Your next guitar?

[susiwong]

I pm'd ian with the same pics but it's not exactly the same...for instance his has the stop bar but when I first saw it I did a double take (pun intended)

No, certainly not. The Daion, Ibanez and Yamaha models were unique of course, though still extremely similar in spirit.
I was talking about the ones from smaller "manufacturers" like Ian's, the CG Winners, Mayas and so on - hard to believe now, but they were about as popular back then as pointy "Superstrats" were a few years later and then all those Steve Vai lookalikes after that.
Wonder where they all have gone ?
Ymmv,
susiwong

[tapper mike]

I had a 70's Washburn falcon same thing



Amazing sustain, very meaty unlke most neck-thru's but I hated the neck.
A long time back I had a break in and 25 of my guitars were taken. I was at a gig at the time so atleast I had my three primary guitars left to operate with.

[susiwong]

I had a 70's Washburn falcon same thing

Were they already made in far east back then ?
Washburn's production has been all over the place ...
Pretty one though !
Cheers,
susiwong

[Hink]

I like the position of the switch better than on the Daion, the same bridge too...very cool

[tapper mike]

They started production in '78
Visually their main characteristics are:
A-model (1978-1980): neck-through, arch top, jack input on the front of the guitar, pearl dot inlays on the fretboard,oval shaped electronics cover on the backside.
B-model (1979-1982): neck-through, arch top, jack input on the side of the guitar, brass ring inlays on the fretboard, squary shaped electronics cover on the backside.
C-model (1982-1984): set-neck, flat top, jack input on the side of the guitar, either brass ring or pearl dot inlays, black aluminium electronics cover on the backside.

I had the B model.

[Hink]

They started production in '78
Visually their main characteristics are:
A-model (1978-1980): neck-through, arch top, jack input on the front of the guitar, pearl dot inlays on the fretboard,oval shaped electronics cover on the backside.
B-model (1979-1982): neck-through, arch top, jack input on the side of the guitar, brass ring inlays on the fretboard, squary shaped electronics cover on the backside.
C-model (1982-1984): set-neck, flat top, jack input on the side of the guitar, either brass ring or pearl dot inlays, black aluminium electronics cover on the backside.

I had the B model.

now the Daion is very thin, has the tummy cut contour (which is maple on the back), the body is carved after a laminating process as the story goes was unique and very, very good. When the concept of handmade guitars from Japan didn't make a lot of money the same method of laminating woods for golf clubs did and that's where they went. The binding work is amazing, again the guitar is 14 pieces of roswewood and maple. The elctronic covers are wood and it has very small marker dots, why they put those big ugly knobs on there I have no clue. But I changed mine and put on amber tophats and changed the switch knob to amber to look 'old' instead of black. Both pick-ups are tapped.

[fateamenabletochange]

Sure is amazing craftsmanship above.

Well, this is out of it's case, and I have fiddled with the setup some, and it is getting some use.
The neck is a little thicker than I am used too. It is actually quite light, somehow looks like it would be heavier.
It passes the sitting comfy sitting in the lap test. Standing up, the strap peg is right at the back, so it wants to tip forward, takes getting used too.

[susiwong]

why they put those big ugly knobs on there I have no clue.

Back then everybody knew heavy brass parts increase sustain.







And for years this seemed to be the ultimate criterium by which a guitar was judged.
Fortunately that has changed, today it's more the degree of blackness.










Lol,
susiwong

[Hink]

why they put those big ugly knobs on there I have no clue.

Back then everybody knew heavy brass parts increase sustain.







And for years this seemed to be the ultimate criterium by which a guitar was judged.
Fortunately that has changed, today it's more the degree of blackness.










Lol,
susiwong

the knobs are aluminum or something, not brass

[Ian B]

I'd love to get one of these guitars again, out of all the guitars I've owned in the past 35+ years, this is the one I regret selling. I've finally managed to track down a pic of a Lincoln (I seem to recall it being called a Lincoln SG)



Not the best pic, but it still looks stunning imo, it's only faults were the pups (I still don't like D'Marzios) but other than that it was pretty much faultless and had the most amazing action I've ever seen on a guitar. Unless my memory is playing tricks, this was helped by it having a totally flat fretboard on a thro' neck, it played fantastically well and sported a walnut body that marked very, very easily, so it wasn't for everyone.

I was told by the shop it was hand made and believed them, but seemingly they were made in Japan in the late 70's/early 80's, and the former matches the date I bought mine.

Pretty much a standard formula around 1980 in Japan, everybody built these neck-thru models back then. Ibanez, Aria, Yamaha, CG Winner, Suzuki, endless list. Hink's Daion is an upmarket version of the same idea, too.
So don't get too hung up with the brand, probably the identical guitar was sold under five different brand names with slightly different details, electronics, headstock, coming from the same factory.
A few months ago we had a very geeky discussion about these guitars, let me see if I can find it again.
With a bit of luck you can find a nice example for small money, a good basis for customization.
Cheers,
susiwong

PS: hand made - not really.

True enough, probably mass produced but it did have a unique feature at the time, a flat fretboard, and I've not seen many since. I sold it to a mate, who sold it to a mate, etc, till it ended up in the hands of another mate, Nidge Miller of the UK punk band Blitz who was sadly killed in a RTA while on tour in the US in 2007. He told me he'd turned down silly offers for it, even after snapping the neck, then bodging a home repair. It was never taken on tour again after this repair, left at home in his flat but I don't know what happened to it after his death, probably thrown away or sold for peanuts.

I pm'd ian with the same pics but it's not exactly the same...for instance his has the stop bar but when I first saw it I did a double take (pun intended)

Very similar at first glance Hink, the body on the Lincoln was chambered and the horns were slightly shorter than appears in the pic I posted.

It played like a dream for anyone, like me, who likes a ultra low action, I've never seen a guitar since that's even come close in this respect, tho' it wasn't set up this way in the shop. I got it home and decided to try lowering the bridge and it never seemed to stop while staying 100% buzz free, unbelievable. I suppose the biggest drawback was the finish, or lack of, as it bruised/marked so, so easily.

I was after a Shergold Masqurader, and had found one in another shop, on the same day I bought the Lincoln but as much as I'd wanted the Shergold there was *something* about the Lincoln that made me buy that instead.

[buscemi]

My next will probably be this, thanks to that other thread http://technabob.com/blog/2009/12/09/gakken-mini-e lectric-guitar-kit/

[Vectorman]

My "next" bass arrived earlier this week. Carvin SB4000.

[Hink]

My "next" bass arrived earlier this week. Carvin SB4000.

is that 3/4 scale? Congrats on your new roommate

[Vectorman]

is that 3/4 scale? Congrats on your new roommate

Nopers, standard 34" scale. This is the second Carvin bass I've owned (the first was an LB-70 I bought a decade ago). They do very nice work - plays beautifully. Mine came in at almost $200 less than what Fender now ask for a USA Jazz Bass, even with optional extras like the burst edges, low profile frets and Hipshot detuner.

I think in the spring, after I've recovered from this year's gear purchases (LOL), I might consider having Carvin build me a guitar as well.

[hibidy]

@vectorman: Very nice looking!