Hello friends,
Today I just got a free Tanglewood electric guitar (looks like a Tanglewood TSE505, except for two details that make me believe it is an older version of this model) + a strange amp (Kaman Matrix MA20).
tanglewood.jpg
Tanglewood TSE505
There are slight differences, as can be seen: no golden parts, the small picture in the head stock, full black body.
For what I've been able to find, some people consider them the best Les Paul imitations, bar Epiphone.
Here you can hear the new model of this guitar in play:
Youtube - Tanglewood TSE505 in play
Sounds great in my opinion!
This Tanglewood I got has a bit of history, locally, as it was used by a local band that disbanded last year. They where quite successful around here. They sang in the local idiom, Catalan.
The guitar needs taking to a Luthier to get it in good shape. It has some small defects:
- Two of the tuning pegs seem to not have the right action. They work, but barely.
- It has 2 strings missing. I could try to restring it myself, but not sure about the tuning pegs, so, I'll ask the luthier to do it to.
- The two tone knobs are missing (it still has the metal part, he took the plastic). I would have it put two plastic knobs in tone too.
- The three way selector switch (goes from rhythm to treble) has the plastic top broken (this is my fault, I managed to drop it when I was coming out of the car. Not sure if it works).
- There is quite a bit of background noise when using this guitar. (I used the variax 300 with same amplifier and cable, no background noise at all). This is the part that worries me the most.
-It has one or two small hits in the body, but that is no problem for me.
Considering that this guitar seems like a good guitar, do you think it is worth for me to have it fixed (up to a certain price, of course). I could try to restring it myself first, and see how it goes, but I haven't ever done that yet, I would prefer to do that with the Variax, as I know how it sounds. And the problematic tuning pegs are kind of stopping me from trying this.
I rescued this pretty guitar and amplifier from going to the trash bin (that was going to be the destiny if no one wanted it free), wouldn't like to have to take it there myself!