Graham's Collection

Maybe it’s because he is ‘50’s child or maybe it’s just that Graham is a frustrated guitar player trapped inside a trombone players body (and who wouldn’t be frustrated with that?!) but Concept Music owner Graham has certainly developed a passion for collecting old guitars and has amassed one of the finest collections of “golden oldies” guitars you’ve ever seen lovingly adorning the walls of Concept Music!

Like all Collections, it started with just one guitar that Graham traded in some 25 years ago (the red sparkle Hagstrom to be specific... it was unplayable & a father had brought it in to see “is it suitable for my son to learn on?”). Graham traded it in on a Squier electric guitar & says: “the Hagstrom was SO cool & funky... but I was sure no one would ever want to buy so I hung it on the wall and forgot about it!” & that’s where it all started. The Yamaha “Jelly Bean” was next it just took off from there. His collection (or “Hall of Horrors" or "Giggle Gallery" as he affectionately likes to call it!) has now grown to over 40 guitars as well a few old amps thrown in for good measure & while none are particularly valuable (compared to brands like Fender & Gibson of the same age & condition) they are a whole lot fun and a fantastic chronology of the evolution of the electric guitar.

Most of them Graham has not had time to devote to finding their full history so if you have info on any of these little treasures please feel free to email him!

Meanwhile, enjoy this trip down memory lane!

Guitars

Aria (Japan) 4 string semi acoustic bass. Early ‘60’s

Burns Sonic London (UK) bass guitar.

Casio DG-10 Digital Guitar (Japan). Produced in the late ‘80’s and uses the PCM synthesis Casio keyboard sound card.

Dan Electro “Silvertone” (USA). Fantastic & quite rare version of the famous Dan Electro Silvertone electric guitar that was made for the Sears Retail chain in the USA in the mid ‘60’s. This model came with a case that has a valve amplifier built in! Very cool idea!

Dobro (USA) Resonator. Beautiful original condition. Circa 1930

Eko “Ekomaster” (Italy). Features a stunning gold sparkle top with clear plastic scratchplate. Circa 1960.

Egyptian Aoud. Authentic vintage. Fully restored in late ‘90’s. 12 string fretless

Fender “Harley Davidson” guitar... and no, it isn’t real and does not ‘work’! This rather ubiquitous beast was made by Concept Music’s owner Graham Hoskins from a variety of motorcycle parts & a spare Fender neck & body. It was made as a promotional prop for the delivery to Concept had one of the original chrome bodied Harley Davidson guitars released by Fender to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of Harley Davidson motorcycle. This guitar was featured by Fender in their Frontline Magazine.

Elite (Italy). Early ‘60’s semi acoustic guitar with interesting p bass style split single coil pickups

Eko (Italy) solid body electric. Beautiful condition. Not much info on this one I’m araid! Mid to late ‘60’s presumably.

Eko (Italy). A fine example of their early ‘60’6 f hole arch top. This particular guitar has been retro-fitted with a vintage pickup assembly manufactured as an “after market” electrification unit for jazz guitar by Schaller in the early 60’s.

Excetro (Japan). SG style solid body with look-alike bigsby tremolo. Late ‘60’s.

Excetro (Japan) Semi Acoustic Jazz guitar. The name has been lacquered over in the factory for some reason & is not visible except if you hold the headstock up to the light. Mid to late ‘60’s

Framus “Sorella” (Germany). Arch top. Made from the late ‘50’s to the late ‘60’s.

Framus (Germany) 12 string semi acoustic. circa 1965

Gibson (USA) Ukulele. Model 1 mahogany. Made in Kalamazoo.

Guyatone (Japan) semi acoustic 12 string. Early 60’s copy of a Hofner

Hagstrom (Sweden). Made circa 1958 to 1960 and in impeccable condition. Tis one came in complete with the original grey vinyl carry bag, strap, lead & polish cloth! Very rare. You don’t get much more “mother of toilet seat” on a guitar than this one!

Hofner “Galaxie” (Germany). Beautiful solid body electric guitar. 1963

Hofner “Club 60” (Germany) electric guitar. Late ‘60’s

Hofner “President” (Germany) brown sunburst single cutaway acoustic still with the original genuine tortoiseshell pick guard

Hofner “Congress” (Germany) acoustic f hole jazz guitar. ‘60’s

Hofner (Germany). A stunning Strat style electric guitar covered in stunning black & gold embossed patterned vinyl . Made for the US market. Very rare. ‘60’s

Ibanez “Freshman” (Japan). Arch top f hole acoustic guitar. 1960’s

Ibanez (Japan) 60’s solid body electric. We have NEVER seen anything like this before & it’s hard to think it ever got off the drawing board!

Ibanez (Japan) Semi acoustic 335 style with switches to spare!

Ibanez (Japan) Semi Acoustic 335 style guitar with bound fingerboard & block inlays. Circa 1965

Isana (Germany). A very nice arch top f hole acoustic jazz guitar. Circa 1954. Very similar to one played by Elvis in 1958 (& that was apparently valued at $150,000!). This one? Who knows... knock off at least a few zeros I'd say.

http://entertainment.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=634&Lot_No=22283&type=prte-pr082906b

Jason (Japan) solid body electric. Made by Ibanez who presumably thought the name Jason would be more acceptable than Ibanez?!) but we can’t find much info on it. Early 60’s or late ‘50’s

Jason (Japan) electric guitar styled after the Fender Stratocaster. Early ‘60’s.

Kalamazoo (USA). A particularly fine example of this 1920’s Gibson acoustic guitar.

Kyowa (Japan) solid body electric guitar. Apparently an early attempt by Kyowa-Shokai to enter the electric guitar market in the early ‘60’s... unsuccessfully it would appear!

Alver by Maton (Australia). Circa ’68 budget ply arch top

Maton “Coolibah” (Australia) Dreadnought acoustic with unique “branded” patterning around the body and leather scratch guard. Manufactured from the early 70’s through to the early ‘90’s.

Maton “Double Cutaway 545” (Australia). Rare green sunburst semi acoustic. Made in 1964

Maton F10 (Australia) nylon strung folk guitar. Late ‘60’s

Maton “Fyrbyrd” (Australia) Solid body electric. A rare example in such original condition. Uncommon with the half slot headstock. 1964

Maton “Premier” (Australia). One of the oldest Maton guitars we’ve ever seen! Circa 1952.

Maton “Silvertone” Lap Steel (Australia). Late ‘60’s

Maton “Supreme” (Australia). Single cutaway. Late 50’s

Maton Supreme Deluxe 302/6 (Australia). Fire red semi acoustic 335 style guitar. Immaculate condition. Made 1971

Maton Ukulele (Australia). Model 2 Uke in lovely condition. Made from late ‘50’s to early ‘60s.

Mockba Balalaika (Russia) 80. Decorative souvenir made for the 1980 Moscow Olympics

Ovation “Breadwinner” (USA) Solid body electric guitar. Sadly (?!) Concept Music’s owner Graham Hoskins remembers when these guitars came out... hailed as an ergonomic revolution when it was released in the early ‘70’s the body was made from a plastic compound and was actually meant to resemble an “axe”. Production was ceased after only a few years... I wonder why?!

Pacific Texas (Australia) 1952 Rare folk sized acoustic made in Australia and featuring various “wild west” or war scenes.

Pacific Texas (Australia) 1952 Rare folk sized acoustic made in Australia.

Pixie Windsor Banjolin (UK)

Rosetti “Mercury3 “ (Holland). Not much known about this one but apparently made in Holland by Egmund Rosetti in the early ‘60’s.

Teisco (Japan) solid body electric guitar. Early ‘60’s

Yamaha (Japan). Rare in this condition this model was variously & affectionately called the Disastercaster or “Jelly Bean” guitar and was available in a number of primary jelly-bean like colours including red, pale blue & yellow. Yamaha also did a bass version. Cica late ‘60’s

“no name” (Japan?) early 60’s short scale semi acoustic 4 string bass

"no name” (Japan?). Very early ‘60’s electric guitar with no manufactures details on it that we can find.

“no name” (Japan or Europe?). ‘60’s Jazz guitar. No idea on this one... no visible marks or branding. Beautiful inlay suggests Italian. Circa early 60’s

“no name” Banjo (UK or USA?). Old 5 string banjo with 12 tuning lugs & genuine vellum head. Interesting machine head configuration with 6 guitar tuners. The High 5th string is strung through a long narrow channel inside the neck & exits at the top & is tuned by the 6th (“low E” tuner).

“no name” Ukulele. Very old (bought in the UK). Strung with original gut strings.... no history or brand available. Solid spruce top with hardwood scratchplate incorporated into the face.