Gotta love those old cheap mysterys

[wade63]

Seen this for $70 or so. Couldn't get any info anywhere, kinda cool. Anyone seen anything or heard of anything like this? Why would I be drawn to pieces like this? I probably wont bid but I'm a gasser for old POS's.

[Scootch]

Seen want? Is that part of the mystery?

[The Growler]

Originally Posted by wade63

Seen this for $70 or so. Couldn't get any info anywhere, kinda cool. Anyone seen anything or heard of anything like this? Why would I be drawn to pieces like this? I probably wont bid but I'm a gasser for old POS's.

Point Of Sales systems?

Originally Posted by Scootch

Seen want? Is that part of the mystery?

Lol. I thought the same thing. All I know is I never saw or heard anything like it either.

[wade63]

Originally Posted by Scootch

Seen want? Is that part of the mystery?

It's been a long day fellas, guess it would help if I post a pic, [IMG][/IMG]
Ha,ha, that's not what I meant but that's valid. Just curious if anyone has come across a clicktone, I mean, what the heck name is that?

[MBE]

Wow. Looks like a les Paul crossed with a strat crossed with one of Paul Bigsby's experiment, only much rougher around the edges. But hey, if it plays well, why not?

[Steve DeRosa]

You'll get no argument from me on the POS part...

[Acoustigator]

I can't see that guitar would properly intonate. Strats and Les Pauls have different scale lengths, so that if you simply bolt a Strat neck to a LP body without moving the bridge (the bridge pins on that one appear to be in the normal position) the frets will be all out of whack with the string harmonics.

Honestly, no offense to anyone, but that guitar does look like a POS. There are plenty of cool old "mystery" guitars -- white label no names cranked out of Japanese factories like Fuji-Gen and Matsumoku in the seventies -- that are fun project guitars and often can be found cheap online or in pawn shops.

Look for an old Univox, Mann, early Ibanez, Greco, Aria/ Aria Pro II, or Lero if you're into this sort of thing.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Acoustigator

...There are plenty of cool old "mystery" guitars -- white label no names cranked out of Japanese factories like Fuji-Gen and Matsumoku in the seventies -- that are fun project guitars and often can be found cheap online or in pawn shops...

Old college buddy of mine had a Cortez SG copy from the early-70's that he rewired with a full Carvin kit (twin humbuckers, coil-taps, phase switch) that was one of the best classic/hard rock guitars I've ever played - and right now there's a Carlo Robelli '53 ES-5 knockoff sitting in my closet waiting for a set of Lollars and the full Switchmaster treatment...

[wade63]

Some seem to dig those Teisco off brands and I think they look bulky and cool but do they really sound decent? Judging by online research coming up zero I'm thinking no one has a clue about this guitar. That'd be hilarious if clicktone was a copy of silvertone or goldtone. I'll stick to my tele but I cant help be intrigued by old guitars, it's a sickness. I let this one go. Looks like the bridge is gone.

[Scootch]

It certainly is interesting in spite of its geometric deficiencies. I think that extra pick guard is kinda cool, like a lightning bolt.

[Acoustigator]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Old college buddy of mine had a Cortez SG copy from the early-70's that he rewired with a full Carvin kit (twin humbuckers, coil-taps, phase switch) that was one of the best classic/hard rock guitars I've ever played - and right now there's a Carlo Robelli '53 ES-5 knockoff sitting in my closet waiting for a set of Lollars and the full Switchmaster treatment...

Some of those old MIJ guitars can be remarkably good players. I have a mid-70s no-name, possibly a Univox, LP copy that rivals any Epiphone or lower-end Gibson I've picked up. It needed new tuners and pots when I got it, so a set of Grovers and CTS/ Switchcraft electronics did the trick. Even the ones that don't play that well can have amazing pickups worth salvaging. The vintage Dimarzio Super Distortions (or Gotoh copies of the same) and Ibanez Super 70 pickups are collectible in their own right.

Originally Posted by wade63

Some seem to dig those Teisco off brands and I think they look bulky and cool but do they really sound decent? Judging by online research coming up zero I'm thinking no one has a clue about this guitar. That'd be hilarious if clicktone was a copy of silvertone or goldtone. I'll stick to my tele but I cant help be intrigued by old guitars, it's a sickness. I let this one go. Looks like the bridge is gone.

The Teisco/ Kay type guitars are often from an earlier generation of MIJ guitars from the 1960s. The ones I've tried are pretty horrible apart from a certain utility as hoary slide guitars if you want a Elmore James/ Seasick Steve type of vibe. On the other hand, Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys seems to get good results from a lot of old relics most other professional players avoid -- so there must be a little magic in some of them.