fit the larger humbuckers into it. It should have had smaller narrower pickups like the Oahu and Magnatones came out with
The knobs arent bakelite so my guess is they from a silvertone going by the shape and character.
It was designed to be lap type guitar for slide playing.
You can tell by the braided sheilding those are probably Gibson pickups.
Its basically a parts guitar... but the Cool value is good.
It would bring you about $200.00 in a good market with the right buyer.

 

[SemiShred]

hahahahhahahahahahahahhaha

 

[kudochop]

I could be wrong....... but thats a late 40's Magnatone.
The pickups are from the late 50's and aren't original.
The Coaxial screw type plug is the big clue. It looks like some one hacked into the wooden bridge to fit the larger humbuckers into it. It should have had smaller narrower pickups like the Oahu and Magnatones came out with
The knobs arent bakelite so my guess is they from a silvertone going by the shape and character.
It was designed to be lap type guitar for slide playing.
You can tell by the braided sheilding those are probably Gibson pickups.
Its basically a parts guitar... but the Cool value is good.
It would bring you about $200.00 in a good market with the right buyer.

Wow, I'm impressed. How do you know all that?!?!
:icon_thum

 

[Naifuzan]

Wow, I'm impressed. How do you know all that?!?!
:icon_thum

It's his job to know!

 

[3fingers]

I agree with VB. The pickups definetly look "non-standard" as they seem "forced in the pocket." But if it plays nice and sound nice, then it is a nice axe!! Worth is more than what the cash equivalent is imo. If you like it, it's excellent.

 

[Maddaxe111]

OK -

Here's the story on the guitar so far as we know it.

This use to be his grandfathers guitar, was given to his mother, left in their attic untill he found it in the late 60's early 70's. It had a small "Supro" amp with it.
The guitar looks stock. He has a picture of his grandfather playing it but not sure of the date of the photo. So IF it was modified it would have been done in the 50's or 60's.

I was with him back in the 80's when he took it to a guitar shop near our home town. The guy had vintage guitars hanging up all over the place and told him he could take his pick in trade for this guitar, but of course he said no.

I'm sure it's worth alot more then 200 bucks . . .

The body is some kind of metal i think.

When plugged in it has a very warm tone.

I thought maybe it was some kind of lap steel, but the strings are set so low.
But the neck is very small.

When we were in Nashville TN a couple of years ago on business we stoped in the music store there on Broadway, the guy said send him a picture and he would tell us the history, for about 30 bucks. But we thought what the heck everything is on the internet, so here we are . . .

I quess if all else fails he'll end up doing that.

attached is the supro amp . . .

Thanks for all the imput . . .

Maddaxe111

 

[Guest]

I must agree... That is truly one ugly git fiddle.

 

[DannyBoy]

theres only room for one dannyboy here my friend . get lost :lol: im kidding of course .

 

[VB]

The "place" on broadway in Nashville would have been George Gruhns shop. He will be more than happy to charge you 30 bucks and give you pretty much the same answers I did. The only pickups of that era that match those in the pictures were never factory installed on any lapsteel or Hawaiian guitar. Tone Master were distributed along with Harmony, and other less expensive guitars to Catalog and other Chain outlets of that era. Sears and Roebuck, Montgomery Wards and the likes.

If your wondering as to my credentials...... I specialize in vintage guitars and repairs. I work in a vintage shop thats been in business for over 21 years. With over 10 years experience of my own.
I dont make wild guesses or assumptions .

 

[Maddaxe111]

bump

 

[VB]

Im not sure why you bumped this....... If its your lack of belief of some pretty good sources and answers to your questions or just a desire to bump your own posts since this is only your third. :scratch: .

 

[Maddaxe111]

bump

come on someone toss me a frikin bone here

 

[VB]

Ok. your past the point of being annoying with the bumps . Now you have became rude...... You have had perfectly good answers from more than one credible source.
Spend the money on Gruhns to get your appraisal since were obviously not qualified in your eyes help you.

 

[CanyonCarver]

Ugly fiddle alert!

 

[Maddaxe111]

Man vintage u r a brat dude . . .
FIRST - IT is not my guitar!!!!
I'm just asking as a favor for a friend.
Second all the information I've posted is from him, and I can tell you from looking at the guitar that it is ALL stock not customized at all.
Why don't u just admit maybe u r wrong. or anyone else that says this is customized. Hey I could be wrong also but I've looked at the guitar up close - I've played the guitar and I can tell you for a fact. That IMHO those r the oriiginal pickups. Dont bust my chops so your buddy in nashville can make 30 bucks. Man
lol
just kidding dude.
I thank you for your imput.
rock and or roll
maddaxe111