Do you recognize the maker of this guitar?

[LtKojak]

I've found two of the three picture at the Schaller site, so I've ask'em, but the only answer they could give me was that guitar was made just for the picture for a parts catalog a very long time ago, so they can't trace any docs about the purchase no more. And even having the guitar in exposition doesn't help either, as it hasn't any tag or anything that could serve to ID it.

Fair enough, they were actually very helpful with my request, imagine Schaller's head of marketing for the international market went to another office in another building to get the guitar and see if he could help in any way! Way to go, Dr. Lars B?nning!

Anyway, here are the pics:







The first one is the picture of my guitar, the other two from the Schaller site.

The guitar has written in the back of the head " CS 004 96"

Anybody?

[eggle]

my guess

well the letters CS usually mean "custom shop" and the 4th month 1996 it was made it seems to me. probably is the same guitar that you have in pic two and three but maybe a prototype/or different hardware. dont forget it is 12 year old and more than likley the guy who responded to you was probably not even working there then. have the same kind of responses from manufactures like washburn and such, if it was not built in the time they were working there then they aint got a bloody clue. shame but true

[eggle]

identify

usually guitar makers date the guitar and relevent info under the f-hole, get a light into the guitar body and with a dentists mirror/telescopic mirror look at the under side area of the f-hole, possibly might give you your answer.....

[eggle]

guitar

ok, im 99% sure this guitar is a "mayones Maestro" guitar. they are hand built and from what your pics reviel is a positive identification. in 1990 they became also a distributor for schaller. nice guitar by the way.there a polish company. visit

http://www.mayones.com/eng/katalog.h...Maestro&menu=0

if this is the manufacturer of your guitar which im positive it is, its hell of a shame to the peole(schaller) who sit behind those desks considering they distribute parts for that company, laughable even, for shame!!!!

[LtKojak]

ok, im 99% sure this guitar is a "mayones Maestro" guitar. they are hand built and from what your pics reviel is a positive identification. in 1990 they became also a distributor for schaller. nice guitar by the way.there a polish company. visit

http://www.mayones.com/eng/katalog.h...Maestro&menu=0

if this is the manufacturer of your guitar which im positive it is, its hell of a shame to the peole(schaller) who sit behind those desks considering they distribute parts for that company, laughable even, for shame!!!!

You're right, eggle! You found it!

Yes, mine could be either a prototype made to put out the Schaller catalog (don't forget this company became Schaller dealer, so they maybe gave a couple of guitars away to them for exhibition purposes, hence the lack of a purchase doc), or is their first prize guitar and I quote their site:
"Grand Prix and a gold medal for the 'Top Export Product' won by MAESTRO M453 CS guitar (limited edition). The award was presented by 'Gitara i Bas' music magazine at Intermedia'96 Polish music industry fair".

Anyway, my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw the list price of this instrument in Germany: € 3.480,00 (US Dollars: $ 5,230.60). I've paid next to nothing for it!

If you ever come to Milano, Italy, let me know. I personally take you out in the city and get you drunk on beer on me!

Yours very truly,

[eggle]

drunk

as for getting drunk in italy, i will hold you to that for a free night out lol
these are very pricey guitars, there is a distributor in the uk for them, models start at like ?1900, scary stuff lol nice guitar dude, treasure it

[David Schwab]

well the letters CS usually mean "custom shop" and the 4th month 1996 it was made it seems to me.

It's probably guitar #4, because here are no months with three digits.

I have a similar serial number scheme, such as the one sitting on a stand here: "694002" which is June 1994, and it was bass #2.

[LtKojak]

I've sent an e-mail to the maker, and they sent me a picture of the actual MAESTRO M453 CS that won that prize and except for the color and lack of an ornamentation in the headstock, it's identical to mine, hardware included!



I'm really happy with it, even though the p'ups are not what I like the most... I think I'll gonna replace'em with Duncans, a '59 set will do fine in a 24-fret guitar without breaking the bank, I guess.