Micro-Frets Stage II Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1970)
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Item #4729
Micro-Frets Stage II Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar, c. 1970, made in Fredrick, Maryland, cherry lacquer finish, maple body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
Some of the most unique and original American guitars of the late 1960's and early 1970's came out of Frederick, Maryland, where the small Micro-Frets company built their beautifully engineered if slightly offbeat fretted offerings. This model, the Stage II is a semi-hollow body instrument built with a two-piece of maple sandwich body routed from the inside. This was one of the company's more popular instruments, sporting many of the firm's trademark design elements including unique white plastic-encased pickups and the patented Micro-Nut, which allows harmonic compensation at the headstock.
At the other end of the strings is the "Calibrato" vibrato unit, the heart of Micro-frets legend; this is a heavy duty floating vibrato and bridge assembly which allows individual tension adjustments for each string, theoretically allowing entire chords to be raised and lowered while remaining in tune. The Calibrato was originally offered as an add-on for existing guitars; in some ways the Micro-frets line was designed around it! The Calibrato was advertised as having "Precise Pitch modulation" and includes the "microsonic bridge with sustained harmonic action and floating power"-you know that HAS to be special!
The body is finished in vibrant cherry, rounded at the edges with a single stylized F-hole. The maple neck is natural finished with a thick unbound, dot inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The controls: tone, volume, pickup select and a second tone modification switch are carried on the top-mounted pickguard, which is bi-level in the Rickenbacker mode with a triple laminate upper section. Tuners are the original chrome Schallers and the face of the sculpted space-age headstock carries the brand logo and model name. This is a extremely well-made and fine playing guitar with a slim neck and bright, responsive pickups. The sound is crisp and hi-fi with surprising depth when needed; the tonal range is impressive. A number of prominent country artists endorsed the Micro-Frets line in the late 1960's including Carl Perkins and the Statler Brothers. Micro-Frets may have had a fairly short history (although the company has seen a recent revival attempt) but the high-quality, well engineered instruments they left behind are very fine examples of American guitar ingenuity and worthy of the attention of both players and collectors.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 14 7/16 in. (36.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 in. (610 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.). All original, some general overall-one area of fairly deep scratching on the back but no major finish loss. Some corrosion to metal parts but not excessive; this guitar was well played but nicely cared for. Original hard case is intact and fully functional but has a lot of wear to the Tolex covering. Overall Excellent Condition.
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Some of the most unique and original American guitars of the late 1960's and early 1970's came out of Frederick, Maryland, where the small Micro-Frets company built their beautifully engineered if slightly offbeat fretted offerings. This model, the Stage II is a semi-hollow body instrument built with a two-piece of maple sandwich body routed from the inside. This was one of the company's more popular instruments, sporting many of the firm's trademark design elements including unique white plastic-encased pickups and the patented Micro-Nut, which allows harmonic compensation at the headstock.
At the other end of the strings is the "Calibrato" vibrato unit, the heart of Micro-frets legend; this is a heavy duty floating vibrato and bridge assembly which allows individual tension adjustments for each string, theoretically allowing entire chords to be raised and lowered while remaining in tune. The Calibrato was originally offered as an add-on for existing guitars; in some ways the Micro-frets line was designed around it! The Calibrato was advertised as having "Precise Pitch modulation" and includes the "microsonic bridge with sustained harmonic action and floating power"-you know that HAS to be special!
The body is finished in vibrant cherry, rounded at the edges with a single stylized F-hole. The maple neck is natural finished with a thick unbound, dot inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The controls: tone, volume, pickup select and a second tone modification switch are carried on the top-mounted pickguard, which is bi-level in the Rickenbacker mode with a triple laminate upper section. Tuners are the original chrome Schallers and the face of the sculpted space-age headstock carries the brand logo and model name. This is a extremely well-made and fine playing guitar with a slim neck and bright, responsive pickups. The sound is crisp and hi-fi with surprising depth when needed; the tonal range is impressive. A number of prominent country artists endorsed the Micro-Frets line in the late 1960's including Carl Perkins and the Statler Brothers. Micro-Frets may have had a fairly short history (although the company has seen a recent revival attempt) but the high-quality, well engineered instruments they left behind are very fine examples of American guitar ingenuity and worthy of the attention of both players and collectors.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 14 7/16 in. (36.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 in. (610 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.). All original, some general overall-one area of fairly deep scratching on the back but no major finish loss. Some corrosion to metal parts but not excessive; this guitar was well played but nicely cared for. Original hard case is intact and fully functional but has a lot of wear to the Tolex covering. Overall Excellent Condition.
