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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2020 11:58:25 GMT
It's a Kumika (Aria) W265 from 1977.
I don't know anything much about it except that it's a spruce top and Jacaranda (Madagascan Rosewood?) back and sides. Don't even know if it's solid or laminate.
Anyone know anything about these?
It might be a diamond in the rough, it might be The Dog Of Thoth.
I will let you know.....
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2020 10:06:13 GMT
Should arrive today. I'm getting quite excited.  |
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Sept 16, 2020 12:12:58 GMT
I love NGDs like this. Different, exciting guitars full of promise (or woe), but not thousands of pounds riding on the result.
Let's hope you get a good 'un - pictures are mandatory, of course...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2020 13:11:39 GMT
It's a beaut. It's solid wood. The Jacaranda has a gorgeous gleam to it, as if it was polished yesterday. The spruce top is tight grained and while neither are flawless they look pretty clean and good. It's in excellent condition. It feels light. It seems to weigh noticeably less than my other guitars although they all have pickups and soundhole controls. I wonder if that accounts for the difference. Scale length is 25 and 1/4 inches so a little shorter than my others but I like it. It's very comfortable. Nut is 45mm but the strings are not quite evenly spaced and they don't make full use of the width. I'm not sure what it's made of. Will think about replacing it. Sounds? Love it. Very light and jangly although that may be because the seller has put new strings on it and I'm very lazy about changing mine. I like it a lot though. Will add some pics later but am going to enjoy playing it for a while first (plus I have to go to the supermarket and do some other life stuff). Anyway, so far it looks and plays like a winner. And I'm going to see something tomorrow which sounds like it might be just as good or even better. Today is a good day. EDIT: One of the tuners doesn't match as you can see from the pics below. I knew that from the listing (that's where the pics are from after all). I might leave them but I like open back tuners so may get them changed but there's no hurry. it works as is. Will take it for a luthier to run his eye over next week along with tomorrow's guitar if it works out. Anyway, very happy with it so far. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2020 13:17:38 GMT
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Sept 16, 2020 13:22:35 GMT
Looks fabulous  Sounds required next (preferably of you playing the guitar)  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2020 13:27:32 GMT
Looks fabulous Sounds required next (preferably of you playing the guitar) Gulp! Yeah. I was thinking about that. I'm a bit embarrassed because I'm not very good. When I hear some of you guys i feel like i have a sponges that have been soaked in treacle on the end of each wrist. I've been working on a cover of Killing Me Softly. If I can get it up to speed and make it work I'll add it to youtube. But it probably won't be tonight. |
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Sept 16, 2020 13:30:17 GMT
Haha!  Just change the title to 'Killing Me Slowly' - no need to get it up to speed then   And don't count me in amongst the 'great and the good' of forum guitar-godz. I'm the original ten-thumbed, tone-deaf noise-polluter... |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2020 13:54:58 GMT
Haha! Just change the title to 'Killing Me Slowly' - no need to get it up to speed then And don't count me in amongst the 'great and the good' of forum guitar-godz. I'm the original ten-thumbed, tone-deaf noise-polluter... I'll give something a go but whatever your expectation are, lower them. Then lower them a bit more. The frets might need a bit of work. It might even need a re-fret before long but then it is a 43 year old guitar and I think it would be worth it. |
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stringdriventhing
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Post by stringdriventhing on Sept 16, 2020 14:49:36 GMT
For about 30 years the only guitar I owned was a Hondo II Gibson J200 copy, made in Korea. It don't think it even had a solid top, but it was a decent guitar - built like a tank!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2020 16:41:25 GMT
For about 30 years the only guitar I owned was a Hondo II Gibson J200 copy, made in Korea. It don't think it even had a solid top, but it was a decent guitar - built like a tank! Must admit I'm beginning to wonder if this is solid or laminate but it doesn't matter. It makes a nice noise and I like it. |
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stringdriventhing
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Post by stringdriventhing on Sept 16, 2020 17:29:31 GMT
If you look inside the soundhole and the top looks much thicker than normal then it's probably laminate. BTW - it was 20 years, not 30 that I had that Hondo... I'm not that old, just can't count  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2020 18:51:26 GMT
Now I've played it for a while and I'm over my first flush i can tell you it's a laminate and the frets do need a bit of attention but on the whole it's not bad and it's wonderfully easy to play.
It doesn't have the same bass response or sustain as my other guitars but they're solid wood and cost a lot more money.
I like it. It's got a distinctive voice and it pleases me (I hope "it pleases me" doesn't sound too asshole).
I'm thinking of going to see a Yamaha Hummingbird copy tomorrow (FG295s). Does that make it a Yummingbird?
it's supposed to be made in Japan in the mid 70s. I'm not sure whether to bother or not now I've got this one.
Anyone played one? Any good?
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tangledfool
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Post by tangledfool on Sept 16, 2020 20:30:20 GMT
Now I've played it for a while and I'm over my first flush i can tell you it's a laminate and the frets do need a bit of attention but on the whole it's not bad and it's wonderfully easy to play. It doesn't have the same bass response or sustain as my other guitars but they're solid wood and cost a lot more money. I like it. It's got a distinctive voice and it pleases me (I hope "it pleases me" doesn't sound too asshole). The adjustable saddle (a regular feature on mass produced 1970s Japanese acoustics) are considered by some to be "tone killers" as there's no direct contact between the actual saddle and the wood. Some people have the adjustable saddle slot plugged with a wood matching the bridge, a slot cut into the plug and a saddle fitted. The plug shouldn't have to be glued in place as string tension ought to be sufficient to hold everything in place, so if the results are not pleasing the guitar can be restored back to its original configuration. Someday I will have to get this work done on my Terada to see if it lifts the tone. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2020 21:00:04 GMT
I like the sound. It is a cheap guitar and I suppose in a way it's the dog someone warned me about buying (I think I'll give the Yummingbird a miss!).
I'm not going to invest a whole lot more money into it BUT it's got something that I do genuinely like and if I can get a few things sorted without spending much time or money then I will be very happy with it. I'm not regretting it yet. (That may come tomorrow)
My main worry is the frets.
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Jo whoever he is.
