re:"The one piece bolt on neck (with no backplate) had a steel reinforcement bar, not a truss rod.."
It doesn't have a bolt on neck... I'm pretty sure you can adjust that rod...
re: "Tuners were junk 3 on a strip open gears, with no bushings, the pickup was some kind of no-name off the shelf…the only obvious common parts are the floating compensated bridge found on period 400 series guitars and the control knobs."
they had bushings (the pic above is a guitar I own, the bushings just fell out), the pickup is RIC pickup, like a 430. Common parts are also strap pegs, frets, same finish as a RIC of the era, same neck carve, etc.
re: "...suggesting that at least some of them came prefinished from the factory."
I've only every seen one photo of a kit (meaning one that was sold, not in the factory), and all other photos are of finished instruments, so prob most came finished, and a at least some didn't...
Note that most also seem to have had a sticker/logo on the headstock... and the black ones had finished headstocks.
I have a bunch of these - and some pics on my insta if you want to use them....
So couple follow-ups…none of the examples I can find (most of which seem to have made their way to you lol) seem to have tuner bushings? The neck isn’t bolt on? Explain please! And you’re saying the pickup is effectively a toaster with some kind of plastic case? I should probably just show you my drafts on these first lol…
No disrespect, but all the examples I can find—including yours—have 3 bolts on the back. And the Higain was still several years in the future when this guitar was built…
re: "Approximately 300 were produced."
hard to believe there were that many....
re:"The one piece bolt on neck (with no backplate) had a steel reinforcement bar, not a truss rod.."
It doesn't have a bolt on neck... I'm pretty sure you can adjust that rod...
re: "Tuners were junk 3 on a strip open gears, with no bushings, the pickup was some kind of no-name off the shelf…the only obvious common parts are the floating compensated bridge found on period 400 series guitars and the control knobs."
they had bushings (the pic above is a guitar I own, the bushings just fell out), the pickup is RIC pickup, like a 430. Common parts are also strap pegs, frets, same finish as a RIC of the era, same neck carve, etc.
re: "...suggesting that at least some of them came prefinished from the factory."
I've only every seen one photo of a kit (meaning one that was sold, not in the factory), and all other photos are of finished instruments, so prob most came finished, and a at least some didn't...
Note that most also seem to have had a sticker/logo on the headstock... and the black ones had finished headstocks.
I have a bunch of these - and some pics on my insta if you want to use them....
So couple follow-ups…none of the examples I can find (most of which seem to have made their way to you lol) seem to have tuner bushings? The neck isn’t bolt on? Explain please! And you’re saying the pickup is effectively a toaster with some kind of plastic case? I should probably just show you my drafts on these first lol…
I'll check again on the bushings I may be wrong.
The 'not a bolt on neck' -> it doesn't have a bolt. It just sits in a pocket and is held on w/ the string tension.
The pick up is a hi-gain w/ a plastic case...
No disrespect, but all the examples I can find—including yours—have 3 bolts on the back. And the Higain was still several years in the future when this guitar was built…
One has aftermarket bolts, the others don't. That one had aftermarket inlays also.
hi-gain meaning it has poles.
Tell me what pictures you want and I'll take them for you...
Lookswise, I love the Jetsonian style of it!