1990s Teisco Spectrum 5 Vintage Reissue Guitar Metallic Red Kawai Japan

Up for sale, a 1990's Teisco Spectrum 5 in excellent condition and in perfect working order. A very rare 1st run reissue made by Kawai in Japan (not the current Ikebe model) and discontinued long ago, this guitar is a significantly more accurate and finely crafted version of the Spectrum 5 than the current Eastwood reissues, with the correct 4x2 tuner orientation on the headstock, deep German Carve on the body contours, vintage-style neck plate, and large chrome vibrato unit with Teisco-branded cover. It's uncommon for a reissue instrument to excel beyond the features and playability of the original example, but the Teisco Spectrum reissues are those rare instruments that truly do improve on their predecessors, with tighter tolerances, better fit and finish work, more reliable and better machined hardware.

The trio of original Z coil pickups are bright and percussive, with plenty of snap and hollow twang. The five two-way switches allow for a wide variety of tonal choices (and inspired the name for the guitar), in addition to a sixth switch that toggles between Mono and Stereo operation. With a solid mahogany body, this guitar weighs 8lbs 13oz and has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

The three-piece maple neck has a slender C shape with slightly shoulders and lightly rolled fretboard edges, gaining a bit more heft as you travel up the board without getting chunky, measuring .805" deep at the 1st fret and .945" at the 12th. The 22 fret thick slab rosewood fretboard retains the original slender fretwire and distinctive pearloid T inlays. The frets are flawless, and the guitar plays cleanly in all registers. The scale length measures 24 3/4", and the nut is 1 11/16" in width. The headstock features Teisco's 1950s metal disc logo as well as a set of chrome tuning machines that hold pitch well.

All of the electronics work as intended, and the chrome hardware and plastic parts are near mint including the raised Spectrum 5 badge and multi-colored two-way pickup switches. The vibrato actuates easily, with a smooth, Bigsby-esque response. The deep German Carve on the wicked curves and contours of the Spectrum body shape really make this guitar stand out, and the Red Metallic finish is remarkably well-kept, showing just a couple microscopic nicks on the top behind the vibrato, and a couple very faint finish scratches in the clear coat of the gloss on the back. The neck profile is flawless.

The original Teisco-branded gigbag is included.