1960s Kawai Jumbo Archtop Hollowbody Electric Guitar

Overview: This is a fascinating old guitar and the second of these we have worked-on. These Kawais are like a bizarro interpretation of a big-body Gibson jazzbox but they sport weak-ish single coil pickups, a strangely thin and fast bolt-on neck, and peculiar, of-thieir-own-thing, styling. I like the multi-ply binding at the top edge, the rounded-rectangles board inlay, and the multi-ply pickguard. There's so much going on... and it's a big instrument at a hair over 17" on the lower bout.

This one was in pretty rough shape when it arrived here but is now healthy and a slick player.

Repairs included: Jake Too had to refret the board as all the old frets were peeling-up and would not hold. He did a tip-top job. After that I rewired the whole instrument because the original wiring harness was done-up with unshielded cable running everywhere. We removed the top-mount 3-way switch and I wired it up with a simpler harness all at the control plate on the lower bout -- shielded wire running to a 3-way switch and master tone and volume, audio taper 500k pots, an orange drop cap, and Switchcraft jack. Jake Too then set it up. There is about 1/3 of replacement binding on the back edge that Jake Too also put in. It's playing spot-on and ready to go.

• Weight: 6 lbs 14 oz
• Scale length: 25 5/8"
• Nut width: 1 11/16"
• Neck shape: slim C/oval
• Board radius: 9 1/2"
• Depth at first fret: 0.81"
• Depth at seventh fret: 0.81"
• Body width: 17 1/8"
• Body depth: 3 1/2"
• Body wood: ply spruce top, ply maple back/sides
• Bridge: original base, likely replacement topper/saddle
• Fretboard: rosewood
• Neck wood: maple
• Pickups: 2x original single coil
• Action height at 12th fret: 1/16” overall (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 46w-10 nickel
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium/lower

Condition notes: The finish has weather-checked/crackled all over and there are numerous small scuffs, scratches, nicks, and dings here and there. The wiring harness is not original. The bridge top is not original but the base looks original. It has a repaired headstock crack/seam that was done, likely, decades ago and is going strong -- no issue there. The tuners are not the best but work fine. The hole for the original 3-way switch in the upper bout is backfilled. The tailpiece is not original but period. It originally had a whammy-style tailpiece that had been replaced with something funky, as I recall. This tail is from our parts-bins. There are a few smaller marks/filled spots from where the old tailpiece sat on the top.

It comes with: Sorry, no case.

Consignor tag: MBRN