Help identify (and then upgrade!)

[MonkeyZero]

Mother in law brought this over for me. Cleaned and tuned. Plays really great. Clean is clean and dirt is dirty. Not a ton of tonal range due to that pickup placement but it'll rock out with my Soul Food.

What is it?

The only identifying mark is ”Japan” on the back plate. That's it.
Neck straightened out nicely with minor adjustment. It was my father in law's from his band in the 60s.

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[telecaster911]

1965 Kawai Conquerer.

 

[MonkeyZero]

Wow. Like Teisco? That was fast. Thanks!

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[telecaster911]

Kawai/teisco

 

[MonkeyZero]

I'd like to replace all the old wiring and slap something different in that pickup hole. Hmmmm...

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[telecaster911]

Set it up for slide

 

[Dexter Inferno]

Personally I'd get rid of that retainer thingie, and use roller string trees only where absolutely necessary.
New nut.
Maybe new tuners (locking), depending on the quality of the ones that are already there.
I love locking tuners though, and think they should be standard on every guitar.

No idea when it comes to the routing underneath the pickguard, but if room I'd throw in a kickass P90, or at worst a single coil sized humbucker.

A lot of uncertains with this one...

 

[MonkeyZero]

The tuners definitely need to go. A P90 would be pretty killer. Would probably need to open the space up a bit to fit it but it shouldn't be too bad. I always wanted a project guitar to screw up, i mean learn on.

Slide is a cool idea too though!

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[PunkKitty]

I would keep the stock pickup and replace only what's necessary.

 

[gtrjunior]

+1 on the locking tuners. I'm also a fan of the p90.
If it's got a swimming pool route I might consider buying a custom pick guard and moving the pickup back toward the bridge(p90) and maybe put a single coil (the stock pup ?) in the neck. I really like that mirror guard. I may try to find a custom one like it.

 

[Chad]

I don't know what it is, but I'd rock it.

 

[MonkeyZero]

The pickup in it isn't bad, I'd prefer to move it to the bridge though.
I'm too in love with the pick guard to do it. I like shiny.

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[CBHScott]

Needs a Floyd.

















Nice!

 

[Tiltsta]

I would order a new custom pick guard with two p90 sized holes and then I would fill them appropriately. Hopefully there is a swimming pool router under the guard. Locking tuners also sounds like a solid idea.

 

[RogerF]

Nice! It's a Stafford by Teisco. Found a previously sold model on Reverb.

https://reverb.com/item/1398724-sta...kup-pro-setup-electric-guitar-1960-s-redburst.

Personally I would keep as is.

 

[Knox in Box]

I had one of those, though mine had a metal single coil with adjustable pole pieces and wasn't mirrored. Pretty much the same guitar though. Slide guitar would be fitting, and rewind the pickup if you want to learn something.

 

[Danhedonia]

Love it! Also - looks like "vintage strings" are still on there ....

 

[Kerouac]

Locking tuners, new (high) nut, and use it for slide. Leave the rest as-is.

 

[MonkeyZero]

Love it! Also - looks like "vintage strings" are still on there ....

Vintage strings are definitely intact. Lol.
They stayed tuned through 2 chords though!

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[ellengtrgrl]

I agree with the others, leave it as is, and get your Hound Dog Taylor on. Some of those 60s MIJs have some pretty cool and unique sounds.