Who made these krazy pickups anyway???

[David Schwab]

It's an Inter-Mark Cipher,made in Japan.

Good detective work! I have a folder of 60's Japanese guitars, but I saved all that onto a disk. I just found it and I did have some Inter-Mark Ciphers in there. I knew I saw that before!

[David Schwab]

I'm thinking a Fatdog-style 'pound rescue' - some nice new frets and tuners, a new Gib TuneOMatic bridge, and a surf green metalflake paintjob and plain white pickguard would make it purty.

How would you fix this up?

That sounds like a plan.

[ken]

I'm going to keep it. The more I study it, the more I like it, and yes I do love to work on guitars. Besides, I have all the parts. I could find a Maestro shorty topmount trem tailpiece somewhere too, that is the right era and not too obtrusive.

The pickups aren't microphonic at all (seriously!) and it is actually lighter than my Strat. According to another Intermark owner, the flat frets are supposed to be that way, they were like that on brand new guitars. Imagine fretting a string across the top of a bus, and you would get the idea.

Here are some sites on the Intermark -

+ + + BLACK GUITARS - GUITAR AND BASS REPAIRS WORKSHOP + + + (from spud1950 - thank you)

Intermark

Here is the Goodwill listing Spud saw - with the most buttugly tort overlaid headstock ever! It matches the pickguard...
shopgoodwill.com - #6037803 - Vintage Inter-Mark Electric Guitar W/ 4 Pick-Ups - 4/9/2010 7:57:41 AM

Wife says Sherwood Green metallic with a light green tint MOTS pickguard.
I like the Surf Green myself. Anyway, it's going to be redone.

ken

[holio cornolio]

well spotted Sir Spud. I'd have staked a bit it was Italian Eko or something and was wrong. Glad I didn't place a bet.

Doh!! I think I did

[holio cornolio]

If you like bizarre instruments from the early '60s, this the link to visit:

Welcome to Fetishguitars.com

Enjoy!

Thanks! Enjoying as I type this (more or less) great site.

[ken]

Wife wins out, she says if it's dark green metallic she'll buy the paint.

Now where the &$%@ am I going to get a light green tint pickguard?
Not a green pickguard either, a white pickguard with green tint. Geez, she's fussy.

Ken

[David Schwab]

Green is the worst color for just about anything, except plants.

You can get a white translucent pickguard and paint it green from the back.

Here's a Cipher bass.

[jonahthevegetarian]

while we're look at crazy old Japanese guitars, here's mine



it's the one I'm winding the p-90s for

[David Schwab]

That's pretty cool. Any idea what it is? Aesthetically it needs a different headstock.

[jonahthevegetarian]

no idea what it is, thought i agree with you about the headstock, i was thinking of sticking some veneer on

[LtKojak]

no idea what it is, thought i agree with you about the headstock, i was thinking of sticking some veneer on

It's got only 19 frets, so be careful about the p'ups placement, SPECIALLY if they're going to be P-90s.

The woods used for the body look vey promising. How's the sound acoustically? You may end up with a tone monster.

I, for one, am a vintage Japanese Guitars' fan from the late 70s, early '80s era.

That's when when they were at their peak, as for the woods used than for the craftmanship shown; the time when they were eager to show the world what they were capable of doing (think all the lawsuits from American companies), and their results a reason for pride.

Good luck and don't forget to keep us posted 'bout the outcome. Soundclips are more than welcome!

[David Schwab]

I, for one, am a vintage Japanese Guitars' fan from the late 70s, early '80s era.

Me too! I wish I kept some of the instruments I had.

My first bass looked like this guitar. It had no name on it, but I've seen it listed as a Kawai Concert and also as as a Teisco and another name I forget at the moment. I'd love to find one some day. I'd also like a Teisco Mayqueen.

[ken]

Jonah, your guitar reminds me of some of my family members.

My first band in 1982 was powered by Jap guitars, so I have a weakness for them too.

I think weird guitars are finally getting the respect some of them deserve, as 'real' guitars are simply too expensive for many people. This is a good thing, as this opens up people's ears and eyes to what's out there. Look at Jerry Jones' Dano reissues or DiPinto guitars, now these are getting spendy too. I think finding and restoring these guitars will be the next frontier of guitar collecting.

ken

[spud1950]

Here's one you don't see too often and a fine example of a much higher quality Japanese build.A beautiful Guyatone LG-350T DX SHARP FIVE from the early 70s.

JAPAN VINTAGE GUYATONE LG-350T DX SHARP FIVE Model 73's - eBay (item 250589111105 end time Mar-06-10 19:00:43 PST)

[ken]

Nice guitar!

I have trouble with the idea of a Guyatone, any Guyatone, selling for $1800 USD though. For this much money, it better rawk.

Check out the Jag copy pickups on it - serrated metal sidecovers and all.

I'm 'on break' from stripping the Cipher's paint now.

Ken