DANNIE OBRIEN's pencil drawing remains. It is extremely rare for an original engraved drawing to survive.
ZEMAITIS 1996 METAL FRONT "Scorpion Docs".
Mr. TONY ZEMAITIS before his death holding this machine. The one on the left was made for Mr. George Harrison.
It was made in 1996 by order of Keith Smart, a musician and president of the Zemaitis Club in England. Keith Smart's name is engraved on the rod cover.
As the name "Scorpion Docs" suggests, the engraving of a scorpion is its trademark.
The name of Mr. DANNY OBRIEN is of course engraved on the end.
1996" is engraved everywhere.
There is an owl on the shoulder. While there are some fakes, this owl carving is said to be the proof of authenticity.
DANNY OBRIEN's original drawing of the engraving. It is a miracle that it has survived.
A handwritten letter to Keith Smart, the owner of the order, in the handwriting of Tony Zemaitis, which reminds us of the time.
A photo of the time of the production, which was published in Vintage Guitar magazine. Mr. Tony Zemaitis holding this guitar before his death. The model he is holding in his left hand is the model ordered by George Harrison. This photo also appears in the 2008 edition of "THE Z GAZETTE," the newsletter of the Zemaitis Owners Club in the UK. The cover is, of course, this model.
It is also featured in the 2012 edition of "THE Z GAZETTE".
This is the 2002 winter issue of "Guitarist" magazine. This unit is featured in color.
The True Appeal of Zemaitis as Seen by a Favorite Musician
Tony Zemaitis was born in London, England in 1935. He started making guitars in earnest in 1955.
He observed the guitars owned by his friends and began to make guitars, incorporating his own designs and other ideas, and that year he completed his first acoustic guitar.
In 1957, after finishing his military service as a conscript, Tony once again devoted himself to making guitars. He made a number of proto models through repeated trial and error. In the 1960s, Tony's guitars were selling well in music stores, partly because of their low price. In 1965, he was recognized as a guitar maker.
The specs were engraved by Tony's friend Danny O'Brien, an engraver, and the metal shielding effect reduced hum noise, resulting in a clear-sounding electric guitar that was highly acclaimed. Zemaitis' fame grew as a favorite of many famous musicians from the 1970s onward.
In the late 1970s, in addition to the metal front guitars, which were famous for their originality, Zemaitis introduced pearl front guitars with white butterfly shells on the front of the top. In the 80's, more and more players began to play the same style. In the 80's, the company began to produce low-priced student models in the hope that more players would be able to experience their own guitars.
However, due to an unexpected rush of orders, the company was forced to discontinue the model. In the 90's, the popularity of Zemaitis exceeded his own expectations, and he felt the limits of production, and decided to reduce the quantity of production in order to focus on quality. On August 17, 2002, Tony suddenly passed away.
The design of the guitars is unparalleled, with almost all of the head and bridge shapes being original designs (with the exception of the Custom guitars). The original guitars, with their unique presence carved by Danny O'Brien, are now considered legendary gems.
Numerous musicians have been captivated by the artistic beauty of these guitars. Keith Richards (Rolling Stones), Ron Wood (Faces, Rolling Stones), George Harrison (Beatles), Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Donovan, Mary Hopkins, Ronnie Laine ( Small Faces, Faces), Greg Lake (ELP), Peter Frampton, David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Marc Bolan (T-Rex), David Bowie, Rory Weisfeld (Snakecharmer), Tetsu Yamauchi (Free), Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders), Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Richie Sambora (ex Bon Jovi), Mickey Moody (Snake Charmer), James Hetfield (Metallica), Zach Wild (Black Label Socialite), Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard), Doug Aldridge (Whitesnake), Char, Torayasu Hotei, Takahiro Matsumoto (B'z), Tsuneo Akima (Rama Amoeba)... the list goes on and on.
Tony Zemaitis is said to have made approximately 600 guitars and basses, both acoustic and electric, during his 42 years in the business.
Because they are handmade, it is only natural that every single one of them has different specifications, but looking at these episodes from his relationships with famous musicians, it is easy to see how sincerely Tony responded to the wishes of the musicians who ordered his products.
The musicians were delighted to receive the one-of-a-kind, one-of-a-kind, original, special, and highly finished guitars. This "ultimate luxury" is the greatest appeal of Zemaitis.