Scored Kona Electric At Thrift Shop

[Platefire]

Found this in a thrift shop for $50.00. I would have passed it by but I have had previous
experiance with Kona Acoustic that I gave to my grandson for Christmas but that was great playing guitar to be a cheap MIC. So I didn't have an amp to try it out and the tone knob was missing, whammy bar was missing and it was pretty nasty---but I could see a pretty nice finish through all the the grime. Got it home, hooked it up and all the electronics worked except the coil switch was about gone but still worked. So I been working on it adjusting it out when I had time.

RESULTS: Had an extra whammy bar that fit fine. Immediatly put some new slinkeys on it. The tremolo was pretty much already set like I like it where the springs are set where the trem rest on the body at 440 tuning so it stops on 440 when you release it. Also the intonation was right on on the bridge saddles. I raised the bridge saddles/action a little higher for my bad string bending habbit. I adjusted pickup height upwards. Changed the SPDT coil tap switch to SPDT center off so when in the middle position would be all humbucker mode. It cleaned up real nice and I thought I would show a few pixs. As soon as I eat supper the wife and I are going to have jam session and give it a real road test. Platefire 

[Platefire]

Well I did jam tonight and gave it the old test run. The action and neck is a little funkey in the action is a little stiffer than I'm use too but the tightness seems to have a good snap back side that forces you into a pocket that causes me to play a little different. The tremolo responds very nice and the pickups have a personality all their own. With the coil tap switched on the bridge PU, I get a real authinic tele sound. The humbuckers in full humbucker mode are brighter that my other humbucker guitars. I like switching from neck humbuker to bridge PU with coil tap on and also the combined sound of both pickups--very teley. I have to say this guitar is different and I like the way it takes me into different areas. Its interesting enough that I will tinker with it a while. If its worthy, it will prove itself out or not!  Platefire

[Ritchie200]

Hey Plate,
Is that a 2 octave neck?  Looks like a fun geetar!  I like how I play differently on a LP and a Strat.  Kind-of challenges the abilities!  Nice find to keep on the backline in case of broken string!
Jim

[Dynaflow]

 And for 50.00 if it gives you fits and you've had a great gig with howling fans you can go all Townsend on it.. heh... 

Regards,

Dyna

Ps: Nice score, I usually just find unplayable acoustics at the thrift store....

[mresistor]

Wow - a 24 fret neck. Hows it stay in tune? Are the tuners fairly good quality? Looks like a nice little guitar for the money.

[Platefire]

This guitar is unusual in a good kind of way. The pickups are low ohm for humbucker measuring about 7.80K. They sound bright but have a little humbucker hair also. The trem works so smooth that it forcing me to revert to my old Ventures roots(50/60'S instrumental Band) and do a lot whammy bends for full cords and notes. The main problem is I'm having problems with some of the notes going a little sharp and I think mostly because the nut is binding some of the the strings a little too much. I've corrected a lot of it by WD-40 but I think those slots need to be opened up a little with a nut file. I like it with the neck on full humbucker and the bridge coil taped for tele type tone. The neck bucker has great blues tone. A lot of both worlds right there.

The tuners are OK, seem pretty positive. It's taking a little getting use too to realize I've got the extra finger board and frets and have wound up in the high C position a couple of times(way up there). To be honest the frets and action could be a lot smoother than it is but I'm liking the tones I'm hearing so much that I willing to work a little harder for it. Everybody at church today loved the color/appearance. I search the flea markets, thrift shops, pawn shops real regular as I guess I could say that is part of my hobby but like Dyna run accross mostly junk but this is a worthy find! Its good to have a little success after much searching. If fact I love to watch "Pickers" on the History Channel---now thats a fun occupation! That would be a consideration for a new fun occupation when I retire. Platefire 

[jjasilli]

  Enjoy!

[Platefire]

Yelp! I am! Thanks. Finally tried the graphite on the nut and it really helped the tuning problem. Already got my $50.00 worth