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Last night while browsing Craigslist, I came across this strange ad,
Imported MARLIN "Blue Fin" Flying V-ish style electric guitar - $50
This got my interest up so I clicked on the ad and up popped an RR style "V-ish" guitar with a Marlin logo in the headstock. I did a quick google search and about all that came up were some reviews on HC. It appears that Marlin was a Welsh company and most of their guitars were made in Wales from the late '80s through the early 90's. They made about a dozen different models and at some point Hohner bought out the company. (If anyone knows anything more about the Marlin company, I'd love to hear it). These were for the most part, low end cheap guitars. The bodies were made from heavy marine grade plywood (Boat Stock).
I emailed him, said I was interested and if it was still available to call me back tomorrow. About 10 minutes later he called me back and we chatted a few minutes. He said he bought the Marlin used in 1993 while living in England. Displaying my vast knowledge of obscure guitars I confidently remarked, "Those were made in Wales weren't they ?" After a brief pause he said, "Wow, ow'ed you know that ?" Bypassing his question, I said I'd like to see it tomorrow after I get home from work. He was fairly insistant we get together then since he was in the process of moving and didn't know when he'd have time tomorrow. Reluctently, I agreed to meet at a halfway point (Target parking lot). He then said I'll bring along a couple of other "Project Guitars" you might want. Great, I thought, I've got 9 guitars, 4 of them I consider "project" status. All I need is 3 more "projects". I only had 10 bucks on me so I hit an ATM on the way over for 60 more. Met up with him about 10:pm at Target.
I first checked out the Marlin (under the parking lot lights). While I was sighting down the neck, he remarked, " 'el the neck alone is worth more than 50 bucks, the action on Marlins is legendary". (Or something to that effect) The pickups are crap, most people replace them if they end up keeping the guitar. Hard to find one with the actual pickups still in it like this. Ah, Ok, sold, I said. He then proceded to take out a stripped down Fernandes and said that for the last 7 or 8 years, he's been collecting only Strats, Teles, and their clones. I asked him how many guitars he had. He just grinned and said, lost count, more than roomfull though. He went back to talking about how the older Japanese Fernandes Strats were hands down the best Strat copies ever made. (At this point I realized I was in the presence of someone much more fanatical about guitars than even I was). Next, he brought out a stripped down Peavey Telecaster model whatever. I'm an hour past my normal bedtime (have to be up at 3:00am) and starting to fade but still facinated by his knowledge of guitars. I remember him saying this model Peavey is very rare (something about it being a hardtail along with this paticular bridge and the S-S-S pickup configuration and something else I can't remember).
I said ,"How much do want for these two ?" Just make me an offer was the reply. I said,"I don't want to offend you but all I got left on me is 20 bucks" (which was true). To my surprise he said, "Ok, that will work". So off I went with what you see below. All for 70 bucks.
I havn't had time to research the Fernandez or the Peavey yet but what he said about the Marlin jives with what I read in the HC reviews about all Marlin models. ie: extremely poor pickups and great playability (action).
Aturach
Imported MARLIN "Blue Fin" Flying V-ish style electric guitar - $50
This got my interest up so I clicked on the ad and up popped an RR style "V-ish" guitar with a Marlin logo in the headstock. I did a quick google search and about all that came up were some reviews on HC. It appears that Marlin was a Welsh company and most of their guitars were made in Wales from the late '80s through the early 90's. They made about a dozen different models and at some point Hohner bought out the company. (If anyone knows anything more about the Marlin company, I'd love to hear it). These were for the most part, low end cheap guitars. The bodies were made from heavy marine grade plywood (Boat Stock).
I emailed him, said I was interested and if it was still available to call me back tomorrow. About 10 minutes later he called me back and we chatted a few minutes. He said he bought the Marlin used in 1993 while living in England. Displaying my vast knowledge of obscure guitars I confidently remarked, "Those were made in Wales weren't they ?" After a brief pause he said, "Wow, ow'ed you know that ?" Bypassing his question, I said I'd like to see it tomorrow after I get home from work. He was fairly insistant we get together then since he was in the process of moving and didn't know when he'd have time tomorrow. Reluctently, I agreed to meet at a halfway point (Target parking lot). He then said I'll bring along a couple of other "Project Guitars" you might want. Great, I thought, I've got 9 guitars, 4 of them I consider "project" status. All I need is 3 more "projects". I only had 10 bucks on me so I hit an ATM on the way over for 60 more. Met up with him about 10:pm at Target.
I first checked out the Marlin (under the parking lot lights). While I was sighting down the neck, he remarked, " 'el the neck alone is worth more than 50 bucks, the action on Marlins is legendary". (Or something to that effect) The pickups are crap, most people replace them if they end up keeping the guitar. Hard to find one with the actual pickups still in it like this. Ah, Ok, sold, I said. He then proceded to take out a stripped down Fernandes and said that for the last 7 or 8 years, he's been collecting only Strats, Teles, and their clones. I asked him how many guitars he had. He just grinned and said, lost count, more than roomfull though. He went back to talking about how the older Japanese Fernandes Strats were hands down the best Strat copies ever made. (At this point I realized I was in the presence of someone much more fanatical about guitars than even I was). Next, he brought out a stripped down Peavey Telecaster model whatever. I'm an hour past my normal bedtime (have to be up at 3:00am) and starting to fade but still facinated by his knowledge of guitars. I remember him saying this model Peavey is very rare (something about it being a hardtail along with this paticular bridge and the S-S-S pickup configuration and something else I can't remember).
I said ,"How much do want for these two ?" Just make me an offer was the reply. I said,"I don't want to offend you but all I got left on me is 20 bucks" (which was true). To my surprise he said, "Ok, that will work". So off I went with what you see below. All for 70 bucks.
I havn't had time to research the Fernandez or the Peavey yet but what he said about the Marlin jives with what I read in the HC reviews about all Marlin models. ie: extremely poor pickups and great playability (action).
Aturach
Why would several people on Ebay run bids to over 2 hundred dollars (+ shipping) for a Harmony Explorer identical to this 3 weeks ago ?:
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