Old Winston Guitar...

CabanaBoy

CabanaBoy

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Picked up an old Winston guitar off craigslist for 50 bucks plus 60 or so miles round trip to get it. Here are some pics:

Winston Guitar (1).jpg Winston Guitar (2).jpg Winston Guitar (3).jpg Winston Guitar (4).jpg Winston Guitar (5).jpg Winston Guitar (6).jpg Winston Guitar (7).jpg Winston Guitar (8).jpg

I haven't gone thru it or anything yet, but it seems to be all original. It's missing the whammy bar. I could be wrong, but I'm thinking the case is as old as the guitar.
 
I never heard of them either, but I would have made the road trip and invested $50 into. Congrats!!
 
WINSTON
Instruments previously produced in Japan between circa 1963 and 1967. Distributed in the U.S. by Buegeleisen & Jacobson in New York, NY.
The Winston trademark was a brand name used by U.S. importers Buegeleisen & Jacobson in New York, New York. The Winston brand appeared on a full range of acoustic guitars, thinline acoustic/electric archtops, and solidbody electric guitars and basses. Winston instruments are generally the shorter scale beginner's guitar. Although the manufacturers are unknown, some models appear to be built by Guyatone. Source: Michael Wright, Vintage Guitar Magazine.
 
The burst on the back is great.

Am I correct in assuming that the guitar has a one piece maple back with a mahogany neck? Funky.

Is the trem bar missing?
 
RVA said:
That is wild! I never heard of a Winston before. Is it in playing shape?
Click to expand...

At the moment I'm thinking it's a player. I'll start checking things out today. Remove the strings, check out the truss rod action, clean up the frets, then it will probably just hang for a couple days for the most part. I'll double check the wiring, etc during this time too. I look to give older guitars like this a rest period from neck tension and let gravity work on 'em for a while. I'm also going to do some minor repairs on the case covering where it pulls up. I'm hoping it's a player. Got to find a period correct whammy bar for it eventually. Loads of info here. Thanks for all the input and comments. I'll try to add updates, etc. Who knows, maybe I'll add some sound clips when I get it done; which would be an internet forum first for me ;) Thanks again for the input and comments...
 
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Robert Herndon said:
WINSTON
Instruments previously produced in Japan between circa 1963 and 1967. Distributed in the U.S. by Buegeleisen & Jacobson in New York, NY.
The Winston trademark was a brand name used by U.S. importers Buegeleisen & Jacobson in New York, New York. The Winston brand appeared on a full range of acoustic guitars, thinline acoustic/electric archtops, and solidbody electric guitars and basses. Winston instruments are generally the shorter scale beginner's guitar. Although the manufacturers are unknown, some models appear to be built by Guyatone. Source: Michael Wright, Vintage Guitar Magazine.
Click to expand...

Too cool, this just saved me some searching. Thanks Robert. So, it sounds like I have another 1960's Japanese Hippy Guitar - luv it. I'll have to name it Mothra or Rodan or similar. I already have a gui-zilla and amp-zilla that I call the 1960's Japanese Hippy Twins. By the way, my Japanese reference is meant to be an HONORABLE reference, with no intention of mocking in any way. I'm both a fan of the old Japanese sci-fi flicks and of the too cool music instruments they used to make during the same general period. It's my way of having fun and paying homage to fellow music and sci-fi lovers...
 
Regular or menthol...
Sorry, couldn't resist.

I like it and well worth the investment.
Has a little Teisco, a little Hofner, a little 335 and even a taste of Harmony, all going on at the same time.
Great score Owegi.
 
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