70s Japanese Columbus

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 12:21 pm

I traded an old pedal that I haven't used for years for this thing yesterday. It plays great, the pickups are actually humbuckers (not singles in humbucker casings like some old Japanese guitars) the overall condition is amazing and the tuners even hold tuning fine. It even came with a case, it's an old Westone case but it fits perfectly. Even if I don't keep his guitar I can use the case for my Coronado.

It has one thing that needs attention tho, I'm going to have to move the bridge back a bit to get the stupid thing to intonate correctly. the saddles are bottomed out so it seems to be a wee bit too close to the neck. Luckily it's a solid block in there so i should be able to re-drill a couple of holes then move it back.

Feedback from anyone who's had to do this sort of thing before are very welcome. I've heard about screwy bridge placement on old Japanese budget guitars but this is the first time I've actually experienced it myself.

(ignore the dust and my goofy reflection)

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 12:42 pm

that looks lovely.

gusman2x · Post by **gusman2x** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 1:34 pm

That's a hot hot thing.

Love the window too. I often miss living in a tenement.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 1:43 pm

Yeah it's cool for a cheapie. I really love the colour, it's a very dark brown with a reddish hue to it. Bummer about the bridge tho. I'll look into it and get it shifted next week sometime.

The windows and room size is the best thing about living in a tenement. I need more space tho so I think a move is on the cards.

Chris Fleming · Post by **Chris Fleming** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 3:41 pm

Might be worth just having a floating bridge?

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 4:16 pm

That looks great, I've been watching these on ebay for a couple of years but I've never had the guts to try one out. So I'll be interested to hear what you think about it in the long term.

Benmurray85 · Post by **Benmurray85** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 4:24 pm

Absolutely love that colour. Great score

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:45 pm

Chris Fleming wrote:Might be worth just having a floating bridge?

Since it's basically totally hollow with just some support blocks (the same as the Coronado) I'm not sure how it would fair with a floating bridge. The screwed in job gives it more of a solid/resonating feeling that I think it would miss with a floater.

Gabriel wrote:That looks great, I've been watching these on ebay for a couple of years but I've never had the guts to try one out. So I'll be interested to hear what you think about it in the long term.

You can have a go of it at some point since you're going to be based in Glasgow.

As far as a short term review goes I can say this:

The neck reminds me of my old SG Special. Reasonably chunky depth-wise but perfect width at the nut so it's a joy to play.
As I said before it's totally hollow so it feels very similar to the Coronado weight and build wise.
The electronics are great. Totally quiet, full sized pots and the pickups actually sound good so shockingly there's no need to swap them out.
Prone to feedback with dirt cos it's hollow, but sounds perfect when pushing the amp and breaking up on its own.
The budget tuners hold tune well.
Frets are still in good condition and seem quality.
It has a truss rod, and it works.
Matches great with the Classic 20.

Apparently it spent the last 20-odd years in its case in a storage locker so it's in great condition. I spotted an Antoria badged version of this in a pawn shop a few months ago but it was warped to complete uselessness. Tho it was up for sale at Â£150. So I'd recommend only buying one online if it has loads of pictures. Try before you buy if you can.

Chris Fleming · Post by **Chris Fleming** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:54 pm

Oh... seeing as you're in Glasgow, could I ask, do you happen to know anywhere I could go to get an Electric guitar body thinned down? Need someone with a planer thicknesser type of thing

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:59 pm

Good score.
I had a Columbus Les Paul early on in the 90's, it was a nice guitar.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 9:10 pm

Nice guitar, I'll get a semi hollow or a fully hollow guitar one day. Tell me more about problem with the bridge, there are problems while you are playing or while you trying to intonate it? Did you change the strings or there are still some that came with the guitar? If the problem appears only when you do intonation and strings are old then the problem is not with the bridge. Replace strings with a new set and try to intonate it again.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 10:15 pm

Chris Fleming wrote:Oh... seeing as you're in Glasgow, could I ask, do you happen to know anywhere I could go to get an Electric guitar body thinned down? Need someone with a planer thicknesser type of thing

Sorry I've never had to do anything like that. If I had to I'd look for a cabinet maker type business. It'd be way cheaper than getting it done by a guitar shop/luthier.

sunshiner wrote:Nice guitar, I'll get a semi hollow or a fully hollow guitar one day. Tell me more about problem with the bridge, there are problems while you are playing or while you trying to intonate it? Did you change the strings or there are still some that came with the guitar? If the problem appears only when you do intonation and strings are old then the problem is not with the bridge. Replace strings with a new set and try to intonate it again.

I changed the strings, cleaned it and found the intonation issue when setting it up. It's a weird one cos tho the intonation is out it doesn't sound that bad. I think the bridge is out of position by about 5mm or so.

It's also possible that it originally came with a floating bridge and whoever put the TOM on it didn't measure up correctly when installing it. I guess that would make the most sense, especially as the TOM that is on it is really top quality.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:06 pm

Wow, that thing is HOT HOT HOT.
I've been opening this thread all day just to look at it.

About the bridge issue... Does anybody know if the harmonica style Gibson bridge drops in on TOM style posts?
They look like their saddles have more play than a regular TOM, so maybe this could save you the trouble of having to drill new holes in this thing?

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:10 pm

Wow, that thing is HOT HOT HOT.
I've been opening this thread all day just to look at it.

About the bridge issue... Does anybody know if the harmonica style Gibson bridge drops in on TOM style posts?
They look like their saddles have more play than a regular TOM, so maybe this could save you the trouble of having to drill new holes in this thing?

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:11 pm

Wow, that thing is HOT HOT HOT.
I've been opening this thread all day just to look at it.

About the bridge issue... Does anybody know if the harmonica style Gibson bridge drops in on TOM style posts?
They look like their saddles have more play than a regular TOM, so maybe this could save you the trouble of having to drill new holes in this thing?

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:18 pm

Hat trick.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:26 pm

Not if the guitar has a vintage style ABR-1 TOM on it -- it'll be straight into the wood with tiny little screw-width posts and no bushings. Otherwise it will have bushings like an import ABR (epi bridge) or Nashville, but they'd have to be 11mm diameter bushings for the harmonica to retrofit. Harmonica stud inserts/bushings are 11mm diameter whereas most Nashvilles are 12.

It looks to me like a Nashville (another good indication it's non-original to the guitar btw), so if it's a Gotoh (look on the bottom) you could probably screw the harmonica's posts into the same bushings as Gotoh Nashvilles use 11mm bushings like the harmonicas. If it's a proper Gibson or Schaller Nashville I'd just move it, because it would be just as much trouble to install the harmonica (filling in the holes and redrilling them).

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 6:29 am

Yeah its the ABR1 style plain topped screw posts, straight into the wood. I'll just shift them, It's a pretty easy fix. For a really old hollow body Japanese Gibson copy I think I'm getting off lightly.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 6:44 am

Fran wrote:Good score.
I had a Columbus Les Paul early on in the 90's, it was a nice guitar.

Here's one for you Fran: CLICKY

The Bridge on it looks the same as mine (same curved top), tho it looks to be placed a bit farther from the bridge pickup (i.e. correctly).

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 9:02 am

I know this is going to sound a bit stupid, Probably just saying what you've already disqualified BUT...... but are you sure about the saddles? have you tried moving them to the opposite side and start setting the intonation? I don't pretend to understand how but back in more N00b days I one found I was bottoming out some saddles and had started from too far back or something........ moved them all the other way and ended up in the usual places for intonation. Yeah I know it doesn't make logical sense.... but that's what happened. I'm sure you've checked everything though, so just saying just in case!

Also: Have you measured with a ruler from the 12th fret? That should be a good objective way of telling if the bridge really is too far forward?