Friday 7 February 2014

Memphis A2 - 1970s Japanese Strat-shaped Junior style "project" guitar

guitarz.blogspot.com:
I've always liked nice simple guitars. A single pickup and just a volume and tone control are all you need sometimes. It's so easy to get bogged down by the confusion presented by a myriad of volume and tone controls, pickup selector switches, coil taps, series/parallel switches, active electronics, and so on and so forth. I guess, for me, it all goes back to the acoustic guitar; you don't get all that kind of nonsense on an acoustic. If you want a different tone then you adjust your playing style. And that's kinda the way I view no-nonsense single pickup guitars such as the one pictured here.

The Memphis A2 is a Japanese-made guitar from the 1970s. It has a short 23 3/4" scale length, a fat Gibson 58 Les Paul-like neck radius, non-adjustable bridge, and a Bill Lawrence blade pickup mounted in the centre position (surely the most sensible location for it on a single pickup guitar?). Despite its Gibson Junior-like appointments, the body seems to have been modelled closely on that of the Fender Stratocaster.



Currently being auctioned on eBay with a starting price of US$79.95, which sounds pretty reasonable for a guitar that the seller describes as being in "project" condition. This guitar looks like it might have potential. Auction ends Monday night.

G L Wilson

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8 comments:

  1. I love the simplicity of design here too. Reminds me of a Vox Stroller.

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  2. If the neck is well placed and accurate it is a real bargain . 80 quids could be the price of the pickup alone!

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  3. I love this. Would love to play it.

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  4. I have one in my hands, right NOW...got for $45 and a helluva long drive. Had a shim under the neck, which jacked up the action, and the nut was not glued down, Little bit of fixes, and now it kicks ass...ROARS with overdrive

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  5. This was my first electric guitar. I'd like to buy it! Nostalgia rocks!

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  6. This was my very first electric guitar. I'd like to buy it! Will you sell it to me?

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  7. Please, OP...I'd like to have this guitar! Let's make a deal!

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  8. i have this guitar in blue...and i'd be willing to let it go. no shims, and it's all there and plays fine...if anyone is interested.

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