Help Identify Unmarked 70s/80s Humbucker Set

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CaptPostMod

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I recently purchased a Mako "Traditionals 56" Les Paul for a song. Nice set-neck, burst copy that seems to date from late-70s/early-80s. They're REALLY difficult to find much info on. The prevailing theory is that they were built by Matsumoku.

A previous owner had blacked out the headstock (I guess to hide that it's not a Gibson) and the serial number sticker had long since been removed. And there's no identifying marks in the pickup or control cavities. So it took me hours and days of Googling to figure out what it was and even then, there's almost no information about these Makos.

Alright, with all that exposition out of the way, I'm trying to find out more about the pickups in it. As far as I can tell, Makos didn't come with printed circuit board controls, but mine's got one. I've got pics below. The pickups have no identifying markings on them that I can find. The circuit board fits the cavity pretty darn tight, so I'd guess its as stock if it wasn't for the fact that the scant few other people talking about them online don't mention it.

Anybody got any ideas on what these pickups are? I mean they're humbuckers, I get the basics. But company of origin, things like that?

Control Cavity.jpgNeck PUP.jpgMy Les Paul II.jpg
 
Re: Help Identify Unmarked 70s/80s Humbucker Set

The pickups are SE Asian. One clue in plain sight is the logo stamped into the chassis of all four pots. Whilst I cannot pretend to recognise the logo right away, I am confident that somebody on this forum will know.
 
Re: Help Identify Unmarked 70s/80s Humbucker Set

The baseplate has no screws holding the bobbins, the covers are not even soldered to the baseplate; is the wax that holds the p'up together.

Not even useful as fancy paperweights. The best use for them is to give'em as a gift to somebody you hate! ;)

That guitar is crying for a good harness and a good set of p'ups. It's an excellent-made and even very nice-looking instrument. Don't go cheap on it.

HTH,
 
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Re: Help Identify Unmarked 70s/80s Humbucker Set

Oh, they're not as bad as all that. But they're definitely nothing all that great either in terms of tone. They are unique, though. The printed circuit board really intrigues me. And after doing all that googling to figure out what the guitar itself is, I'm really curious to figure out what these might be or if they have siblings/cousins.

It is a pretty instrument, isn't it? A nice pawn shop surprise.

 
Re: Help Identify Unmarked 70s/80s Humbucker Set

CaptPostMod said:
Oh, they're not as bad as all that.
Click to expand...
I actually own two guitars that came with those p'ups:

My L5-CES copy:


My #2 335 copy:


Both shots were taken AFTER installing good harnesses and p'ups.

Those p'ups were ecologically-disposed into the trash, where they belong.

HTH,
 
Re: Help Identify Unmarked 70s/80s Humbucker Set

Ooh that 335 has the weird bridge, too. Probably a fairly close cousin overall. Is it a Matsumoku also? Might be some kind of stock pickups they were using at the time? (Or is it a Samick? One alternate theory on the Makos is that they're really Korean Samicks.)
 
Re: Help Identify Unmarked 70s/80s Humbucker Set

CaptPostMod said:
Ooh that 335 has the weird bridge, too. Probably a fairly close cousin overall. Is it a Matsumoku also? Might be some kind of stock pickups they were using at the time? (Or is it a Samick? One alternate theory on the Makos is that they're really Korean Samicks.)
Click to expand...
Mine are both Tamaki branded, made by Samick in Korea.

The 335 is an early '80s, the L5 a mid '90s.
 
Re: Help Identify Unmarked 70s/80s Humbucker Set

LtKojak said:
Mine are both Tamaki branded, made by Samick in Korea.
Click to expand...

Another notch in the "Samick" column. The internet seems fairly convinced that Matsumoku made these early 80s Makos, but I'm more and more convinced all the time that it was Samick.

Was there a circuit board with those? How'd they manage that around the sound hole?
 
Re: Help Identify Unmarked 70s/80s Humbucker Set

No circuit board on mine. As a matter of fact, I've upgraded at least fifty excellent asian-made guitars from late '70s/early '80s and never encountered one with a circuit board like in your case.
 
Re: Help Identify Unmarked 70s/80s Humbucker Set

That's why I'm so curious. Because I can't find anything quite like them. I mean, the pickups themselves maybe but the wiring with the circuit board from that region and era.
 
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