All things "Buddy" Milne! NZ/Commodore/Royal/Ludwig more?

[antisymmetric]

Who'd have thought? Yesterday I came across another Ludwig guitar (as in OP) in another vintage guitar shop just a few minutes walk from where he found his. So at least 2 still exist...(this one a kind of tobacco colour)

[kdawg2a]

Price? Photos?

[antisymmetric]

I didn't take any pics, and it's at Cadenza, so no price displayed either (not sure if it's actually for sale or just part of the owner's collection).

[robredo.mattila]

Welcome to the forum Kdawg. Looking forward to seeing the family shot I have one of Dave Berry's offset bamboo starcaster derived guitars. Very cool. Need to collect some more offset shapes though.

[antisymmetric]

This old stereo Commodore sold tonight on NZ's auction site.

The same guy was also selling a pair of the same monster pickups (separate outputs for bass and treble strings, and the latest these could be is '66, the year Bunny Milne apparently quit building guitars) with a pickguard designed for retrofitting to archtops, and I scored them. I'm thinking they'll end up in the red mother-of-toiletseat Commodore below:

[distortion]

Hi - I am a new chum to this forum, but I am responding to 'Rod' who was after more images etc on Buddy Milne guitars. I thought I would be able to upload an image from my computer of the guitar but don't seem to be able, and I can't find an 'attachment' button. Oh well, I'm not sure if this guitar was one of Buddy's but I think it may be - I seem to remember it was a Commodore and I purchased it in Sydney, Australia in 1970. It had one 'slash hole' and the pick guard seems to cover where another may have been. If anyone can assist I would appreciate it. I would like to upload a shot. Cheers.

I have just received the suggestion from 'Plast' so here goes!



Wow! It worked! So, can anyone identify this guitar - my memory is a typical 60's memory. Cheers.

[Plast]

Welcome!

You could upload the pictures on a upload site like http://imageshack.us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; och photobucket and link it here. It's pretty simple.

[Bilyard]

Hi guys so i have stumbled apon what appears to be a peice of nz history. I spotted this 6 string electric in the window of the local thrift shop. I had never heard of a Commodore guitar so decided to quickly google it , initaily only finding info on a 70s model commodore made in japan. i purchased it becuase it just ozzed cool.
some further digging im at the conclusion it is an nz made guitar made by Buddy milne. il try get some photos up but any further info would be appreciated. year etc. it is rough but that just adds to it i think. it also come with what appears to be the original case.
few features is the 4 button tone selector . milton vibrato . mood setting ether hi or low with COOL written under it. Sure is!!

so what do you think.
steve

[Bilyard]

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/4761/fs ... rn false;

Some Pics of the above.

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Woah!! That's funky!!

I can't work out what that row of 4 thingies is, more or less where the rythm circuit controls on a Jazzmaster would be.

[antisymmetric]

That's a cool find! A rare version of an already rare guitar- don't know the year of yours, but Bunny Milne apparently stopped building guitars in '66. I've never seen another quite like yours, but I have seen a similar one in red but with 4 pickups, different vol/tone controls, and a 3+3 headstock (so not that similar really).
They're pretty cool instruments IMO, very much a labour of love on the part of the builder.

Woah!! That's funky!!

I can't work out what that row of 4 thingies is, more or less where the rythm circuit controls on a Jazzmaster would be.

Those are pickup selectors- very much like the old Ekos right down to the way they're wired. I have an Eko 700/4V as well as a Commodore (or 4 ), and the selections for both are the same (on mine at least)- 1, 2+3(series), 1+4(parallel), 4- although on the Commodore the former two are labelled "Mellow", the other two "Brilliant". The Eko has the "all 4" setting as well as the "0" kill switch, but on the Commodore you can engage the switches simultaneously to get more combinations.

[Axishere]

Hello All

Just wanted to share a picture of my Commodore.

Amazing to see other pics of this brand of guitar. I've never seen another before. Until I stumble across this forum

https://imageshack.us/i/po6kjO0fj

Cheers

[mgeek]

Hello All

Just wanted to share a picture of my Commodore.

Amazing to see other pics of this brand of guitar. I've never seen another before. Until I stumble across this forum

https://imageshack.us/i/po6kjO0fj

Cheers

THanks! Very cool guitar.

Are it and you in NZ or did some commodores make it out of the country?

[Axishere]

I'm in New Zealand. I found this guitar in a pawn shop about 10 years ago. Loved the vintage look of it so I had to get it.

[robredo.mattila]

Apologies for dredging this old topic.

I just acquired this Commodore 6 string electric from the family of the original owner. Other than 1 missing screw (and the removal of the "Flocking" on the back) it is all original and doesn't appear to have been worked on.

Like other examples I am aware of, the binding was installed on the necks before the frets, then the fret slots were cut through the binding before frets were installed. The binding had shrunk a bit and the frets were quite sharp on either side of the fingerboard. I've done the required fretwork to make it smoother and more playable. Truss rod functions fine and neck was relatively straight.

Pickups are individually selectable with the 4 push buttons. Each "pair" is RW/RP so hum cancelling when appropriate combinations are selected. The 3 knobs are individual volume controls for each pickup except the bridge pickup which is wired straight to the master volume. The other 3 pickup volumes go to the master also.




Here it is with it's Commodore lap steel siblings. Wood body 8 string (circa 1963-'65) and a 6 string Cast aluminium body (circa '56-'63) with Rimu top and back covered in celluloid.