[IVARY]

So I bought this frankly awesome guitar at NYC about two weeks ago, for $350, mind you. Sounds awesome, but I would want to know what the hell I'm playing. Looks like a Crestwood Astral II, with no badge, and has a weird pickup/tone switch system. Maybe some of you gentlemen have seen something similar? Sounds very Jack-Whitish.

http://imgur.com/yQaFT,syy0x,67HHL

http://imgur.com/yQaFT,syy0x,67HHL#1

http://imgur.com/yQaFT,syy0x,67HHL#2

[MF_Dearmond]

Originally Posted by IVARY

So I bought this frankly awesome guitar at NYC about two weeks ago, for $350, mind you. Sounds awesome, but I would want to know what the hell I'm playing. Looks like a Crestwood Astral II, with no badge, and has a weird pickup/tone switch system. Maybe some of you gentlemen have seen something similar? Sounds very Jack-Whitish.

http://imgur.com/yQaFT,syy0x,67HHL

http://imgur.com/yQaFT,syy0x,67HHL#1

http://imgur.com/yQaFT,syy0x,67HHL#2

In my days of buying and selling instruments, off the bat it looks like a no-name 60s Made in Japan guitar, but in extremely excellent condition for a vintage MIJ.
Does it have a bolt on neck, and if so does the neck plate say made in Japan? If not, does it have a sticker on the back of the headstock with country of origin? If the answer is "no" to both of those questions, it might be a vintage off-brand USA piece. The opaque white plastic used for the pickguard coupled with the thick plastic string-tree would not be unheard of on a smaller name brand USA guitar of this vintage.
Unfortunately I do not know any of the specifics about your new acquisition, but you may be able to find the answer on a blues musician forum. So many of these "unheard-of" guitars can be seen pictured with blues players on old vinyl album covers, and you can bet that big fans of such players will be familiar with the instruments pictured on such.
Best of luck, keep on pickin' them strings!

[6stings]

Cool guitar, congratulations!
Take it apart, you may find something, like a label or something written or stamped inside the neck pocket, on the bottom side of the pickups, trem.

[jflintmac]

The guard almost resembles a Harmony. Notice that the pickup holes are universal. Likely ordered parts from various companies and put together for a chain store like Sears, etc.

Of coarse, that is just a guess.

Perhaps there was a paper sticker inside that has fallen to the bottom of the body. A little mirror should give you a better look inside the body...

Is that a logo (crest) on the headstock?

Finally, as others have mentioned, check in the neck pocket for a lable or something.

[Skev]

Teisco??

[IVARY]

Originally Posted by MF_Dearmond

In my days of buying and selling instruments, off the bat it looks like a no-name 60s Made in Japan guitar, but in extremely excellent condition for a vintage MIJ.
Does it have a bolt on neck, and if so does the neck plate say made in Japan? If not, does it have a sticker on the back of the headstock with country of origin? If the answer is "no" to both of those questions, it might be a vintage off-brand USA piece. The opaque white plastic used for the pickguard coupled with the thick plastic string-tree would not be unheard of on a smaller name brand USA guitar of this vintage.
Unfortunately I do not know any of the specifics about your new acquisition, but you may be able to find the answer on a blues musician forum. So many of these "unheard-of" guitars can be seen pictured with blues players on old vinyl album covers, and you can bet that big fans of such players will be familiar with the instruments pictured on such.
Best of luck, keep on pickin' them strings!

I'm afraid the only kind of badge or hint about its origin is a little "Japan" engraved in the tremolo strap. But thank you, everyone. Perhaps it might be a good idea to look inside the body, since some brand names might come up.

[IVARY]

Originally Posted by jflintmac

The guard almost resembles a Harmony. Notice that the pickup holes are universal. Likely ordered parts from various companies and put together for a chain store like Sears, etc.

Of coarse, that is just a guess.

Perhaps there was a paper sticker inside that has fallen to the bottom of the body. A little mirror should give you a better look inside the body...

Is that a logo (crest) on the headstock?

Finally, as others have mentioned, check in the neck pocket for a lable or something.

No, no logo on the headstock. Its neck resembles an early Strat, curiously.

[Tony65x55]

My guess is either a Kent or a Harmony. I believe both were made by Teisco.

[calvin lee]

teisco