Steve Swan Guitars Swan

Solidbody Guitars

 

Previous Offering


1963
Fender Duosonic (14096)
A nice example of Fender's pre-CBS work before their descent into the "transiitonal" period of Mid-1964 to late 1965. Alder body, Maple neck with a little flame figure, Intact Fender decal, All original Kluson tuners, Brazilian Rosewood veneer fingerboard with clay dots, 22 1/2" string scale, Original bridge, All original electronics, Switches and knobs, Original brown plastic pickguard, Original white finish over the discontinued desert sand color, The only replaced parts are the two strap buttons. The frets are in great shape, the tone is basically that of a Stratocaster. The original case is a little rough, but the latches work.

1968(?) Framus Electric Mandola (79758 - 68D)
This model was prominently featured in the 1960s Framus catalogues, but it's the first one that I've ever seen! Maple body with 3-color Fender-style sunburst, Multi-laminate neck with no truss rod, japanese singel unit tuners, 2 pickups with separate volume and tone controls, Great Italian plastic stripey pickguard, 16 3/4" string scale. This kind of instrument can be strung and tuned in a variety of ways, standard mandola C-G-D-A, ocatve mandolin G-D-A-E, or any of the mulititude of middle eastern light-string tunigs popular with world music crossover players. Pick wear on metal pickup covers, otherwise pretty clean. This mandola was obviously played, but shows little fret wear. with soft cover.

1970's Roberts Tiny Moore 5 String Mandolin (1102)
Jay Roberts built these licensed 5 string electric mandolins in the 1970s as affordable versions of the 1952 Paul Bigsby instrument that Tiny used for the remainder of his career. Western Maple body and neck with single layer white binding, Rosewood fingerboard with Moserite-style serial nuymber stamp at last fret, Schaller chrome mini tuners. Two cream colored soapbar pickups with individual adjuster, Adjustable truss rod, Cast aluminum tailpiece, pickup surrounds, Nut, and strap attachment. Tiny Moore played fluid jazz and a pre-rock distored hot take-off solo style with Billy Jack Wills' band in Sacramento and later occasionally played western gigs with his wife and sister-in-law in the 1960s and 1970s. I remember seeing Tiny Moore in his role of Ranger Roy (with mascot monkey "Anna Banana") on a kiddie cartoon show in the 1960s. I still treasure and use my brown leather guitar strap that I bought from Tiny in his small teaching studio and Music store in Sacramento whre these electric mandolins were sold to his students and fans. Some finish crazing and oxidation from long-term storage, a few small nicks on the back of the neck from leaning against something rough. The guitar size frets are in great shape and the instrument plays beautifully. With orignal hardshell case.

December 1963 Ryder (Rickenbacker) 425 (CL 41)
Electro String Instrument Corp/ Radio-Tel orignally sold the Ryder brand name instruments to studios and guitar dealers not carrying the full line of Rickenbacker instruments. "Cresting Wave" style body features Maple neck-though construction with routed body wings and winged headstock, "Fireglo" red sunburst finish, Kluson Deluxe tuners wtih plastic buttons, Large "Ryder" logo on large white truss rod cover, Ebony nut, 1 5/8" nut width, Very slim round neck profile, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with white plastic dots, Standard thick white pickguard, 1 "toaster" style pickup, Bridge with allen screw adjustable aluminum bridge saddle, Black volume and tone knobs, Toggle tone selector switch, 24 1/2" string scale. This guitar is in exceptionally clean condition, with only a few hints of wear from use. Photos of another one from the same month (CL 54)can be found at www.rickbeat.com/modelslibrary/425/425.htm With original brown tolex rectangular Fender-style case. Express your inner George Harrison!

1978 Fender Musicmaster (S 809697)

Alder body, Maple neck with Rosewood fingerbaord, 1 5/8" nut width, 24" string scale, Pearloid fingerboard dots, Black finish and pickguard, "F" neckplate, all original and stock. Typical of the black finish in this period, the body finish has crazed and discolored with patches of blue-grey on its own. Very clean condition. A great playing guitar. With orginal shaped hard case.


1967 Hofner 459 VTZ Super (51549) This is an extremely rare deluxe version of the six string guitar companion model to the wildly successful hollow body violin shaped Beatle basses . Only made from about 1967 through 1970, it is estimated that only a couple dozen of these fancy guitars with gold hardware and "root beer in ice cubes" plastic bindings, were ever built. Flame maple laminate back and sides, Spruce laminate top, 5-piece Maple and Mahogany neck with a nice round profile, 25 1/2" string scale, Gold single unit tuners, Gold plated hardware, Zero fret, with root beer-cream-root beer nut, Fancy 3-piece pearl in ebony fingerboard inlays, Root beer headstock, fingerboard, and body binding, Cream-root beer-cream purfling, Black pickup selector plate, control plate and pickup surrounds, Root beer raised finger rest, Gold bridge with individual lucite string saddles that slide for intonation, German Bigsby-style vibrato, Volume, Tone, Treble boost and Fuzz Boost aided with 9 volt battery, Cream endpin. One of the former owners had his initials engraved in the gold neck bolt plate on the back. Metal parts show oxidation from use. the frets are in excellent shape. An easy playing guitar that could be used for jazz country, or vintage rock playing. No need for an outboard pedal to play "I Can't Get No Satisfaction"! With an extremely well-made formfit hardshell case. Until I can get photos up, please see the twin sister to this one at www.vintagehofner.co.uk/hofner/archtops/arch47.html

1959 Rickenbacker 768 (T7104B) Triple neck 8-10-8 long scale steel guitar in birdseye Maple. Beautiful birdseye Maple, Kluson tuners with cover plates, Horseshoe magnet pickups, Chrome control plates with volume and tone knobs for each neck, Adjustable metal legs. The only custom feature is a well-made hand tooled leather facing proclaiming the name of former owner, Lorie Stark. The Rickenbacker badge was fit back into its original position. This guitar has a bright, solid tone as you would expect with the long 25" scale. With original grey and black rectangular case with red interior. Sub out on the gigs that Jeremy Wakefield can't make!

1980 G&L L-1000 bass (B000880) A more advanced Precision style bass from Leo Fender's great G&L company. Mahogany body with two-color sunburst, Maple neck with skunk stripe, Schaller tuners, Bullet style truss rod adjustment above nut, Ebony fingerboard with pearloid dots, Three bolt neck plate, G&L humbucking pickup with coil splitter, Volume, Treble, and Bass controls, G&L saddle-lock bridge. All completely stock, this bass has a very powerful pickup and is tonally much more versatile than a Precision bass. Dings in body here and there and somebody engraved the mysterious words "Mortancy polo yaya" on the neck plate and then scribbled over it with an engraving pen. This is a really great bass at the price. With original chip case.

 


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