blackdog said:
LADO guitars! I used to get my guitars set up by that guy in the 80s when he was in an industrial unit on warden in scarborough. Joe Kokovac was his name. What happened to him? He was like the soup nazi for guitars. I would bring in old Les Pauls, strats, and tele's. He'd say; "how can you play these old pieces of shit!!" buy new guitars!!!! NO MORE OLD GUITARS!!! MY GUITARS ARE BETTER!!! MY GUITARS ARE NEW!!! THE ACTION IS LOW!!!! NO MORE OLD GUITARS!!!" Good ol' joe.
Joe Kokovac is alive and well (and very busy). About a year ago, he had an anniversary special, and was clearing out factory-2nds at roughly half price. I bought the guitar (with case) for less than $2000 tax-in. When I placed the order, I talked to Joe DIRECTLY about the guitar and his association with Adrian Smith (Maiden guitarist who played Lados from 84-88).
However, it came with Seymour Duncan JB pickups (more common for LA Glam Metal), which I took out, and threw in a Dimarzio Super 3 in the bridge, and a PAF-Pro in the neck. NOW it sounds like a $4000 guitar. It makes my made-in-Japan Ibanez Prestige RGA121 look like a made-in-China-Walmart-special.
You should have seen the response I got on the Maiden/guitar-community forums after I initally posted my "find". It was international money-shot day.
Cheers