Model: "SIZZLER"
Finish: Relic'd Aquaburst over Cherryburst
Set-up & Playability: Killer player. Action is low! Perfect stomprock guitar!
Case: Vintage Gig Bag
Notes:
Introducing Lazarus Guitars from Jack's Guitarcheology!
Lazarus Guitars are upcycled guitars that use yesteryear's best guitar parts to build new unique guitars for today's players. Often in our guitarcheological work, we will find guitar parts that just "have it." We take the best of these parts and rework, refinish and / or redo them into one-of-a-kind projects.
Each Lazarus project is themed, this one is SIZZLER, because the donor husk for this guitar was a Kay Sizzler. It came to me with no hardware, no nut, no electronics, just a body and neck in pretty haggard condition with a sort of blotted on cherryburst finish. It was pretty torn up so I decided to refinish it aquaburst. When I sprayed the finish, it reacted with the vintage finish and made a really neat checking / relic effect, so a relic it became. I am kinda glad it worked out that way though, I really like the way the cherryburst peaks through.
Here is the nitty gritty:
- 1950s - 1960s Kay Sizzler Body & Neck, refinished aquaburst over cherryburst. Acrylic clear. Frets leveled, crowned and polished. Guitar has a truss rod, but it has limited motion - adjusted at the heel joint.
- Victory Low Rider Goldfoil, made in Pennsylvania. High end, modern electronics (CTS, Orange Drop)
- Hand cut, custom designed pickguard in 3 ply tiger stripe.
- Fender Jazzmaster / Offset Bridge, Teisco / Matsumoku clamshell tailpiece.
- Guyker 3 x 3 On-Plate Vintage Recreation Tuners
- New Bone Nut
- Stringjoy Strings & a good pro setup.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This guitar sets up best with .12s. The neck has a natural tendnency to backbow, so it needs heavier guage strings to pull relief into the neck. It set up with .11s, but was a little sizzly. It plays really well with .12s - and I do not find it at all taxing to play. BUT - If lighter guage strings is your thing, this is likely not the guitar for you.
(I might add this is incredibly weird for a guitar of this age to have, usually necks tend to front bow. As a result though, the truss rod is fully relaxed, so it has room to tighten should the neck ever start to front bow.)
Overall, I spent a lot of time on this rebuild and I am really proud of it. It is the perfect garage rock / punk / stomprock guitar. I have as much fun playing it as I had building it.
As always, we cleaned it up, polished the finish, flushed the electronics, changed the strings, performed all routine maintenance and did anything this guitar needed to play the absolute best it can. All of our packages are packed tight enough to survive the apocalypse and we insure every parcel for the full purchase amount.
Got questions? Shoot me a message, I love nerding out with other gearheads!
