Four Single coil pickups
Individual on/off switches for each pickip
Two way tone selector switch: Rhythm, Solo
Volume and Tone knobs
Bigsby style vibrato
Aluminum pickguard
22 nickel frets
Price new in 1967: $130
Cost in today's dollars if adjusted for inflation: $740.15 as of 2005
Bought: May 28, 2007
Price I paid on eBay: $603.00

This is a late 1960's Teisco Del Rey ET460 / K-4L "Super Deluxe" guitar. Usually these guitars are seen in metallic blue or red, but this is one of the rarer 3 tone sunburst models. The "Super Deluxe" 4 pickup electric guitar was one of Teisco's top of the line instruments and was second in craftmanship, features, and price only to the legendary (and impossibly rare) Spectrum 5. I bought this particular model with the intention of upgrading my blue ET-460.

The ET-460 was originally designed as Teisco's answer to the surf rock guitars (particularly the Fender Jaguar) made in the United States during the 1960's, but it is considerably more versatile than most other guitars. The four hot single coil pickups are very suitable for surf rock, blues, punk rock, grunge, and I've even coaxed some reasonably good jazz tones from this thing. Remember that early punk rock and grunge bands used surf rock guitars to get their sound - Ramones used Mosrites, Nirvana used Jaguars and Mustangs. Since this guitar was also designed as a surf rock guitar it's sound is quite similar to it's American cousins. In addition to its cool space age looks, a major difference in tone is that since the inside of the guitar had to be made hollow to accomodate all the eletronics, and with addition of the aluminum pickguard, the guitar tends to have a slightly ghosty hollowbody sound not unlike the resoglass guitars made by Valco and used by people like Jack White of the White Stripes. Basically, it will make just about any tone you could want.

More info can be found here: http://www.teiscotwangers.com/

Features: You're not likely to find another guitar with as many features as this one.

• (rare) Three tone tobacco sunburst with matching color headstock
• Four hot Single Coil Pickups
• On/Off switches for each pickup
• Two way Rhythm/Solo selector switch
• Master Volume and Tone Controls
  Rosewood fretboard
• Bigsby Style Tremolo with HUGE tremolo bar
• Height/Intonation adjustable roller bridge
• Adjustable truss rod
• Zero fret
• Aluminum striped pickguard
• bolt-on neck

Condition:

• This guitar has seen a lot of action throughout the past 40 years. There are dings and little scratches everywhere, though most do not go through the finish.
• There are no large chips in the finish - the longest being about 1/2"
• None of the above cosmetic blemishes affect the playability of the guitar in any way. Some people actually like the "relic" look of the guitar.
• All the electronics work perfectly though the volume pot can occasionally be a little scratchy
• The neck is straight (thanks to the truss rod) and there is little fret wear.
• Action is low but can be adjusted up or down according to your preference
• The Japanese tuners were never great but they do a decent job of keeping the guitar in tune.
• Inexplicably, someone decided to replace the original tuners with period replicas but in the process drilled new holes in the headstock. A few of the old holes are visible.
• Teisco fanatics may notice that there are a few missing parts. These are: The pickup selector switch covers, the tremolo cover plate, the "Teisco" headstock badge, and the aluminum model/serial# plate. Most of these things are regularly for sale on eBay.
• There are also a few parts which have been replaced. These are: The strap buttons and the volume and tone knobs.
• Everything else not mentioned is original.