The Black Keys Fan Lounge Forum

Nothing against those old Japanese guitars, it's just that the Chicago Valco made ones are amazing guitars. I've owned a bunch of Teiscos/Kingstons/Kawais, they're just super hit or miss.

Damn.. these old american guitars got to be awesome! I want one!

kepnerb - 5 hours ago  » 
I wouldnt totally ignore the Japanese made guitars. I have a Japanese made Teisco bass. You can see it in my avatar. And it is a great bass! Its a 67' and sounds super fat and huge. Great sounding bass

Oh yeah, a ton of japanese guitars from the 60s were cool, but when the late 60s sounded the death knell for many american "budget" brands, a lot of parts were starting to be sourced from japan. Like trem assemblies, bridges, and then bodies and so on. There was like this small window in the late 60s where some guitars were being cobbled together from all sorts of leftover parts to sell off the last of the inventory.

I think most of the Lexington and other late 60s Valco guitars used mostly american parts, and I know they were wired in the US. It looks like leftover amp tag boards! It's a riot to someone like me who works on vintage guitars all the time. The 60s must've been fun.

Sorry guys, pic wouldn't load right. If you own the book, this pic is right in the middle, and it's a full pager. The pic is from behind him so all you see is the reverse headstock. Ideas??

Fellow bear, seems to me that there is a Gibson Firebird