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Post by bonzo on Oct 29, 2023 11:03:16 GMT
I'm posting this because it may be of general interest to forum members and to show MM was spot on with his assessment of the guitar.🎸👍 This is from a post on Reverb from a few years ago I came across that confirms what Michael sed. It could actually be describing the guitar I have just picked up, label on inside and headstock decal are identical. I'll know more when it gets here but I'm looking forward to it arriving! Best wishes to you all, I'm going to insert attachment now, we'll see where it ends up 🙃🤭
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Post by Pickers Ditch on Oct 29, 2023 11:55:42 GMT
Just had a look too, John, but I think the serial numbers are different. Could yours be older? ...but it looks like you've landed on your feet again, you lucky man!
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Post by bonzo on Oct 29, 2023 14:33:24 GMT
Thanks PD. I didn't think it was the same guitar it's just that the descriptions matched and the stickers were similar design. Also big up to MM for heads up 👍🎸👍🎸😎
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Post by vastopol on Oct 30, 2023 11:18:15 GMT
A friend of mine had one like this, but he let her go. You may found some pics here:
It looks like another mistery about "Continental". (The few first batches of "Johnson" have "made in Shangaï by AXL" written inside).
Since the legend goes on, every Continental owner or seller seems to claim it's german silver (even a well reknowed vintage specialist spread this mistake around with a clearly identified brass bodied one). You might help some of us to understand what it is. I've seen great variations in weight for these, if you will let us know how about this one, it could be a great enlightement.
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Post by bonzo on Oct 30, 2023 15:55:41 GMT
Will do Vestapol. As MM mentioned and further reading has confirmed some completed guitars and many parts were shipped east when AXL bought out Continental. It seems (hopefully) that the one I'm about to get was shipped whole and had AXL logo put on an unbranded headstock. Inside is a label saying made in Germany and signed by an inspector. However the label is also marked AXL which adds to the confusion. I will post more details and pictures when it arrives as members do seem to be interested. Any more information will also be appreciated 👍🙂🎸
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Post by littlebobby on Oct 31, 2023 15:14:05 GMT
So this is a bit of an outlier for Axl guitars? I fancy a tricone but they are pricey. I know a chap who has an axl and it’s very sweet. Johnson are advertised as German but my guess is they are made in China like lots of the other brands. Not that I have anything against Chinese made guitars like. Would there be a period of time of manufacture where it’s more likely to be the continental kit put assembled it China?
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Post by bonzo on Nov 3, 2023 20:43:45 GMT
The AXL/Continental/Amistar arrived today after being sent around the country by good old Parcel force! Bit the worse for wear, bent strap pin that needed replacing, sounded alright but nothing amazing. Stripped her down as I had to replace the pin and gave the guitar a good clean and polish. Restrung with some MM phosphor bronze 15's. Took the opportunity to reset the bridge to sort out the intonation. The guitar really came to life with pretty much spot on intonation, kept the action low 3mm at 12th fret. Not a lot wiser as to how this guitar came into being, but it is a quality well made reso. Michael seems to have the best handle on it, and my research supports his theory. Few pics, hope this is of interest, anymore info would be appreciated. Does anyone know how to make sense of the numbers on the label? Best wishes to you all, John
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Post by Michael Messer on Nov 4, 2023 9:28:33 GMT
John, That label is very interesting because while it is an AXL label, it also states that it was made in Germany. I can only assume that AXL had invested in Continental before their tooling was shipped to Shanghai. I don't believe the label was faked by AXL in Shanghai, I think that label was made in Germany. Next time I speak to my guys in Shanghai I will ask about it. The owner's father of the factory that makes my guitars used to work at AXL and was the manager of the resonator guitar department. So if anyone knows, he does. Shine On Michael
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Post by bonzo on Nov 4, 2023 10:40:11 GMT
Thank you for your comments Michael. I thought the label was a bit of an anomaly, raising more questions than it answered. 🤔 Your thoughts that AXL may have been involved earlier than thought make sense. The label is virtually identical to the Continental label. The company was in a state of flux, who knows what went on. I'll post more pictures if anyone is interested. 👍🎸👍.
Best wishes to you all, John
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Post by vastopol on Nov 4, 2023 23:57:58 GMT
Well, not clearly a german guitar but what about the "german silver legend" ? Did you see the color of the aloy when replacing the strap pin ? Another intersting fact is the weight of this instrument if you can tell us more it could be greatly apreciated.
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Post by bonzo on Nov 14, 2023 9:32:44 GMT
Hi everyone, especially Vastapol who was particularly interested in the weight of the guitar. Weighed it best I could on kitchen scales (see pictures) it is lighter than another tricone I have but not by much. Magnet doesn't stick so that eliminates steel but I don't know if German silver is magnetic or not. Guitar has settled down, holds tuning very well and sounds great 👍. I'm very pleased so don't worry MM I won't be around knocking on your door!🙂🎸👍 Best wishes to you all, John
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Post by vastopol on Nov 17, 2023 13:15:21 GMT
Thank so much for this Bonzo, it's good to know that this one is not on the heavier side; my old Johnson weight 400g more; it doesn't seems much, but it's a whole different thing. Thank you, if I see one someday, I will give a try. I think german silver is nor magnetic, or at least not enough to make a magnet stick on. The one my friend had was very close to my Johnson (inside and outside), except for the neck. Just cleaner.
A funny fact about AXL, is my Johnson mandolin case had "AXL" stamp on it...if Johnson are known to be made in China (by AXL factory as the sticker mention in my guitar), I bet some "Continental-AXL" being made in the same place too. I found somewhere some stories about the first Continental, they said the bodies are made in Czech, and necks in Japan, maybe the neck assembly and last set up was made in Germany ?...so it could explain why we can find the mention "made in Germany". Somewhere in time as Michael said they send the Tools to China, but still use the German made mention... Perhaps the "Deutsche kalitat" sound more apealing...
Best wishes for this one; enjoy !
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2023 21:53:24 GMT
Some thoughts about the AXL tricone. Amistar stopped making resonator bodies for Continental in 1997. Frantisek Javurek and Günther Lutz confirmed this in emails some years ago. Continental guitars have never been made in Germany - they were assembled in Germany. Despite what it says on the label. The writing on the label was done by a German - the number 1 in German has a tail, like on the label. The neck and headstock on the AXL tricone are virtually the same as on my Continental tricone . Great neck. www.continental-gitarren.de/built/Fertigung
Im Jahr 1992 wurde die erste Resonatorgitarre unter dem Logo „Continental“ angefertigt und ausgeliefert. Eine Tricone Resonatorgitarre mit einem Korpus im Stile der Dopyera Brothers (Firma National) und einem runden Gitarrenhals gab es bis Dato seit dem 2. Weltkrieg nicht mehr. Alle Continental Modelle haben einen Korpus aus Messing und Hälse aus geflammtem Ahorn. Die Gitarren werden in München in unserer Werkstatt in Handarbeit zusammengebaut. Assembly
In 1992, the first resonator guitar was manufactured and delivered under the “Continental” logo. A Tricone resonator guitar with a body in the style of the Dopyera Brothers (National Company) and a round guitar neck has not been available since World War II. All Continental models have a brass body and flamed maple necks. The guitars are assembled by hand in our workshop in Munich. www.continental-gitarren.de/
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Post by Michael Messer on Nov 23, 2023 9:11:58 GMT
I am aware of all those facts and have already stated that the handwriting is German and not Chinese, but we are still in the dark about why there is a Chinese company, AXL, written on the sticker. The last time I spoke with Franta before his untimely death, he told me how much he hated everything about Chinese resonator guitar manufacturing, so there is no way he would ever have been involved with AXL in any way.
As I said in a previous post, I will ask my friends In Shanghai that used to work for AXL and I am sure they will explain
Shine On Michael
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Post by Bottleneck John on Nov 23, 2023 16:46:41 GMT
Around the mid-00's Continental had switched from Amistar bodies and Japanese made necks to all Chinese parts, 2006 I was with Amistar at the Frankfurt musik messe and I remember seeing these China parts Continentals then. Neck and body made by AXL(the Chinese factory).
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