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Unknown Guitar...


Danzilla

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I was at a somewhat local music store that specializes in used gear. It was getting close to their closing time, so I didn't get as much time as I would have liked. One of the guitars I did grab and play (unplugged) was a red semi-hollow Tele shaped guitar, with 2 P90 looking pickups. Unlike the Fender Thinline Tele, this one had an arched/carved top. It was very comfortable, both body & neck. Headstock said MDG "Michael Daugherty Guitars" in very small cursive script, so I could be off on the name by a little. No labels are stamps on the head or body cavity giving any more info or even a country of origin. Not that I need another guitar... but the price was good and it felt right. I'd have to plug it in for a test drive before buying it. But I've been scouring the internet trying to find anything about it, using lots of variations of the name; no dice. Does this ring any bells with anyone? Should have snapped a pic with my phone... Google is not my friend on this one.

"Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion)

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I had a Tele for a while that was a semi hollow with an arched, flamed maple top. Got it on a trade, the previous owner built it himself from parts.

He said the body came finished from Korea. It was beautiful work in any case.

 

I didn't bond with the guitar. It had TV Jones Filtertron pickups and I love those so I parted the rest out and sold it. Still have the pickups, part of a project I hope to get to soon.

 

Could be a guitar tech branching out or a build on order. The name could be the tech or the original owner, not a big deal to get personalized decals

I doubt it is a true "hand-made" boutique guitar but it is possible. If you like it and the price is good, it is good.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Could be a guitar tech branching out or a build on order. The name could be the tech or the original owner, not a big deal to get personalized decals

I doubt it is a true "hand-made" boutique guitar but it is possible. If you like it and the price is good, it is good.

 

Yeah, I even searched out some local luthier sites but no one by that name. For that price, it certainly could just be some one using overseas parts.

 

It doesn't fit any of "current needs" buckets (better acoustic; fretless 5 string bass; better hybrid guitar [to replace my Hamer Duotone]), so I'm not ready to jump on it. But it does go with my theme of mostly having semi-hollow guitars, so... If I flip any of the instruments I'm putting up for sale, and can get one of those "needed" instruments, then I'll see if it's still there on my next trip.

 

It's like that girl you saw who who sticks in your mind, but you never got her name or phone number... not to objectify women, of course. Nor cheat on my wife. :)

"Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion)

NEW band Old band

 

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Could be a guitar tech branching out or a build on order. The name could be the tech or the original owner, not a big deal to get personalized decals

I doubt it is a true "hand-made" boutique guitar but it is possible. If you like it and the price is good, it is good.

 

Yeah, I even searched out some local luthier sites but no one by that name. For that price, it certainly could just be some one using overseas parts.

 

It doesn't fit any of "current needs" buckets (better acoustic; fretless 5 string bass; better hybrid guitar [to replace my Hamer Duotone]), so I'm not ready to jump on it. But it does go with my theme of mostly having semi-hollow guitars, so... If I flip any of the instruments I'm putting up for sale, and can get one of those "needed" instruments, then I'll see if it's still there on my next trip.

 

It's like that girl you saw who who sticks in your mind, but you never got her name or phone number... not to objectify women, of course. Nor cheat on my wife. :)

 

Screwdriver guitars (my generic name for Fender and Fender derived guitars) come in all shapes, sizes and colors now, they are abundant. Personally, I am a fan and use them all the time. My favorite Strat build is based on a Squier body that was a cool light blue color and quite a bit thinner (and lighter) than a stock strat. My favorite Tele build body was an ebay find - pine body with a bookmatched walnut top. They posted it rough sanded and didn't bother to wipe the top with alcohol before photographing so it just looked sort of gray and uninteresting. Dad was a cabinet maker and we had walnut, I knew how the gray can "pop" into rich browns when finished. So I scored it for $45 because ugly photo. See attached photos.

1312.thumb.jpg.64db32d6cba726706bdb1b2f9ce33870.jpg

1313.thumb.jpg.2352ea63f9a3d89190cde99643d791fe.jpg

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ

 

My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx

 

http://murphysmusictx.com/

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You nailed it Danny! That is definitely an MGD Bass hand made guitar Tele style by a builder in Anderson, Indiana who makes Tele-Esquire style basses "in addition to his other guitars"! The MGD logo in the pictures should give Danzilla a great comparison to check out! :thu:
Take care, Larryz
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Thanks for the research, guys; but it is not the same logo. "Mine" was the full name in cursive. And thankfully it was not a relic job! Doesn't mean it wasn't made by this guy; but not labelled the same. The inquest shall continue!

 

Or come back in a month and see if I've just gone ahead and bought it on my next trip down there.

"Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion)

NEW band Old band

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, it's kind of a solved mystery now.

 

While it was indeed a "MDG", it's not the same one that was listed above. This is "Michael DOLSEY Guitars". That script on the headstock was a bit difficult to decypher, or I"m just bad with names & memory and stuff. Apparently they are made in Korea, but get good reviews. Some of the pickups were compared to Reverends. It looked like this, but in red, with two cream P-90 pickups:

 

MIke_Dolsey_guitar1.jpg

 

So it kind of ruins my "one off/custom made" mystique. But If I get back to that store, and it's still there, I'll certainly give it a second glance.

"Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion)

NEW band Old band

 

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Probably a "jobber" ordered from Kort or Samick.

Lots of them around. I like the quality workmanship of Korean guitars, the ones I've owned (and seen) were very well made.

 

Not wild about most modern finishes but I have other stuff to worry about and they do look great. I don't do finish work anymore anyway plus I've long since given up on caring how shiny my guitars are.

Because maybe they aren't...

 

At this point, I just figure if you like it, it is good.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Beautiful Tele (thin line concept with more beef), Nice leprechaun green color with cream binding around the body and the real F-holes, maple neck with ebony fretboard, abalone dot inlays, stop tail bridge with flat string through saddles to rest your palm on, Gibson- like-humbuckers, nice style tele switching sans plate, with the 3way separated to avoid resting on the volume knob. Just a few guesses, but I can say it's a cool looking guitar that can go from jazzy to R&R easily... :cool:
Take care, Larryz
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