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| Tortoise shell pickguard? This is something else! http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=57691 |
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| Author: | Mark Mc [ Sun May 03, 2026 7:24 am ] |
| Post subject: | Tortoise shell pickguard? This is something else! |
I am on a holiday in Japan at the moment. This afternoon I was looking through a very funky “antique” (junk) store in the eclectic Yanaka area of Tokyo and came across this interesting guitar. |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Sun May 03, 2026 9:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tortoise shell pickguard? This is something else! |
That's probably the real thing. I've seen pictures of these before. Doubt that's the original bridge. |
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| Author: | meddlingfool [ Sun May 03, 2026 11:38 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tortoise shell pickguard? This is something else! |
Neat! |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Sun May 03, 2026 12:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tortoise shell pickguard? This is something else! |
Pretty cool. |
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| Author: | Mark Mc [ Sun May 03, 2026 7:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tortoise shell pickguard? This is something else! |
It certainly looks like a real shell. A bit of Googling tells me that there was a bit of a fashion for these in the late 1940s, generally from the South Pacific. I couldn’t identify any branding. Don’t know what the soundboard timber is. It doesn’t look like spruce. Ladder braced. I think Chris might be right about the bridge being non-original because it was poorly fitted and not an exact match in style to the tailpiece. The bridge height was too low (but is adjustable) - the strings were fretting out up the neck when I tried to play it. No truss rod, and the neck was THICK. It seemed to have very harsh and twangy tone. Price was only 18000 Yen (about $US120). I didn’t buy it. Thought I might have a bit of trouble with Customs on the way home! And I don’t want to own a dead turtle. But, very interesting. |
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