It may be a 1960's survivor and a relic of the greatest Weird Guitar period in history, but the most impressive thing about this Telestar T2 Teardrop is how well it plays. It has a rock-solid neck and I've carefully set it up for blazingly low action and perfect intonation. It's perfect for the guitarist who wants great playability and tone, a retro look, and a groovy sixties vibe from the great Japanese Guitar boom.
Unlike many guitars from its era, it plays well all up and down the 21-fret neck. The neck is straight and true, and the truss rod works just fine. Electronics are stock and I've wax-potted the original single-coil pickups to retain the original sound while avoiding the screechy microphonics that are common to Japanese pickups from that era. Action is low and even, and intonation is accurate all the way up the 24" scale (same as a vintage Mustang, or Brian May's Red Special for that matter).
The Telestar T2 Teardrop is as sonically versatile as it is cool. The neck pickup alone delivers a classic '60's mellow jangle, and with both pickups wide open and a touch of distortion it snarls and growls beautifully. Take this one on stage and you'll sound good and get noticed.
Hey, if you were born in 1967, by now you'd have a few scars and a couple tattoos that others might regret, but that you'd show off proudly. This guitar was stored in a moist environment at some point in the past. That resulted in a lot of finish checking as well as the laminate on the back beginning to pull up. In order to make the guitar solid for the ages while protecting the character, I sealed all the cracks in the body, then sealed the body with a nitro clearcoat. I've degreased and cleaned the metal parts, then bathed them in oil to stop further corrosion. The result? The original finish and aging is preserved, yet the guitar is solid for many decades to come - and SO much cooler than a new factory-created "relic."
There's no case, as it was lost on Ken Kesey's Merry Prankster bus (but any standard gigbag will fit). All those details are shown in the photos, and none of them can be seen from the audience or detract from playability. In short, this is a player's guitar, not a collector's piece to hang on a wall.
The history and scars add to the soul and uniqueness of this rare bird. This guitar lived through the 60's and might even remember some of it, but unlike your ex-hippie uncle, it never cut its hair and went back to the corporate world. Want a vintage vibe and sound? Want to own a piece of guitar-boom history? Want something more "alternative" than a made-in-Mexico Relic Pawnshop Mustang reissue? This is your guitar.
- Make: Telestar (which was a Kawai brand)
- Model: T2 Teardrop
- Pickups: Two single-coil, potted to eliminate microphonics
- Controls: Volume and Tone, three-position switch
- Color: Sunburst
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 21 (plus zero fret)
- Case: none (will fit any gigbag)
- Cool factor: off the charts
