Interesting Looking ESP/Seymour Duncan Tele

[youami]

This looks pretty sweet:

http://www.kurosawagakki.com/items/detail/99545.html

Reasonable price, plus they ship internationally... please, someone else buy it and save me from myself!

 

[soundcreation]

Looks like it sold. At least that's what it says when I translate the page.

Someone got an absolutely unbelievable deal on that one. I'm nearly positive that is a DT240R CTM. Which was the highest model they made. Custom level. Their catalog says they only came in yellow but you really never know. I've seen other models that were spec'd different from what their catalog says.

****...I would have been all over that one. 1 piece body, ultra thin nitro, honduran rosewood fretboard...

 

[marcusnieman]

Wow that's nice!

 

[youami]

I think you're right there soundcreation... that makes it an absolute steal, I guess Kurosawa didn't know what they had?

I've never seen another one like it, and I've made it my life's work to scour the Internet for Duncan guitars. :lol:

 

[wulfman]

****, I saw that in person last week as the store in Ochanomizu!
Oh well, nice to know for the future.

 

[youami]

Don't think you'll see too many of them again in the near future, it's the first I've seen. Very similar to the Moon Reggae Master, a guitar I've always fancied:

 

[sneakyjapan]

Looks like it sold. At least that's what it says when I translate the page.

Someone got an absolutely unbelievable deal on that one. I'm nearly positive that is a DT240R CTM. Which was the highest model they made. Custom level. Their catalog says they only came in yellow but you really never know. I've seen other models that were spec'd different from what their catalog says.

****...I would have been all over that one. 1 piece body, ultra thin nitro, honduran rosewood fretboard...

I`ve had a DT-250M-PRO for about 8 or so years, retailed for 250,000 yen minus the standard 20% off list in this Japanese city, got it at the local Big Boss. Not unusual for builders to make shop orders, this red one may be one of those. The custom pro series sold for more than the one pictured here. But technically they are all at the same level of excellence, mine is one outstanding tele...actually I have one from each series save the custom line and they are all as good as it gets, even my Traditional strat is a great guitar for what I paid for it used.
Whether a Duncan model sells for 240, 250 or 300,000 yen makes no difference, they are all made from the best of everything available by the best builders. I guess it`s important for some to be able to say they own the top of a line guitar, or a rare bird or whatever but I`m the only guy who needs to be impressed.

 

[JVsearch]

Internet buying drives the desire for higher specs as a defence against getting a turd. It's understandable that people seek higher spec guitars when they have no way of auditioning them before purchase.

Sure, higher specs may be no guarantee of getting a great guitar but it's a better place to start than some multi piece body POS that you might have to throw several hundred $ in pickups at to get it decent. Unfortunately, with the huge increase in prices on the higher models the crappy ones are being dragged up higher as well. One of the huge plus points of MIJ, the reasonable price and good quality, is starting to disappear.

As far as Duncans are concerned, they would have to be among the best value MIJs out there!

 

[soundcreation]

Internet buying drives the desire for higher specs as a defence against getting a turd. It's understandable that people seek higher spec guitars when they have no way of auditioning them before purchase.

Sure, higher specs may be no guarantee of getting a great guitar but it's a better place to start than some multi piece body POS that you might have to throw several hundred $ in pickups at to get it decent. Unfortunately, with the huge increase in prices on the higher models the crappy ones are being dragged up higher as well. One of the huge plus points of MIJ, the reasonable price and good quality, is starting to disappear.

As far as Duncans are concerned, they would have to be among the best value MIJs out there!

Yep. That's exactly it. Because I buy nearly all my guitars online and can't play before I buy, I try to get the best possible specs I can to maximize the potential for a great guitar.

I own these two SD's....A DS250 pro strat and and a DT190 tele.

Both are amazing. But the Strat is just un freaking believable. The resonance of the body and the tone of the pickups are second to none. Not a strat anywhere I would trade it straight up for...not even a real 50's fender..(value aside of course).

If you look at the range of SD's the traditionals, which are the base models, often have wood every bit as beautiful as the guitars above. I've never seen a SD traditional that is more than two pieces. Yet they are lower models only from being poly sealed, and pickups. My guess is that the builders did test the guitars for response and resonance and the ones that performed better were the ones that got the higher designation. Differences of 100K + yen have to be somewhere, so that's my theory.

And yeah SD's really are the best money value I can think of in MIJ at the moment. People just totally ignore them. For example there is a DS280pro CTM that has been on yahoo for weeks and he's got it down now to 109k starting bid....and it looks like it's NOT going to sell again! I am sooooo friggin tempted but I don't really need another guitar. Seriously though if it drops below 100K.....

To think people pay way more than that for SEN ash fender JV's...lol. Whatever though.....I hope people keep totally ignoring them. More deals for me.

 

[youami]

I have to say that my DS-185 is a far superior instrument to my DS-100 Traditional, both in terms of feel and sound. Those are the only Duncan's that I've experienced though. I'm sure there are Traditionals out there that kick ***.

 

[soundcreation]

I have to say that my DS-185 is a far superior instrument to my DS-100 Traditional, both in terms of feel and sound. Those are the only Duncan's that I've experienced though. I'm sure there are Traditionals out there that kick ***.

What is it specifically? I've never played a traditional but man every time I see them they look fantastic.

 

[bluejeannot]

http://www.terra.dti.ne.jp/~kaztak/duncanst/duncanst.htm I`ve just bought a Duncan Seymourized tele from a Japanese friend of mine which predates the ESP Duncans,It was hand made in 1980 by a Japanese luthier called Yubi Onkyo,trading under the name of Yubi Sound Lab Tokyo.Apparently he was the first distributor of Duncan p`ups in Japan and started a joint venture with Seymour to produce a range of guitars using pickups wound by Seymour himself and Yubi`s woodworking skills,how long this arrangement lasted for I don`t know but they are amazing guitars. Until I can get photos of mine up ,here is a Duncan Seymourized Strat made by Yubi that I found on the net,Isn`t that pretty!,As you can imagine they are extremely rare. Gabe.

 

[bluejeannot]

http://www.japanvintageguitars.com/Seymour%20Duncan.html Having said how rare they are here`s another one, Gabe,

 

[youami]

What is it specifically? I've never played a traditional but man every time I see them they look fantastic.

Just a 54 strat copy:

It's a nice strat, but my 185 just has a nicer feel and sound.

Gabe, I've seen a few of those Seymourised guitars on auctions.yahoo.co.jp over the years, very cool.

 

[Japanesevintage]

the Strat is just un freaking believable. The resonance of the body and the tone of the pickups are second to none.

And yeah SD's really are the best money value I can think of in MIJ at the moment. People just totally ignore them. For example there is a DS280pro CTM that has been on yahoo for weeks and he's got it down now to 109k starting bid....and it looks like it's NOT going to sell again! I am sooooo friggin tempted but I don't really need another guitar. Seriously though if it drops below 100K.....

The 280 comes from TC Gakki (they had two in stock), and was sold for less two or three months ago.

Very lightweight, if memory serves me well.

I personally am always on the prowl for another one. My two favorites are my Vintage Pro DS-250 maple 2TSB & rosewood 3TSB. Both simply stunning. I totally agree with your comment on the feeling of the Vintage Pro Series.

And yeah, they are the best money value in MIJ at the moment.

In a way, perhaps - between all.

That's why I hope that people will really ignore them for much longer too.

As Van Zandt, ESP really does an excellent job on Strats.

As long as no one approaches them, they will remain.


Youami, is this you on YouTube?

 

[sneakyjapan]

Van Zandts , Moons...among others...are made by a company called PGM.

 

[JVsearch]

Van Zandts , Moons...among others...are made by a company called PGM.

And PGM seems to have some connection to Deviser.

 

[bluejeannot]

http://s225.photobucket.com/albums/dd79/bluejeannot/?action=view&current=PICT0010.jpg&newest=1 http://s225.photobucket.com/albums/dd79/bluejeannot/?action=view&current=PICT0014.jpg#!oZZ2QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs225.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd79%2Fbluejeannot%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DPICT0011.jpg%26 Here`s my new Duncan Seymourised 1981 tele.Two piece ash body,see through white nitro finish, Duncan pickups. 8) cool or what!Gabe.

 

[youami]

Very cool Gabe! Welcome to the Duncan club, though I guess a rare bird like that makes you the chairman.

Love that walnut Moon too.

 

[bluejeannot]

No,Ben I`m the guy that brings the teas and coffees round on the trolley. Gabe.