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Post subject: An interesting find. NGD (Update, Pics)
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 11:29 pm
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On my way home from work, I stopped by a Pawn Shop looking for tools. But stumbled across something else.

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Price tag said: $100 AS/IS - Crack on bottom of guitar.

I looked at it. And it's literally a small crack from a tiny screw holding on the trem.

Needs a little TLC. The electronics are original. Frets are surprisingly ok. A couple of high spots, but nothing major. I think for a late '60s guitar, it's in pretty good shape. I'll have to do some researching to see if I can find out what year it was made. Not a whole lot out there on Domino Guitars. Just says Made In Japan on the neck plate.

The pickups sound a lot like P-90s. Great tone. Nice Bass in the neck. P-90ish bark in the bridge. It's not a trebly sound by any means. They are definitely overwound and hot.

I can get a low action already, just a few errant spots need to be leveled. Could use new pots and a jack. But the neck is straight, and the bridge is in very good mechanical shape. Has those cool retro barrel saddles with grooves in them.

Overall, it doesn't seem like this guitar was played much. The plastic parts look more worn by time than use. The nut looks fine, tuners are perfect. It's double bound, and binding is in good shape.

Crazy.. I'm stoked. I already found a whammy bar on eBay. It's over 12" long. Hope the Bigsby don't get jealous. I don't think this will be one to give a girls name to.

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Last edited by Jah Soldier on Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 11:43 pm
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Cool find Jah Soldier , congrats!

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2014 11:52 pm
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For $100 , if you can spare it--sure--why not?

Looks like fun.

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 12:10 am
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There was 40+ years of dust inside of it. It was like blowing out the inside of a vacuum cleaner. But once I gave it a good cleaning and made a few adjustments, I was pleasantly surprised. I'll keep at it and dial it in. I think it's well worth it. Can't say I've ever seen one of these before today.

Not sure if you can tell in the pic, but it has a little slider switch just under the 3-way to get 3 more different sounds out of it. Cool sounds coming out of it so far.

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 12:12 am
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Very, very cool! It sort of reminds me of a Harmony Rocket.

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 12:29 am
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What a cool find, congrats!


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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:57 am
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Very nice! I would have jumped all over it, too.

And for just $100 - a steal for sure!

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 9:25 am
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iirc, those old Teisco made guitars have severely underpowered pots. I think they're like 25k or something.

I read that upping to 250k pots will really help the guitar open up. I wish I could remember the forum.

Best of luck

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:21 am
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Very interesting piece.
I really should cruise the pawn shops more often.
Congrats on a cool find!

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:26 am
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Geeze you can't go wrong for a C note, that's funkalicious!


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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:03 am
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That is a great find. Domino guitars have an excellent pedigree. This particular Domino model is called "THE DAWSON." There are several versions of the Dawson model with 1, 2 or 3 pickups and various switching arrays. "America's Grooviest Guitars" was the Domino slogan and all in all it was a better Japanese line including some nice electric basses too. Domino guitars are preferable tone-wise to about any of the other Japanese ones, except those made at the same Kawai plant sold under other brand names. The Domino branded ones were imported by Maurice Lipsky Music Co of New York and Domino replaced Lipsky's Orpheum brand. (Orpheum branded instruments had been made at Jersey City, NJ by United Guitars which would evolve into Oscar Schmidt.)

Domino's were made by KAWAI in Japan which made higher quality instruments than Teisco. Kawai of course even today has a stellar reputation as a high quality musical instrument company. Founded initially as a piano company Kawai built guitars had better electronics, wood and hardware than many other Japanese makers of the day even giving Euro brands a run for their money. Kawai was a seriously high quality concern even then. Today Kawai pianos rank among the finest in the world.

There were also Domino drums and Domino keyboards imported by Lipsky Music. Domino guitars & basses were heavily influenced by European instruments like Eko & Vox (The Californian & The Fireball) and Hagstrom/Gretsch (The Dawson, The Hawk & Silverhawk) and Hofner (The Beatle Bass), plus they had a few Fenderish offerings (The Spartan & The Olympic) as well. I'd rather have a Domino or another Kawai made one than a Teisco. Domino basses other than The Beatle Bass model are rarely seen and I'd love to luck into one. There were also 12 string Domino models also! Domino instruments were very decent all around. That being said the freakishly long Domino Dawson tremolo arm was an oddball feature that instantly makes a Kawai hollowbody electric stand out from others from quite a distance away. Domino Dawson guitars go routinely for $200 up in very good shape and I've seen them selling for as high as $450 so you did great on your find! It might appraise higher but $450 is about the top for them right now in sales.

Found this ad artwork online for the Dawson model.
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Last edited by brotherdave on Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:18 am
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brotherdave wrote:
Domino's were made by KAWAI in Japan which made higher quality instruments than Teisco.

Since 1967, Teisco was Kawai.


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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:22 am
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Buxom wrote:
iirc, those old Teisco made guitars have severely underpowered pots. I think they're like 25k or something.

I read that upping to 250k pots will really help the guitar open up. I wish I could remember the forum.

Best of luck


I'll definitely keep that in mind. The pots and wiring are old. I'll take some pics of it.

Fun project to get into. The middle pickup sounds like it could be a little on the microphonic side. But it's hard to tell with a true hollowbody. Stand in a different spot and it seems ok. Then other times, it's like playing in a concrete tunnel. I'll swap the pots first and see what happens.

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:27 am
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Thanks for the info Brother Dave! Much appreciated. I would agree with the mechanical parts. They're still very smooth and easy to adjust. The electronics are getting old. There may not be much I can do to save some of the originals. I'll give it some time before digging too far into it. Get to know the quirks first.

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Post subject: Re: An interesting find. NGD
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:55 am
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arth1 wrote:
brotherdave wrote:
Domino's were made by KAWAI in Japan which made higher quality instruments than Teisco.

Since 1967, Teisco was Kawai.


Yes Kawai bought Teisco in 1967 and in 1969 discontinued all Teisco models killing the brand off, but Kawai still owns the Teisco name. Kawai and Teisco branded instruments are not the same, and were not even after Kawai bought Teisco as Teisco models continued under the same specs as before. The Domino's were made by Kawai and are superior to Teisco guitars of the same vintage to me. Kawai made instruments like the Domino here also bring higher prices and are scarcer.


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