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

[antisymmetric]

Congratulations, that's a nice score!
I have the bass sibling to your guitar, and a very cool bass it is.

I also have the 8-string version of your aluminium 6-string. I've never known the years the different generations were produced, do you mind telling me where you found the info? I'm a big fan of Bunny Milne's work and keen to add to my knowledge.

[robredo.mattila]

That is a very nice looking bass!

Info here from Mac McKenzie: Link

Commodore steel guitars were manufactured between 1945 and 1966 by Bunny Milne, trading as Milton Products and distributed NZ. wide by Western Enterprises.The guitar in question, celluloid covered caste aluminium body, was produced between 1956 and 1963 and was the third design change. Bunny was a sheetmetal worker by trade and used this skill to enhance his guitars. He made his own dies and did his own metal pressings, the string anchor pick up cover plate was caste by a foundry and Bunny did all his pre-plating metal polishing.

I have been trying to collect Commodore serial numbers but getting critical mass is proving challenging. Happy to share what I have via private message.

[robredo.mattila]

This is an earlier one that I saw in the wild a few months ago. Wooden body with the vertical roller controls, but the pickup and bridge are starting to resemble the type seen on the celluloid covered cast aluminum ones that came afterwards.

Bass side tuning machines are replacements. Treble side are original.

Serial number #15X