Product: Kasuga Strat Copy
Price Paid: gift used
Submitted
06/26/2003
at
03:11pm
by
Ron Delfmann
Features
:
10
My Kasuga Strat is one of the early models, probably late 60s or early 70. I got mine as a gift for my birthday in '79 and have since been playing it. The body had the classic 60's Strat Shape that recently is applied to the originals again (thank God) and is made of Mahogany (heavy heavy heavy!). It had a modified Setup with a neck Humbucker and two single coils. The previous owner installed a fat Gibson Humbucker in the neck position. It's got passive electronics and the standard Strat Knobs. Also came with a 3 way switch.
I have then tempoorarily modified the electronics for Heavy Metal (just one Humbucker in the bridge position) and then later finished it as a fat strat setup with Single coil in the neck position, single coil in the middle and a SD Humbucker in the bridge position. Also, I have applied 3 separate switches for on/off/out of phase for each pickup and used the three way switch for tone control.
Sound
:
10
In few words... GREAT !!!! Some even said better than the original.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
The setup of this guitar was excellent, definitely due to the age, since back then everything was just manufactured better.
Can't say much about the pickups, but when I got it they were adjusted fine as was everything else.
Of couse the body was a bit blemished and had a few chips of paint missing, but hey... that's the charm:) I had to replace the pickguard later on, since the pickguard that came with it was cut out the wrong way, due to the neck Humbucker
Reliability/Durability
:
9
Absolutely fabulous, I played it live for over 20 years and had maybe 10% of the problems I had with a NEW Washburn Telecaster in 2 years of playing it.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
never used it, never will
Overall Rating
:
10
Well, what can I say... I had to leave this wonderful Axe in Germany when I moved to the USA, and I am MISSING it big time, evn though I had some problems with the neck lately and probably would have to get a new one for it. I have bought an original fat strat now and am pretty pleased with it, even though it's not quite my "Kasuga Baby":)
Product: Kasuga Strat Copy
Price Paid: US $350
Submitted
08/06/1999
at
09:20am
by
Thomas Schneider
Email: Thomas<at>Schneider dot net
Features
:
8
The instrument is a stratocaster copy with single coils, and when I bought it, it had the 3 step switch which I immendiately upgraded to a 5 step. The guitar seems a little lighter than a original Fender, but is very comfortable to play. When I bought it in 1988, it had the problem that it lost treble when turning down the volume. I fixed this by modifying the circuit and added a capacitor.
Sound
:
5
Sound is ok although not as brilliant as the original instrument. I still use it from time to time today and enjoy it.
The instrument is as noisy as single coils are. Acceptable.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
3
The guitar was well manufactured, but the tuning devices were replaced by Schaller's by myself.
Reliability/Durability
:
4
I used the guitar for over 10 years playing in bands each weekend ! Although it had some tuning drawbacks - you have to tune very often - I kept it and it was overall working ok. I love this instrument, because I used it for a very long time. I bought a Godin some years ago, and that's a different class in terms of price and quality. The Kasuga is a piece of my personal history, but I wouldn't really recommend buying one today, there is better stuff on the market.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Never tried to contact them.
Overall Rating
:
4
As I said I used it for over 10 years, and therfor I think it had good price - performance ratio. I had to modify the instrument a lot, but I like to do that. So forgive me I am biased.
I was just entering this because I found one entry about a Kasuga bass, and the chap said he'd never seen another Kasuga. Here we go.
