Semi Hollow. Does Anyone Know This Guitar?

[spacecowboy]

Hey, my friends gave me this semi-hollow guitar. It doesnt have a logo on the stock like it usually would but i was just wondering has anyong ever seen this guitar. I looked inside one of the F-holes and it says:

Samick - Model no. NOLA-30/BK

Serial No. IS00110101

It was also made in indonesia if that helps?

Heres a pic with the info.

Heres a full shot

Just wondering if anyones seen this guitar before. My friends got it off ebay for $50, just wondering how good of a guitar it really is. I like it, although the jacket i think is loose, or the switch, because when i switch to overdrive/rythym it looses the feed and i have to hit it for it to catch it. And also i have to move the jack from the input to get the feed sometimes. But i'm sure it wont be 2 much to repair that?

[mammoth guitars]

Samick is one of the largest guitar manufacturers in the world. They make guitars for many different companies.

[spacecowboy]

Ya i understand this, but does anyone know this model?

[Mickguard]

Ya i understand this, but does anyone know this model?

I think what mammoth is suggesting is that it doesn't matter what model this is...you'll find this same guitar being sold under a lot of different brand names, since Samick makes guitars for just about every other company.

This is probably your guitar. Assuming this is an LA-30. Here's a few more reviews. The BK obviously means yours is a black model. Don't know what the NO might stand for.

But the main question is whether you like the guitar or not? If you like it, then you're way ahead...

Probably the hardware is all lower-grade stuff, it's one of the ways they're able to sell set-neck semi-hollowbodies for $150 these days (the other being low-wage Asian production). Sounds like the switch is dying on yours...and the solder on the jack too... It might be worth it to you to take it to a tech, he'll sort out the wiring problems, change the strings and give it a proper set up. It's not expensive and you'll have a fun guitar to play.

[Maurits]

If the jack isn't making contact properly just take it out and bend the bendie thing (what does one call that) of the input. Test fit it before putting it back in the guitar to save the hassle of having to take it out again. And if you were to replace it all together it would only cost you around a buck.

I'd say go for the repair, I wouldn't like to gig with a guitar with jack-issues like that one.

[spacecowboy]

Thanks guys I really appreciate the help. I'm thinking of changing one of the humbuckers. I'm trying to find a good pickup to match the sound of the guitar. I'm gonna keep the overdrive cause i like its warmth, but the distortion one is,well u know when its cheap and it has that kinda duck sound, i cant describe it. Anyways, i'm looking for a kinda warm sound maybe radiohead/rock kinda sound any ideas?

[Desopolis]

Thanks guys I really appreciate the help. I'm thinking of changing one of the humbuckers. I'm trying to find a good pickup to match the sound of the guitar. I'm gonna keep the overdrive cause i like its warmth, but the distortion one is,well u know when its cheap and it has that kinda duck sound, i cant describe it. Anyways, i'm looking for a kinda warm sound maybe radiohead/rock kinda sound any ideas?

Seymour Duncan has a good range of pickups and Hums to go through, and you can hear each one in different configurations on the website.

Id say a 59 or Duncan Custom..

EDIT wow, didnt see how old this post was...

Edited August 24, 2006 by Desopolis

[al heeley]

I think its crazy spending $100 for a replacement pickup for a $100 guitar. I replaced my stock Epiphone 335 pups with a couple of 'vintage paf' pups (4-conductor) from GFS for about $25. Very pleased with the results. Not $100 quality but far better than the stock epiphone pups. I've now used 4 different sets of gfs pickups on different guitars, i think they are amazingly good value for money.

[Logical Frank]

I second the GFS pickups. They're so cheap you really can't loose. You might want to check out their retrotron series for the hollow body. I put some of the Londons in my SG and let me tell you--jangle-tastic.