OT: people actualy played those

[mhorse]

These have nothing to do with EBMM per say, just for your entertainment i guess

http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Vintage-Jol...7368344126QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Vintage-Jol...7368343716QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Vintage-Sov...7368343925QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

These instruments are quite legendary in many ways. Jolana's(I think they were made in Ugoslavia) alongside with bolgarian Diamant's and some East-German-made instruments (can't remember the brand) were the extent of most soviet musicians' dreams in late 70's - early 80s.

I wasn't born yet when these were at the top of their popularity, but I heard legends about their horrible playability....

The neck plate of the soviet-made bass (I'm guessing it's Ural) says the model number and the price - 160 rubles, more then average person's monthly income then...

I'm amazed that those guitars made it to the US in such a good shape...

 

[ripley]

wow. I've actually played one of these once. yikes. but the idea of the soviets making electric guitars is certianly amusing enough not to chuckle at too hard...

they should have called it "the people's guitar" - or whatever that is in russian...

 

[mhorse]

Transliterated it would be "narodnaya gitara". Try to pronounce it, articulate the second vowel in both words.

 

[ripley]

Transliterated it would be "narodnaya gitara". Try to pronounce it, articulate the second vowel in both words.

HA! that's excellent! you rule. it took me a year to figure out that the face of my watch said "east" (Vostok)