Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: GuiTony on June 19, 2008, 05:09:40 PM
-
My first "real" guitar was a lucky strike. Bought new in 1979/80, it was a Kawai KS-12-XL. Very similar to the Yamaha SG-2000 of the same era in construction, feel, quality and sound. I say it was a lucky strike because I bought it mail order, had no idea what it would really be like, but the specs seemed good, the price was right, and I was a teenager wanting a cool guitar. OK, it was cool to me.
At the time, I had to decide between the KS-12 and KS-11. Ever since, I always wondered what the KS-11 would have been like.
You can see where this is going ...
It became something of a quest for me ... there must be one out there, somewhere. I've been watching eBay for 5/6/more years, waiting for one to turn up. When it did (in original conditiion), 3/4 years ago I missed it. I contacted the winner at the time, and swapped a couple of emails ... but he's no longer responding to that account. And that was the only one I'd found in all those years. I still kick myself. Hard.
The other day, I had a contact through my blog from a guy who said he had a KS-11. He'd had it from new, bought from the same dealer around the same time I got mine. It's now mine . And it's as good as I'd hoped.
The rest of you may be completely bored by all of this ... but for me, it's the end of a 30 year search (unless anyone has one of them in natural finish of course!).
So, this is a 30 year old guitar. Mahogany body and setneck. Rosewood board. Maple cap. Twin hbs with tone & vol for each, and a coil tap switch. It's in pretty good condition, though I may fiddle with the electrics at some point.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/tonysguitars/SFI-oPbi-zI/AAAAAAAAAyo/xlc7w8xlr-A/s800/IMG_1682.JPG)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/tonysguitars/SFI-FEEEDxI/AAAAAAAAAyA/fZz9Ep-qwl8/s800/IMG_1686.JPG)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/tonysguitars/SFqBdm-WUxI/AAAAAAAAA4s/e26A3qg9_HI/s800/IMG_1768.JPG)
Mine, all mine ... here's the family. My original KS-12, the newly added KS-11, and a KS-10 that I found on eBay a few years back ... They're all great!
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/tonysguitars/SFI9p6WI7mI/AAAAAAAAAxI/dUh4aABkNdc/s800/IMG_1711.JPG)
-
Nice am liking them...
-
Congratulations! :)
Very cool-looking, I must say.
-
Awesome, I'm really digging that headstock.
What's the extra little swich for? And can I ask how much you paid..... well of course I can ask, it's if you tell me or not is the real question :D
-
What's the extra little swich for? And can I ask how much you paid.....
Just edited the original post to answer that question ... they all have a coil tap switch, the KS-12 adds an "out-of-phase" switch.
How much I paid ... the original cost me £150 (in 1979/80, and on a teenager's wages!), ditto the KS-10 a couple of years ago, whereas the KS-11 cost me almost £400 ... but it does complete the set 8)
-
They are the nuts. I love 'um :D
You must be a very happy camper.
-
I had a Kawai Aquarius about 25 years ago...just found the review of it in Music UK October '83 that put it top of my shopping list! :) I wonder whatever happened to it (I traded it for my Tokai Strat I still have).
They were decent guitars :)
-
I saw a natural one (like in your avatar) in a second hand shop a while back. I don't think they have it anymore though. It had a kind of Malcolm Young vibe about it, pretty cool especially with that slotted headstock.
-
I saw a natural one (like in your avatar) in a second hand shop a while back. I don't think they have it anymore though. It had a kind of Malcolm Young vibe about it, pretty cool especially with that slotted headstock.
But you will check for me ... just in case they still have it :twisted:
The one I missed on eBay was a natural finish (that's where I grabbed the Avatar pic from). If ever I found one in natural ...
-
I saw a natural one (like in your avatar) in a second hand shop a while back. I don't think they have it anymore though. It had a kind of Malcolm Young vibe about it, pretty cool especially with that slotted headstock.
But you will check for me ... just in case they still have it :twisted:
The one I missed on eBay was a natural finish (that's where I grabbed the Avatar pic from). If ever I found one in natural ...
Yeah I will, I just had a look on their website and it isn't there but they don't show everything. I'll probably be going by there sometime next week so I'll let you know.
-
I'll probably be going by there sometime next week so I'll let you know.
Cheers 8)
My wife would kill me ... but that's not your problem!
-
Very cool, it's brilliant getting hold of something you've wanted for a long time! :D
This is the Kawai guitar I remember - the Moon Sault (or Moonsault?). I entered a competition to win one in a very early issue of Kerrang! or something. It was a yellow one, and they had a picture of Paul Samson (RIP) holding it. I wonder if I'd still have it today if I'd won it?
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/Kawai_Moonsault_01.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/kawai-moon2.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/kawaimoonsault.jpg)
-
Yes, I've seen those ... "different" :wink:
There was one, from an Australian seller, on eBay a few weeks back. I don't think that it sold either ...
I think that there were 2 issues of the Moonsault, ie an original 80's version, and a later (90's ish) version ... though I also thought that Kawai stopped making guitars (or putting its name on them) sometime in the 80's, so I might be wrong about the re-issue thing. They can fetch good money from collectors ...
-
When i saw the first picture i almost cried it is so beautiful. Seriously, you get my heartiest congratulations!!! I really love that shape, i am gonna have to make me one of thems!
-
i am gonna have to make me one of thems!
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/tonysguitars/SFqRbV2j84I/AAAAAAAAA5M/TIg1WnYKHXw/s800/IMG_1774.JPG)
See the family resemblance? That was my first build ... no prizes for guessing what the inspiration was - although a slotted headstock and maple cap was beyond me at the time!
-
Wow the KS-11 is a great looking guitar! I'm guessing it excels at jazz based on its looks?
-
Guitoney..Love that guitar I want one of them
-
Wow the KS-11 is a great looking guitar! I'm guessing it excels at jazz based on its looks?
It might ... but I don't :wink:
It is quite adaptable with the coil tap, though the starting point is "rock" (but not rawwwwkk). You can get a mellowy, warmy, jazzy (I s'pose) sound from it, backing off vol & tone, but I normally just leave everything set to 10!
Guitoney..Love that guitar I want one of them
Just keep a look out for the next 30 years, and you might find one ... if I don't find it first :P
This is probably sad, but I was thinking of setting up a website just to try and track down other owners around the world ...
OK, the word "probably" is not necessary in that sentence.
-
*L*
-
i like them a lot.. congrats!!!
i think i like the KS12 best
-
This is probably sad, but I was thinking of setting up a website just to try and track down other owners around the world ...
OK, the word "probably" is not necessary in that sentence.
Not sad at all, I think it's a great idea! :D
There's surprisingly little accurate information on the internet about guitars and guitar history, especially more obscure makes - but there are people around who know about them. You've obviously spent years on this and know your stuff, I think it would be excellent for you to share that knowledge. As long as you enjoy doing it!
-
That's beautiful! Congrats.
-
I love how the KS12 looks, great shape and natural finish is always good :)
-
very nice, and nice story too. cool headstock as well! :)
-
Thanks for the comments all 8)
Just to show off the KS-12 a little better:
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/tonysguitars/SFrGDK-murI/AAAAAAAAA5s/NNUJuM_QDNk/s800/ks-12-xl_2.jpg)
-
Wow !
Those bought back memories of the 70s ! I remember a second hand one ( with an aluminium headstock ) being in a local music shop that someone I knew eventually bought.
I even remember the promo campaign for them :
" Kaiwa - The Rising Star From The East ...".
-
Congrats on your purchase (and I know what the waiting is like as it took 25 years to get my 12 string).
I remember the Kawai from the early 80s (they did pianos as well I think), and they always got really good reviews.
I think I still have some adverts in the house from those days I think (will try hunting them out at the weekend)
-
Great story with a pleasing outcome.
-
That's a vey cool quest story. Nice guitars. I really like the natural coloured one. Looks like a real player.
A friend of mine finished his quest a vouple of weeks ago. He found his Tokai Talbot. An aluminium topped guitar.
-
tokai talbot now they are an odd one
-
I found it's actually spelled 'Talbo'.
Anyway, here's a pic of one.
(http://www.kurosawagakki.com/img/itemimages/0152/L/img2_15268.jpg)
It actually sounds surprisingly warm.
-
I found it's actually spelled 'Talbo'.
Glad you mentioned that, I was having a hard time restraining myself from one of my pedantic comments! :oops:
Is that your friend's one in the pic? Is it a replacement neck? I don't remember them having inlays like that or the side trussrod adjuster.
-
I found it's actually spelled 'Talbo'.
Glad you mentioned that, I was having a hard time restraining myself from one of my pedantic comments! :oops:
i had to hold back as well :oops:
-
I found it's actually spelled 'Talbo'.
Glad you mentioned that, I was having a hard time restraining myself from one of my pedantic comments! :oops:
Is that your friend's one in the pic? Is it a replacement neck? I don't remember them having inlays like that or the side trussrod adjuster.
I think it's one of the current production ones with the Gotoh side adjusting rod. They also have a run of them using Greco/Zemaitis necks (including the 3 a side Zemaitis headstock).
-
I found the pic on the web. But this one is pretty similar to the one my friend's got.