any guitarists?

[oman5]

I just got given this gratis.

any good or does it qualify as shite? all i could find out was that its japanese dating from mid 60s to mid '70s. made by Zenta

[DSdriver]

Being free qualifies it as good in my book. Scary should be able to tell you whether it will pass an MOT.

[RoadworkUK]

As a non-guitarist I don't totally understand about the concept of shit guitars.

 

I mean, well, I do really; I understand about ease of playing, quality of tone, etc. But if you can play it and it makes a sound, then you can make music with it. How many good quality guitars get played through dodgy effects pedals that make them sound like cheap, thin sounding axes anyway?

 

Seasick Steve gets a great noise from a guitar made from vomit and entrails.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Why not ask on a guitar forum? Just a shot in the dark like.

[cort16]

It's hard to tell if it's any good without holding it, playing it and hearing it. If it's heavy it's a good sign. I always think the quality of the tuning pegs give away if it's decent or not as cheap guitars have a cog system but the better ones have one with a bearing in them. This probably doesn't apply to 70's guitars though.

These guys seem to specialise in making guitars that look a bit like famous models (strat, telecaster) but with some of the nobs moved around and odd shaped scratch plates.

[Spiny Norman]

Can't say I've ever heard of them, but what I can say is this...

If it stays in tune and can be played OK, and the intonation is close enough for rock'n'roll then it qualifies as a worthwhile instrument IMHO.

 

Roger Waters would probably make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up if he played it, and I know what my inept string mangling sounds like on £6k worth of PRS, so its value is irrelevant.

Just crank the fecker up and belt out some Stranglers songs, that's all I do!

[RoadworkUK]

Sensibility

 

You are clearly a man of class and distinction. Thought I should tell you that.

[hhhugues]

looks interesting, what's the name written on the headstock ? can't read it...

 

It's basically a strat with weird switches. never seen that before.

[CreepingJesus]

Why not ask on a guitar forum? Just a shot in the dark like.

 

'Coz he'll get a more sensible answer here than most guitar forums.

 

There's a small number of vintage Jap guitars that are worth proper money, 99% of them aren't. This one's firmly in the 99%. But, if it's survived this long, it might be a good 'un. They very definitely have their own charm! Surely 'shiters understand where I'm coming from?

[scaryoldcortina]

that looks like a columbus! early 70's jap strat copy - just as they were getting the feel for it but before they got good enough for fender to sue them/get them to build licenced copies instead.... It's probably ok in a flaky sort of way.

 

I would have replied earlier but I've been out all evening plaing guitar and getting drunk..

 

Mr B - I can assure you that guitar forums are basically pistonheads for things with strings. They would say it is shite and nothing more.

[pompei]

Zenta are proper shite I think they might have been sold by Woolworths in the 70's. The second hand shops in Newcastle were full of them when I was a lad.

[oman5]

Thanks for replies. I was just curious to see if it was worth anything

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why not ask on a guitar forum? Just a shot in the dark like.

 

Because I'm not that interested in going through all the hassle of registering on a forum I will only use for the one question. and this forum is now home to threads about trains, marine and aviation shite, not to mention hi-fis, all of which have their own forums. can't say I noticed you making any shots in the dark on those ones?

[cort16]

There's a few Zenta guitars on ebay making £100+ but these look like the odder looking models rather than a strat replica.