NGD: 1968 Kustom K200 (and bonus Ibanez GAX30)

[Nick]

the Ibanez was actually first… it was a $40 yardsale pickup, and to keep it cheap I just used spare parts I had in the bin to spruce it up- neck pickup is from some 70’s Harmony Les Paul and the bridge is from a Fender MIM. Speed knobs, GFS XGP 500k pots…just needed a better blade switch since all I had were standard 5 ways, I decided on the superswitch to get more options out of the bridge pickup since it’s a 4 conductor.

While at Love of Fuzz to grab the switch, I spotted this K200….it’s unfortunately been stripped but the current finish is a nice satin and looks similar to the regular natural finished K200’s anyway. The refin put it in a more attainable price- I’ve wanted one of these for a while now but never had a chance to play one- it’s lighter than I’d imagined at 7lbs 2 oz, small neck but plays very nice and solid, one of the more resonant semi hollows Ive owned and doesn’t lack in sustain at all.

I ended up trading in my Burny Mockingbird for the Kustom, which I guess I broke even on thanks to inflation. I’m happy with the deal, I just wasn’t playing it anymore and had tried to sell it a few times recently.

[dots]

Looks ace, nice score!

Shout out to the prison stang photo bomb!

[NickD]

Very nice, that's a great looking guitar.

[cooter]

Very cool. I've never seen one in person but I've read that they are well made guitars.

You need a Kustom Kat to display with the guitar. http://kustomguitars.wordpress.com/201 ... stom-kats/

[sunshiner]

I never knew Kustom made guitars, I thought they only made amps. Aside from the weirdly placed strap button, it looks cool. A sort of weird child of Gretsch and Rickenbacker.

Is the neck on that Gio on the thinner side?

[Nick]

I never knew Kustom made guitars, I thought they only made amps. Aside from the weirdly placed strap button, it looks cool. A sort of weird child of Gretsch and Rickenbacker.

Is the neck on that Gio on the thinner side?

Gretsch plus Rickenbacker is a good way to put it, but with the neck profile of a Hagstrom. And yeah I’m not the biggest fan of the strap button location but wouldn’t want to drill another. It is still quite balanced, maybe I can find a strap style that looks less odd on it. I used it at band practice last night and the dynasonics sounded really good, this may be my favorite sounding guitar I own now. A touch microphonic with heavy fuzz but not uncontrollable.

The Gio neck is on the thinner side but maybe not quite as thin as the wizard neck on my RG. I’ll have to measure it.

[benecol]

I had no idea these existed, and I love it to bits. Refin on the cards?

[Bacchus]

I actually quite like the finish. It sort of makes it look like if a Japanese company tried to make the Rickenbacker/Gretsch combo mentioned above.

I'd leave it as is. Maaaaaybe go mad and cut the headstock into the Matsumoku shape.

[Nick]

^ yeah I already love it as is, so I don’t plan on a refin even though it’s be guilt free from a preservation standpoint.

There’s evidence in the sound hole of this originally being blue or green of some sort
Maybe like this:

IMG_8514.jpeg (26.41 KiB) Viewed 838 times

Oddly enough my best/favorite guitars tend to be boring/natural finishes, even prison stang is more blond/wood than comp orange at this point.

[plopswagon]

Now that I see that in color, I think I’ve seen one before at a guitar show.

[Pacafeliz]

Oooh I've always loved the look of these