GAS ... this one's been a long time coming

[TheGuitarWeasel]

Oh my god! I have gassed one of those since I first saw them advertised in International Musician and Recording World! You lucky sod! Is that the one with the DiMarzio?

[Bogwhoppit]

It looks like a bad Star Trek episode

[TheGuitarWeasel]

Nah that's truly beautiful .... I'm jealous as all get out. There was that and another double cut, If I remember rightly ... had whole page spreads ... was it 1979-ish? I always wanted one but couldn't find any dealers who had them. Thought they were probably never actually imported ... was wrong then!

[octatonic]

That is a bit of an oddity.

On a completely different topic- Tony, have you been smoking meth?

[bandmaster188]

You'll be needing a pick of destiny to go with that then!

[TTony]

Nah that's truly beautiful .... I'm jealous as all get out. There was that and another double cut, If I remember rightly ... had whole page spreads ... was it 1979-ish? I always wanted one but couldn't find any dealers who had them. Thought they were probably never actually imported ... was wrong then!

I'm impressed that someone else out there remembers them !!! If you take a look at the (one and only) Kawai guitars website, you'll see pics of a number of their guitars from the late 70s & early 80s ... see if that double-cut one is on there too?

They were only briefly in the UK, didn't sell particularly well (no high profile endorsees, and little marketing budget). I do have a link somewhere to a Dexys video from the early 80s in which they use one ... They were rare at the time, and I can't imagine that many have survived the last 30 years - they're obviously not as robust as a solid bodied guitar.

This one is the "Rock 'n' Roll Star" model. There were 3 colour variations - metallic blue, cherry sunburst and brown sunburst. I managed to find a cherry sunburst one a few years ago, although it's in very beat-up condition, and had been modded at some point in its life. This one is in 9.5/10 condition. I'm reliably informed that it was Alvin Stardust's stage guitar for a number of years.

What is a bit of an oddity.

On a completely different topic- Tony, have you been smoking meth?

Now, now, now ... the Kawais are all a little odd in their own, loveable, way

[BucketheadRules]

Dear GOD man, what have you done?

Seriously though, happy NGD, very interesting stuff! It's a nice colour too.

[TheGuitarWeasel]

I'm impressed that someone else out there remembers them !!! If you take a look at the (one and only) Kawai guitars website, you'll see pics of a number of their guitars from the late 70s & early 80s ... see if that double-cut one is on there too?

They were only briefly in the UK, didn't sell particularly well (no high profile endorsees, and little marketing budget). I do have a link somewhere to a Dexys video from the early 80s in which they use one ... They were rare at the time, and I can't imagine that many have survived the last 30 years - they're obviously not as robust as a solid bodied guitar.

This one is the "Rock 'n' Roll Star" model. There were 3 colour variations - metallic blue, cherry sunburst and brown sunburst. I managed to find a cherry sunburst one a few years ago, although it's in very beat-up condition, and had been modded at some point in its life. This one is in 9.5/10 condition. I'm reliably informed that it was Alvin Stardust's stage guitar for a number of years.




Now, now, now ... the Kawais are all a little odd in their own, loveable, way

Yay, I believe it was the KS11 ... now I know what I was dribbling over ... as well as the Rock and Roll Star! They impressed me because they dared to be different and a bit 'out there'.

[TTony]

Yay, I believe it was the KS11 ... now I know what I was dribbling over ... as well as the Rock and Roll Star! They impressed me because they dared to be different and a bit 'out there'.

IM - most heavy & humble - O, the KS11 is a really stonkingly good guitar. It's on a par with the Yam SG2000 from that era. They're incredibly well built with quality materials - 3 piece mahogany neck, mahogany body and a thick maple top with a couple of humbuckers.

There's not many of them around. It took me about 5 years to find one (and I was looking hard), since when I found one more for sale (which I bought, obviously!). Since setting up the website, I've virtually "met" a few other owners all over the world, most of whom say they'd "never sell" them because of how good they are.

But very few people know about them.

I first saw them in International Musician too ... that was a few years ago

[TheGuitarWeasel]

And here's the ad I saw http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawai-guit...item19cecd1b59
I may have to trek forth and hunt down a Kawai of some sort ... GAS that's been brewing 34 years must find a way out!