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Post by philc on May 30, 2014 8:29:05 GMT
Just bought this www.the well known auction site.co.uk/itm/Red-Watkins-Rapier-33-Electric-Guitar-Made-in-Britain-c1964-/360937814176?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=m70B5QD5c1PmQPxJLMCI5ynkVwg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc please scroll down. The Rapier 33 was my very first guitar back in 1961/2, I bought it as a nostalgia thing really but it will be interesting to hear what it sounds like. I've found a trem arm and knobs but i'm still looking for a Rapier 33 script decal for the scratchplate. It's very odd those pearl dot inlays sinking so deep, i'll either leave them or replace them with flush ones. My wife's still got (somewhere) a Pifco hairdryer that the switches are from. Phil
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Post by allclaphands on May 30, 2014 8:51:15 GMT
Good on You Phil I feel sure you will have plenty of enjoyment bringing it back to its full glory and also playing it.Let us all know how you get on. Pete
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Post by pluckit65 on May 30, 2014 9:45:04 GMT
Hi Phil Nice looking Rapier. Have you tried www.projectguitarparts.co.uk for the logo you need? They do loads of spares for the Watkins/Wem guitars. You may be lucky. I managed to get a wammy bar for my old Rapier a while ago form them. My Rapier is a solid block of wood and, a neck like a cricket bat but, it really has a great set of pickups. Yes, the knobs are the old style radio knobs. I don't know how to post pics so I could let everyone see the guitar. Regards Roger
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Post by s4wgb on May 30, 2014 9:48:50 GMT
Good on You Phil I feel sure you will have plenty of enjoyment bringing it back to its full glory and also playing it.Let us all know how you get on. Pete Pete can you please check you PM. Thank you
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Post by philc on May 30, 2014 9:56:20 GMT
Thanks Pete.
Roger, i'm getting the trem arm from them, i've emailed the but I don't think they do the decals.
My old 33 was a glued neck job. The body red paint merged into the neck from body and headstock, the neck itself was lacquered. There was no decal on the headstock only the scratchplate.
Phil
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Post by pluckit65 on May 30, 2014 10:43:26 GMT
Hi Phil I know they do some decals but, its a bit hit and miss when they get them in stock. As you probably know though, they are a useful company to keep an eye on. My Rapier is a two pickup model with a red stained finish 9(gloss), a small transparent pick guard. It is surprisingly loud and, great for most genres of music. Did you manage to get a threaded trem for the Rapier?
Regards Roger
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Post by philc on May 30, 2014 10:54:34 GMT
Hi Roger,
I've emailed that company with regards to decals, waiting a reply! Rapiers have push-in trems no threads, the same company sells them.
Phil
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Post by pluckit65 on May 30, 2014 11:04:51 GMT
Yes Phil, I bought mine from there but, my Rapier seems to have been modded and, the trem block has a thread. I'm trying to get some pics together to post here, maybe someone can identify the model for me.
Regards Roger
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Post by pluckit65 on May 30, 2014 11:46:49 GMT
This is my Wilson Rapier. I would guess, somewhere in the 70s? Regard Roger
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Post by philc on May 30, 2014 11:54:16 GMT
As far as I can see Roger, they only sell the push-in type? Here's mine, red body and headstock, except the picture is in B&W Phil
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Post by pluckit65 on May 30, 2014 12:17:25 GMT
As you can see Phil, my pics didn't come through. The one you have in the pic is an older 60s model. I spent many hours with a copy of the Bell Music Catalogue. I hoped each Christmas, I would find a Rapier in my stocking but, sadly, never did. Is that you in the pic Phil? I can see from the glass display cabinet(my step mum still has one) that it was, shall we say, a couple of years ago. Lover to hear the guitar if you intend to post a sound file or video.
Regards Roger
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Post by pluckit65 on May 30, 2014 12:18:14 GMT
OOOOOOOOOOOOOps that should be love to hear not lover. Regards Roger
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Post by philc on May 30, 2014 12:41:00 GMT
Yes lover that me not long after I bought it, probably the day after :)all-be-it on HP. Back in 1961/2. I will post something in due course, probably an old Shadows tune just to compare Still waiting for a reply on the decals as his phone is dis-connected. Phil
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Post by erikMAMS on May 30, 2014 12:45:42 GMT
Phil - can't see the decal on your 61/62?
Erik
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Post by philc on May 30, 2014 13:04:57 GMT
That's because it's gold and is blown out in the picture with the white scratch plate, there's no decal on the head stock. It should look like this. In my second picture look at the grey diagonal line from the toggle switches towards the middle pickup, it matches up with the capitol "R" in Rapier. Phil
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2014 15:59:59 GMT
Hi Phil, well spotted, hope you enjoy. Regards Duncan.
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Post by allclaphands on May 30, 2014 16:10:12 GMT
Hi Duncan (tryharder) Just how did you do that? Marvelous Pete
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Post by sandra on May 30, 2014 16:28:11 GMT
Well I know that when guys get to that certain age they like to try to recapture their youth, buying sports cars and motorbikes and so on, so a favourite guitar to remind you of the one you had way back when is understandable. Whatever you do though Phil, please do not grow a pony tail to go with it I liked this part of the sellers description : Maybe I should add that to my photos on facebook with a few more years added
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Post by pluckit65 on May 30, 2014 17:32:16 GMT
oi reckon oiv been in the west countree fur too long Phil. Oiv picked up the lingo. Oil ave to roid over the bridge on moi new tracterrrrr. Maybe get my home lingo back. Regards Roger
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Post by philc on May 30, 2014 18:05:23 GMT
Nice one Duncan but you forgot the head stock and bluring around the body edge...I've done it for you Sandra, believe it or not I cut off my pony tail about twenty years ago! Roger Phil
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Post by pluckit65 on May 30, 2014 18:56:14 GMT
Just a FEW Sandra? I'm off before the flack starts flying. Cheers Roger
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Post by sandra on May 31, 2014 2:35:16 GMT
Sandra, believe it or not I cut off my pony tail about twenty years ago! I am so pleased to hear that Phil, as there's nothing that looks worse than a balding guy with a ponytail, unless its a balding guy with a comb over plus a ponytail Just be careful Roger, its me giving it out at the moment, not me taking it
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Post by pluckit65 on May 31, 2014 6:35:00 GMT
Hi Sandra, If you look anything remotely like your avatar, I believe every word you say. I will be the perfect gentleman from here in(unless I get a senior moment). Regards Roger
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Post by allclaphands on May 31, 2014 6:43:03 GMT
author=" pluckit65" oi reckon oiv been in the west countree fur too long Phil. Oiv picked up the lingo. Oil ave to roid over the bridge on moi new tracterrrrr. Maybe get my home lingo back. Regards Roger He can't read and he can't write but he can drive a Tracterrrr!!!!!!!!!! 'O' r 'O' r
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Post by philc on May 31, 2014 7:55:19 GMT
Hi Sandra, If you look anything remotely like your avatar, I believe every word you say. I will be the perfect gentleman from here in(unless I get a senior moment). Regards Roger I can confirm that as I took the picture Phil
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Post by SteveBGuitarist on May 31, 2014 10:00:37 GMT
That looks nice Phil. My uncle used to have one, a 4 pickup version if I remember rightly. He was in the original band from the 60's The Rapiers who all played Watkins Rapiers, hence their name. Best Wishes Regards Steve B
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Post by pluckit65 on May 31, 2014 10:21:14 GMT
Nuff said Phil. Cheers Roger
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Post by philc on Jun 2, 2014 13:32:46 GMT
Well it's arrived, looks dirty but totally original. The decal question has been answered as WATKINS RAPIER is actually embossed into the plastic scratchplate but the gold has worn off. There are what looks like three 13mm plugs under the paintwork on the back and one on the front, they are slightly sunken? Next job, strip it down. Phil
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Post by pluckit65 on Jun 2, 2014 13:46:49 GMT
I Phil I hope you soon get the Rapier up and playing as you want. I bought a 1990 Fender USA standard Telecaster, some years ago. It too, had several sunken plugs in the bodywork, at the back. They were about the size of an old half penny(if you are old enough to remember them). I was told by someone that Fender sometimes did this to lessen the weight but, I'm not fully convinced that was the case.
Regards Roger
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Post by philc on Jun 2, 2014 14:01:44 GMT
Hi Roger, I think you were told a tall story there, more likely, the same as this Rapier I assume there were holes etc in the wood and they were plugged, over time the different woods shrunk to different levels.
The inlay dot's on this one are original but well below the surface, there's one missing and that hole is deep, I assume someone drilled all the holes too deep and that's why the inlays are below surface. I've not seen that before.
Phil
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