1960's Telestar (Gold Sparkle 4-pickup)
Ebay Find: http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-GOLD-SPARKLE-Telestar-4pu-Guitar-Teisco-/280573713856?pt=Guitar&hash=item41537f1dc0 Sure its a bit on the small size, but it packs a MEAN punch.
If you're looking at this, odds are you know the deal with these old Japan-made beasts... plywood body generously coated in gorgeous yellow-gold sparkle... only this one has a matched headstock!!
PLEASE NOTE. As I use all of my guitars on stage, I have done a great deal of re-wiring to this guitar in order to make it more... shall we say... practical?... more stage-friendly, at the very least. NONE of the electronic components and wiring, save for the pickups, are original.
First. I have bypassed the four kill switch panel completely (but have left it in place for cosmetic purposes). The three-position toggle was originally some sort of master tone selector, and was always problematic. I have since replaced it with a new box-type three-position selector. As the killswitches are bypassed, this toggle is the new pickup selector. That in mind, I have removed the two middle-position pickups from the signal chain. They are no longer live pickups. Only the neck and bridge pickups are wired into signal. HOWEVER, all four pickups could be very easily rewired to original specs on the existing kill switch control plate. The neck and bridge pickups, however, are HOT AND STRONG. A bit microphonic like all Japanese pickups from this era, but still packing a mean punch.
Pots, tone cap, selector, and insert are all new and problem-free. In terms of hardware... Tuners are brand-new sealed-back keystone-button tuners. The bridge was originally a disaster and has since been completely rebuilt using period-correct saddles, springs, and bolts. THE BRIDGE COVER IS STILL THERE!! Can you believe that?!?!? The "string mute" works, technically, though I never did get around to replacing the piece of felt that fell off years before I bought this. The tremolo works great, and any standard (or metric?) tremolo arm should fit fine. I myself have used generic strat-type trem arms on this with no problem. I do not have the original, but I might have an extra strat-type arm floating around. (Not guaranteed to be included... but if I find one, I'll throw it in.)
There are a few dings here and there, but nothing really worthy of note. It is in surprisingly good cosmetic shape! The neck is straight, truss works, and the action is low and comparatively fast! Will be setup prior to shipping.