This rather eccentric-looking guitar was recently offered for sale on eBay, courtesy of a seller specialising in old East European and Russian guitars, whose guitars we have featured on this blog previously. (Possibly you could dedicate a whole blog exclusively to such guitars).Unfortunately practically zero information is given about this instrument, other than a name - Elgava Unika-2 - which is contradicted by the "Untain" legend on the headstock. The name "SAMOPAL" is also given, but not explained.
The guitar itself is a typically crude example. The front of the body is faced with what looks like a metal plate, although I wouldn't be surprised if this was actually plastic, seeing as part of it has been snapped off. The body is very likely hollow within. Note how the guitar lead is wired straight into the guitar, which is probably slightly more convenient than having to mess about finding a guitar lead with a 5-pin DIN plug as with other of this guitar's contemporaries.
I wouldn't honestly expect this guitar to be a good player - the seller rather astutely declines to guarantee its playability. This is one for the collector of the weird and unusual.
G L Wilson
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Samopal = handmade guitar. The most part of handmades in USSR were called "samopals".
ReplyDeleteIts not an elgava - its only handmade from one of soviet tehnical magazines. There are lots of them: the same shape, but the different filling.
I can find some photoes, if you want.