Daimaru Guitar

[Japanese Madness]

Hello, like to know if anyone ever saw a Teisco Guitar marked like this one. Information is sketchy at best...but believe have narrowed it down to a model produced by Daimaru made by Teisco..believe this is a Cortez guitar and few were made... Posted pictures and all input is welcome ..Thank you.
Japanese Madness

[Sweetfinger]

I've seen similar guitars with many different names. The factory would put whatever you wanted on the headstock.

[gmoon]

Yeah, Teisco lineage, no doubt.

From the look of the tremolo mech and arm, I'd say that's likely late 60's. Probably after Kawai bought the Teisco product line and name.

As to the actual branded name--???, who knows. From the pickups, bridge, and the body composition and shape (thanks for the pics), it looks very similar to examples I've seen with "Global" or "Heit" badges. And "Kingston," too--the trem and arm is identical to a Kingston I have...

I too have the MIJ bug; though mostly thinline hollowbodies... Teisco and friends made some radically weird giutars (spelling intentionally incorrect...)

[Japanese Madness]

Daimaru Guitar

well at jedistar.com they have a model (Daimaru) 805 posted. Ebay has had Daimaru Diasonic single p/u model, and also a Daimaru model 811 is listed sometimes..The 1/2 bison is 805 model...Daimaru 99% of time used this body color pre-dominately...and there guitars were usually better made than normal Teiscos..Daimaru specialize in F-hole guitars and other instruments..Had Teisco make there solid electrics...I have some info and can post it...I really started to search this info when I could not find info on G1 amp in a case..pics in my album..Daimaru came in that found them together..not a Silvertone quality for sure..SS not tube..however have never seen another..on Ebay every day looking....as for pickups to date guitar I know that it was made prior to takeover by Kawai...1967...Daimaru has 4 pointed tabs that hold cover to base...1968 to lower cost production they went to glue on chrome covers to base plate...Daimaru also used white strip around poles more than everyone on there p/u..think more attractive than black..stands out..So I was hoping that the inscription inside cavity would identify model..CE-1..read vintaxe and Jack Westheimer story about Cortez guitar and even mentions Empredor guitars..not many made as his operation moved to Korea or..he got out of Japan as labor costs rose..the writing is under the lacquer coat which is original...well maybe we can eventually have someone interpret the symbols and letters..thanks for the input...
Japanese Madness

[gmoon]

Hmmm. Those Teisco "Vox Phantom" copies (EV-2T) usually had white face pickups w/chrome surrounds, etc. That's ~1968.

And I've never seen earlier MIJs (pre-late 60's) with the face bolts on the tremolo, and the curved arm.

Kawai, of course, continued to use previously manuf Teisco parts for some time--at least for some models.

Also, I wouldn't go with the color as an indicator. That's very common paint schema. Norma, Heit, Decca, etc. As is the plywood and routing.

Quality is very on/off for all the MIJ guitar brands, due to the different factories (and Silvertone sold some decent guitars, too.) If you could narrow down the factory with the graphic on the body, that might help.

Sorry I couldn't help. Good luck.

[Japanese Madness]

Daimaru Guitar

well I thank all for help with those symbols..confirmed with what a Japanese teacher told me it meant..far as pickups mine are white..plenty of 1963 Teisco hollow bodys have this style trem unit..see them all time on E-Bay..the trem unit served dual purpose...hollows and solids same base and arm..hollows had hinge and slot is on base to attach it..solids have slot also but is not used...saved on production costs...this compares nicely to the original pups dated 4/22/63..could be a 1964..in any event many many guitars on Ebay of 63-64 vintage have exact same trem unit as on this Daimaru..as to color as stated most that I have seen of Daimarus in general this cherry finish was predominant on these guitars with the Daimaru badge..not as common a color as burst orange red even green sunburst...this particular guitar is 2 pc mahogany not multi-layer marine plywood like they started using 67-68...my Daimaru is solid wood..pre-dates Kawai takeover of Teisco..solid body with veneer layer top and bottom..standard fare of the day..nicer longer lasting finish than the plys...well all thats left is to figure out the CE-1 and what that stands for..Anyone ????
Japanese Madness

[Japanese Madness]

Daimaru Guitar

Hello,
Not wanting to leave loose ends I wrote to Westheimer Corp Chicago..
Larry Goldstein V.P. wrote back confirming guitar is a sample made for WMI..
Thats (Sid) Weiss a former Westheimer employee named company whom was employed by Westheimer Sales Co. (Jack Westheimers Company)
Weiss Musical Instruments = WMI
Jack Westheimer licensed branding Teisco and or Del Ray to WMI..
late 1964 early 1965..( Guitar Player Magizine and Vintage Guitar Magazine) interview with Jack..
WMI was following:
Sid Weiss.. Barry Hornstein..Syl Weinlding..
Interview states WMI was more into flash and marketing vs Westheimer Sales Co desire to have better qality instruments to sell..
I believe WMI had various factories supply prototypes samples ect for new models..
So I have the letter responding to my inquiry from Jack Westheimers Company now known as Westheimer Corp not Westheimer Sales..
Blocked my name and street address but here U have it..sample guitar..
Fact is its a one-off..searched internet E-Bay for like model of this guitar have yet to see one yet..
well enough for now check out the letter..was very lucky to receive a response IMO...
Album with letter should be Daimaru Guiter Confirmation..
Thanks for all leads which sparked my interestto further research on Daimaru..

[Japanese Madness]

Posting in album a few trem assemblys with hollowbody guitars using same trem system as Daimaru Teisco circa 1966...Same exact trem unit with a slot..slot used for hinge to attach tailpiece on a hollow body guitar and electric guitar has slot but is unused. Again this was to save on production costs at that time. Frequently see on Ebay 1964 EP-7 Teisco hollows with same tailpiece. Point being I believe Daimaru guitar is 1966 vintage. Sample made in Japan sent to US Importers WMI (per letter from Westheimer Corp) and final assembly took place in US. Common back then. Makes sense of pots dated in English not Japanese.1964 pots..well threw my 5 cents in lot of digging on this guitar...
Thanks to all for the assistance...
Japanese Madness

[dai h.]

does Daimaru have something to do with the department store chain (Daimaru)? Funny those old guitars look kind of cool now, possibly because most guitars have graduated towards very similar (Strat, LP, etc. etc.) shapes and they look more unique.

[Japanese Madness]

Daimaru

Picture posted reflects a 2 part tailpiece. My Daimaru (not pictured) has the same trem unit as the Prestige (Telestar) guitar pictured. Purpose of post was intended to portray a tailpiece dating back to 66...same trem unit I have seen on 64 Teiscos....Well anyway no : Daimaru Dept Store (Japan) has no connection to Daimaru Guitars whatsoever..checked that link out some time ago...Daimaru Factory had a Distributor in New York..
Japanese Madness

[dai h.]

apparently Daimaru Dept. stores has an association with Daimaru Kogyo:

DAIMARU KOGYO - About Us - Brief History

so maybe there isn't any connection, but I wonder about that.

The Japanese wiki page on Daimaru Dept. Stores has more info than the English one:

?? - Wikipedia

(after few minutes of digging) :

Billboard - Google Books

"Daimaru New York Corp" is mentioned on the company history info link above. got to go