1960s Audition (Kawai) Hollowbody Electric Guitar

That's a great-looking guitar, isn't it? I love the asymmetric "horns" up there. It's a bit like a Rickenbacker take-off but really it's got its own vibe. This box is thin, lightweight, has a surfy or '60s-popular sort of vibe (jangle!), and handles more like an Italian guitar -- maybe a Crucianelli or Vox-branded EKO? -- than it does your typical Japanese import from the time.

I'm pretty sure this was made by Kawai, judging by the pickups and hardware in use, though the neck style throws me for a bit of a loop. Anyone know better?

The neck is medium-depth but has a narrower nut width and a long, 25 1/2" Fender-style scale length. That's almost unheard-of on guitars from that part of the world at that time and it gives a nice snap to the tone which offsets the almost banjo-like fundamental/shorter-sustain tone of the instrument.

Yup, I like it. It's weird and fun!

I didn't have to do much to it, as the frustrating part (wiring) was already done -- someone had replaced the on/off pickup slider switches, volume/tone pots, and jack in the past. The bits are all in the case pocket. Someone had also (wisely) blocked the whammy tailpiece so that it works as a normal trapeze instead. The whammies on these are near-useless so that's all-plus.

My work was glorified setup stuff, and now that it's done this thing plays quick and easy and is ready to go.

Repairs included: fret level/dress, side dots install, minor pickup rearrangement, hidden reinforcement to neck joint area (under pickup ring), restring, setup.

Body wood: ply maple

Bridge: adjustable Teisco-style

Fretboard: rosewood

Neck wood: unknown

Pickups: 3x Kawai single coils (adjustable poles)

Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast, easy, spot-on)
String gauges: 46w-10

Neck shape: medium-deeper C

Board radius: ~12"

Truss rod: adjustable (but at near max adjustment, still straight though)

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium-small

Scale length: 25 1/2"

Nut width: 1 5/8"

Body width: 15 7/8"

Body depth: 1 1/2"

Condition notes: it's all-original save a replacement wiring harness (put in by the last guy -- a good job). There's minor playwear/usewear in the body as well as a bit of scratching/minor dinging on the back, but overall it's clean and in good order.

It comes with: an original hard case. The photos make it look discolored but it's just dusty on the outside from storage.