1985 Zemaitis Custom Deluxe Metal Front, Dragon + HSC
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We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
1985 Zemaitis Custom Deluxe Metal Front, Dragon + HSC
Regular price
- Unit price
- / per
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1985 Zemaitis Custom Deluxe Metal Front, Dragon + HSC
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Description
Stunning, rare Custom Deluxe Zemaitis metal front made by Tony Zemaitis and hand engraved by Danny O'Brien in 1985. We understand this was one of Tony's favourite metal front guitars and it is widely considered among Zemaitis collectors to be one of the best engraved Dragon Zemaitis' ever produced. Given the stunning, hand engraved fire-breathing dragon motif and overall attention to detail it is not hard to see why.
The name "Hiroshi" is inscribed on the pot cavity plate; something to suggest this guitar was likely made for a gentleman named Hiroshi Suzuki, or Hiro for short. Hiro had a close relationship with Tony and his family and would go on to order a number of Custom Deluxe models for himself which he would then sell to musicians and vintage guitar stores in Japan. It is said that Hiro was quite an attentive customer who would often sit watching Tony and Danny work, glass of Scotch in hand. As such the quality of the instruments ordered by Hiro is said to be among the best.
This guitar is in stunning condition having clearly been well cared for throughout its life, with little to no signs of play wear. The current owner - a Japanese collector and Zemaitis enthusiast - purchased it from a personal friend of Tony's some 23 years ago. He tells us a story of when he was contacted by Rittor Music in Japan - publisher of Guitar Magazine, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, Bass Magazine and Sound & Recording. They were planning to publish a photo book of Zemaitis instruments and were asking Zemaitis owners in Japan - including very famous Rock musicians - to bring their guitars and basses to a shoot. This mass gathering of Zemaitis instruments was unsurprisingly a sight to behold but unfortunately the publication plan was cancelled. He did however retain an extract from the magazine about this particular Dragon Custom Deluxe which sums it up rather well:
‘At the shooting, its first public appearance in more than ten years, this guitar caused more sighs of admiration than any other Metal-Tops. The vivid dragon, almost blowing fire on the player, suits the carefully hand-polished toffee brown body: exquisite harmony of Tony’s feminine style and Danny’s masculine engraving style. No cross mark on 12F and the no-frills head plate make for a well-balanced design, drawing attention to the dragon on the bottom. Created in 1985, whereas Schaller pegs were customary, this particular model is fitted with Gotoh’s centre-rigged pegs.’
Photos of this guitar have been authenticated by Danny O'Brien and Keith Smart, and it comes complete with a stamped Certificate of Authenticity from the Zemaitis Guitar Owners Club along with a Hiscox hard shell case. As much a piece of art as it is an instrument, this is a fantastic opportunity to own one of the finest, original Zemaitis metal front guitars ever made.
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We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
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