Vintage Japanese 1960s TeleStar Green Goblin

guitarz.blogspot.com:

Here's another eccentric-looking (by modern standards) guitar from 1960s Japan. It's a TeleStar, which was a brandname used by Kawai guitars. I'm not sure if the model name is actually "Green Goblin" or if that is the name that the eBay seller has named it (I suspect the latter). Whatever, the $1,199 Buy It Now price on eBay is truly horrifying. These guitars may be "rare", but as I've said before, "rare" does not necessarily equal valuable. If I'd have to estimate a price for this I'd quarter it, and even that might be optimistic.

Thanks to Eric who spied this one for sale on eBay.

G L Wilson

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Looks like a Dano but it's a TeleStar Mona

This Silver Sparkle TeleStar Mona is another modern retro-styled guitar based, of course, on the famous Danelectro "amp-in-case" guitar. Judging by the Harmony Central reviews, people are quite impressed with these Korean-built guitars.

The modern Danelectro company (related to the original Danelectro in name only) have also re-issued this design - the Dano '63 - but I must say I prefer the look of the TeleStar, especially the headstock shape.

The silver sparkle finish on this example looks great in the photos, but I worry it might look rather naff up close in real life. I have a Fernandes Native guitar in a similar finish and it really is quite ghastly.

The body is apparently made from something called "tonium", which I'm guessing is a new brand name for some kind of masonite-like material.

As a modern interpretation of a classic design it sounds like a good buy for the Dano fan who wants a guitar that intonates and plays nicely whilst retaining that Dano vibe.