Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Philly Q on March 12, 2013, 03:44:04 PM
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Another unplanned purchase courtesy of eBay..... it's a "History" model ZMS-CFS/BS (catchy name!), built around 2004 (as far as I can determine) at Fujigen Gakki for a Japanese retailer called Shimamura.
It's similar to a Gibson CS-336, a downsized semi with a hollowed-out mahogany body and maple top. It all seems nicely made, very much like the Orvilles, Japanese Epiphones and "Signature" guitars. Comfy neck, good quality timbers and a healthy ring to it. Of course I'm already considering a few modifications and upgrades...... The rear control cavity looks a bit ungainly but it does mean it'll be possible to access the electronics without having to feed everything through the f-holes on bits of fishing line!
I'd never seen one of these before.... but now the same eBay seller has another one up for sale! So I probably paid over the odds for a not-so-rare-as-I-thought guitar. But never mind, I like it! :lol:
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/KGrHqRhIFCtDjot7BQs5CwKkw60_57_zps311c641f.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/KGrHqZigFCwtsRG3BQs5CcC0l60_57_zps61c50005.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/KGrHqRiwFCf33q8zBQs5Ct2z9Q60_57_zps2f9df252.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/T2eC16hw0E9szN9wRBQs5C5HiQ60_57_zpsc5a46736.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/KGrHqRqwFCSu5RuYBQs5Cb0wg60_57_zpsf46075ed.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/KGrHqVrMFB6ThI1BQs5CoThp60_57_zps41408961.jpg)
(http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p216/phillyq/KGrHqZlQFBhn5nMBQs5CiJWwg60_57_zps22e53c90.jpg)
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shes a beauty! love that! 8) 8)
what do the pickup stickers say?
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Yeah, looks very cute :D
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Thanks chaps! :D
what do the pickup stickers say?
They say "Louis New Product Pick Up". Haven't been able to find out much about them, they may be a brand made exclusively for History (or, more likely, rebranded Gotohs or something like that). I assume they're PAF-types. Just going by appearances (which is dangerous) they don't look anything special, I'd say.
There's not much about History on the internet - it seems they're good quality (like anything from Fujigen) but I don't know how wide a price range they cover. The brand still exists. No doubt dealers are trying to give them a "mystique" which may not necessarily be fully justified. There's a History LP on eBay at the moment for $1,700, it'll be interesting to see if it sells at that price.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USED-FUJIGEN-SH-L1-HISTORY-MADE-IN-JAPAN-Retaol-4000-WorldWide-Shipment-/221200545978?pt=Guitar&hash=item33809478ba (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USED-FUJIGEN-SH-L1-HISTORY-MADE-IN-JAPAN-Retaol-4000-WorldWide-Shipment-/221200545978?pt=Guitar&hash=item33809478ba)
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If the appointments on that LP copy are anything to go by, they look pretty high end.. Gorgeous looking guitars both, I have yet to find a good quality MIJ that i have been unenthusiastic about
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Oh how nice. I do like the thought of that back cavity although it somewhat seems wrong as you say.
Congrats!
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Oh how nice. I do like the thought of that back cavity although it somewhat seems wrong as you say.
Congrats!
I dunno, never thought aesthetics should get in the way of practicality and common sense
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It looks lovely Philly.I love semi's (hence my 339) and I also like the access afforded by the plate over the cavity.
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Oh I have also gone a little mad recently but I can't say too much right now.
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Oh how nice. I do like the thought of that back cavity although it somewhat seems wrong as you say.
Congrats!
I dunno, never thought aesthetics should get in the way of practicality and common sense
In this instance this is absolutly right, but not always in regards to guitars I feel, as they are musical instruments and not just tools or such. It is a line everyone has to draw for themselfs.
To me the perfect solution to this back cavity thing (on this an all guitars really) is that you should have it, but that the cover should be made from the wood that was originally there. I imagine this is rather hard to do, but I just like it a lot.
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Oh I have also gone a little mad recently but I can't say too much right now.
You can't do that to us Steve! Tell more! :lol:
To me the perfect solution to this back cavity thing (on this an all guitars really) is that you should have it, but that the cover should be made from the wood that was originally there. I imagine this is rather hard to do, but I just like it a lot.
That would be great if they could do it!
The problem with this one is they've tried to keep it small (it only covers the area behind the tone and volume controls, not the switch or the jack), but somehow it looks worse than a bigger cover! And it doesn't sit quite flush. Still, it's good that it's there. I couldn't face rewiring a 339 or 336, but this will be quite manageable. Mules(?) here we come....!
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the other one you linked to looked like it had a wood cover (walnut?) for the control cavity, looks like nice work
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Oh alright, you wheedled it out of me. I don't have it yet though so I can't priove it but I have bought a Les Paul Special from a friend in USA. Just have to decide whether to ask him to ship it here or to my Son who lives in USA as I plan to visit soon and could collect and bring it back.
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http://www.japanvintageguitars.com/History.html (http://www.japanvintageguitars.com/History.html)
http://forum.japanaxe.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=153 (http://forum.japanaxe.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=153)
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^
Thanks for those links! :D
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Oh alright, you wheedled it out of me. I don't have it yet though so I can't priove it but I have bought a Les Paul Special from a friend in USA. Just have to decide whether to ask him to ship it here or to my Son who lives in USA as I plan to visit soon and could collect and bring it back.
Excellent choice! I love Les Paul Specials. I look forward to seeing it. :D
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I need a guitar like that! Nice score!!
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Nice one Philly, reminds me of the Ibanez Artists. I had an Artstar 120 in that colour.
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very nice indeed :D
that rear control cavity is a good idea :)
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Nice one Philly, reminds me of the Ibanez Artists. I had an Artstar 120 in that colour.
Was that a semi or solidbody?
In the early/mid eighties they made some small-bodied semis which I think were part of the Artist series, the AM models. There was an AM200 and AM400 (or AM205/AM405, something like that). A bit fancier than my guitar, with gold hardware and pearl/abalone block inlays like the AR300. You see them on eBay sometimes but they command pretty high prices, unfortunately.
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Cool guitar.
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Nice one Philly, reminds me of the Ibanez Artists. I had an Artstar 120 in that colour.
Was that a semi or solidbody?
In the early/mid eighties they made some small-bodied semis which I think were part of the Artist series, the AM models. There was an AM200 and AM400 (or AM205/AM405, something like that). A bit fancier than my guitar, with gold hardware and pearl/abalone block inlays like the AR300. You see them on eBay sometimes but they command pretty high prices, unfortunately.
Semi-hollow ES335-style and -size!
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Very cool Philly, I like that a lot!
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Happy NGD! It looks really great.
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Very nice looking guitar with some sensible updates for the discerning tweaker.
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It is cool, I'm liking it a lot. 8)
I do like semis, the resonance and acoustic volume makes them fun to play unplugged, even if those properties don't necessarily translate into the amplified sound.
It is a bit neck-heavy on a strap, though. I need to ditch those stupid heavyweight Grovers and replace them with some nice Gotoh or TonePros Kluson-types. It'll look better, too.