Elite ES-335-ish guitar ?

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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Haddock
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Elite ES-335-ish guitar ?

Post by Haddock » Tue May 21, 2019 11:41 pm

This is selling locally, it looks to be old ('60s ?).

Is anyone knowledgeable about these things ? Should I expect it to be playable ? ;) (woodwork, hardware, pickups ...)

Image

Image

Thanks !
“Man does not cease to play because he grows old; man grows old because he ceases to play.” -- George Bernard Shaw

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Haddock
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Re: Elite ES-335-ish guitar ?

Post by Haddock » Tue May 21, 2019 11:53 pm

So these seem to be made by an italian accordion company (!) called Crucianelli.

https://www.fetishguitars.com/crucianel ... 335-style/
“Man does not cease to play because he grows old; man grows old because he ceases to play.” -- George Bernard Shaw

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shadowplay
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Re: Elite ES-335-ish guitar ?

Post by shadowplay » Wed May 22, 2019 12:44 am

I'm 90% sure that's a badge engineered sibling of the Baldwin 706-V. The pickups look the same and the vibrato is identical bar the wood trim the Baldwin has in the hole.

I've had a 706 since the mid 80's (currently on long term loan) and it's a nice but limited guitar. Great for mildly shambollic lo-fi garagey drang but probably not suited to jazz fusion or metal riffage. Fine for Sebadoh not so suitable for Sepultura.

I struggle to remember the neck on mine, don't quote me on this but I think it's narrowish but not notably so and the frets are very vintage and low profile.

Pickups are bright and not the most dimensional but they are their own thing and respond to the investment of some time playing with the polepieces.

The Vibrato is inferior to a Bigsby but once you accept it's limited range and stick a real bigsby spring in it it's fine.

The Van Ghent machine heads are pretty nice and found on other brands.

I'd imagine it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it. I thought they were worth more but there was a very nice 12 string in the OSG sale section that struggled to find a home at a bargain £450.

D
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raphaël
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Re: Elite ES-335-ish guitar ?

Post by raphaël » Wed May 22, 2019 12:20 pm

These guitars are great and VERY playable !!!
Italian thinlines are just awesome.

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