Electric guitar
Date1970-1972 ca.
Place MadeHradec Králové, Czechoslovakia, Europe
ModelSpecial; double-cutaway hollow- body thin-line electric
Serial No.9078
SignedGold decal on head: SpecialMarkingsStamped into back of head near low E-tuner: 9078
DescriptionA new guitar factory was built in Hradec Králové in 1959. Guitars produced there quickly found a market all over Europe, and were even exported to the West under a variety of brand names. The Special was an especially fancy, hollow-body electric, with three pickups and classic European, red and black sunburst finish. The endpin can be unscrewed to access a mini screwdriver for adjustments to the guitar’s components.
Top: arched maple plywood
Back: arched maple plywood
Sides: maple
Head: maple; integral with head; nickel-plated steel truss rod cover; nickel-plated steel wire string guide
Neck: maple; truss rod adjustable at lower end
Binding: white celluloid on front and back
Fingerboard: red-brown hardwood bound in white celluloid; 22 nickel-silver frets (including zero fret); single plastic imitation mother-of-pearl dots behind the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 15th, 17th, 19th, and 21st frets; double plastic imitation mother-of-pearl dots behind the 12th fret; black plastic side dots behind 3rd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, and 15th frets
Nut: aluminum
Bridge: nickel-plated brass with height adjustment screws
Tailpiece: nickel-plated brass and nickel-plated steel with tremolo bar (imitation Bigsby); engraved geometric decoration on lower end of main fixture; ends of string holder covered with silver sparkle plastic
Pegs: six on one side, nickel-plated brass plate, brass gears, blackened steel rollers, and ivory plastic heads
Strap button: nickel-plated brass, affixed to nickel-plated brass plate at back of neck joint
Endpin: steel screw with nickel-plated brass head; unscrews to and removes to be used as screwdriver for adjusting bridge height
Pickup configuration: three single-coil pickups; nickel-plated brass and black plastic pickup covers
Controls: two nickel-plated brass volume and two nickel-plated brass tone knobs; four nickel-plated brass rocker switches
Pick guard: black plastic
Soundhole: Single f-hole bound in white celluloid
Finish: dark red to black sunburst lacquer
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1061 mm
Body length (neck to end): 485 mm
Upper bout width: 282 mm
Waist width: 241 mm
Lower bout width: 407 mm
Body thickness: 40 mm
Head length: 190 mm
Head width, top: 56 mm
Head width, bottom: 76 mm [measured at the widest point on the treble side]
Neck length (nut to end of neck tenon): 411 mm
Neck width, nut: 41 mm
Neck width, end of neck tenon: 52 mm
Vibrating string length (nut to saddle edge): high E: 641 mm; low E: 647 mm
ProvenanceGift of Michael Cwach, 2013
Credit LineGift of Michael Cwach, 2013
Object number14765
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