Paul Tourville's Wholly Unspectacular Web Presence
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Stuff About Paul
-Autobigraphical Tripe
-Philosophical Poo
Paul Reviews Other People's Stuff
-Movie Reviews
-Book Reviews
-CD Reviews
Studio H
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-Take2
Computers
-Linux and Open Source
-Miss Celaney
Other Neat Stuffe
-UrsusPacificus.net
-Klub Katana
-Paul's Kayak Kave
-Paul's Pile-O-Links
Some handy regional links:
-Niantic Weather
-State of Connecticut
-Town of East Lyme
-Connrcticut Humane Society
Some of Paul's Favorite Websites...

Computers:
-The Jargon File
-GIMP
-MySQL
-Linux.org
-xiph.org (makers of oggVorbis
-OpenSource.org
-OpenOffice.org
-Mozilla.org
-GNU.org

Friends:
-Planetside... where Scott works
-Adam Lyons
-Eric Comprone

Neat Junk:
-The US Naval Observatory's Current Time
-Darwin Awards

Comedy:
-The Rutles
-The Official Monty Python Website
-Spinal Tap
-Bill Hicks
-George Carlin

Cars:
-Nissan's Website
-Subaru's USA home page
-Subaru's cool home-home page

Science:
-Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy
-NASA
-PBS' "NOVA"
-PBS' Stephen Hawking's Universe
-space.com
-Marshall Brain's "How Stuff Works"
-SETI@home
-CarlSagan.com

Shopping:
-ThinkGeek... Stuff for Smart Masses
-EvolveFISH.com... Opinionated tripe for freethinkers

Philosophy:
-The Ontario Center for Religious Tolerance

Music:
-The official website for the Rock Band "Boston"
-Peter Frampton's official website
-Spinal Tap
 

Klub Katana -- Your home for info on Fender and Squier Katana Guitars and Basses  
...seen by 5392 unfortunate souls.

 

The Fender/Squier Katana Guitars and Basses

In the Mid-80's, Fender began producing a short-lived line of instruments which were unusual for Fender at that time: The Fender Katana was a solid-body electric guitar with a body shape somewhat similar to the Jackson Randy Rhodes model, which was, itself, loosely pattered after the Gibson "Flying V".

The Fender Katana featured two humbucking pickups, a set neck, knife-edge tremolo bridge and a string lock on the headstock behind the nut. The Fender Katana (at least mine) was made in Japan.

The Squier version of the Katana, from what I've heard, was made in Korea, was available as a guitar and a bass and had bolt-on neck. Otherwise the Fender and Squier instruments are functionally identical (from what I've been able to gather).

Katana owner Rex Robards has some good information about Katanas on his website.



Paul Tourville's Fender Katana:

The Pictures here don't really show it well, but the color of my Katana is a metallic dark emerald green. There's a couple of paint chips nicked off the end of the top of the "Tailfin" and the "Whammy bar" on the bridge is an improvised replacement. Other than that, this guitar is in nearly mint condition.

Fender Katana
My Fender Katana - A rare bird, indeed...

The Bridge of my Katana
The Bridge of my Katana

The Katana logo on the headstock
The Katana logo on the headstock

The serial number on my Katana
The serial number on my Katana


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Klub Katana Klassifieds

If you would like to post a free "For Sale" or "Wanted to Buy" ad for Fender and/or Squire Katana Guitars and Basses, or parts and accessories for same, please email me at tourvilp@ursuspacificus.net for details. Paul Tourville, the operator of the Klub Katana website is not responsible for the claims of persons offering to sell or buy anything listed on this site. Neither the Klub Katana website, nor Paul Tourville shall act as an agent for buyers or sellers. The advertisements posted here are offered as a public service without requirement for payment. The offer to display adverisements may be withdrawn at any time at Paul Tourville's discression.
Wanted to BUY
Posted 1/20/03
Looking to buy a Fender - Squire Katana bass. Any color will do, from good to mint condition. Original or refinished. Electronics and pickup original. Squire decal please intact. With hardshell case. Contact Alfie at belairrock@yahoo.com

FOR SALE OR SWAP
Posted 12/22/03
Found this new Katana Squier, in a beautiful Fender Tolex case with a custom fit compartment. Dirty, nasty, 5 strings. Too ugly to not take home. Took her apart (built jan 21,1985). Buffed, washed, cleaned. new strings and set-up. Voila' this thing is in brand new 9.5 condition.Beautiful Jet Black. NO FRET WEAR, NO PICK SCRATCHES. Everyone has handled her, nobody has ever played her. Pickups is new and hot. contact William Lawhorn at wlawhorn@nccw.net

 
K l u b   K a t a n a   K l a s s i f i e d s
--NEW-NEW!!--K l u b   K a t a n a   R e g i s t r y
 

The Klub Katana project was something I started around 1997 and moved forward a bit, then it petered out for me. There was interest for a short time from members of the general public, then it died away. Recently, there has been a resurgance of interest in the Klub Katana concept (both for me personally and from others around the world). I've decided to give it another go.

What I hope to do here is as follows:

  • Establish a Registry of instruments and owners, to promote better understanding of the history of this unusual line of instruments. This latest rendition of the Registry is a database-backed dealy, where Katana owners will be able to register their own instruments and update their own information.
  • Provide a forum for communication among Katana owners.
  • Establish a Knowledgebase with information about Fender as relates to the development, manufacturing, marketing, distribution and eventual discontinuation of the Katana lines.

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I have e-mails from some owners and will be contacting them soon seeking permission to post their information on this site. If you have a Katana, or have some information about the Katana line please e-mail me at tem_dummyhead@yahoo.com and if you would like your Katana-related information to become publicly available, please include a statement to that effect in your e-mail.

If you own a Katana and would like to have it included in the registry, please send the following information:
  1. Brand (Fender or Squier)
  2. Type (Both Basses and Guitars were produced)
  3. Neck Attachment (Both Bolt-On and Set necks were produced)
  4. Body Color (Light/Dark Metallic/Solid/Sunburst/Other Red/Green/Blue/Yellow/Et Cetera)
  5. Neck Color (Light/Dark Metallic/Solid/Sunburst/Other Red/Green/Blue/Yellow/Et Cetera)
  6. Serial Number
  7. Date of Manufacture (If known)
  8. Location of Manufacture (If known)
  9. Modifications (Any changes to the original Manufactured state of the instrument, except string changes.)
  10. Damage (scratches, nicks, dents, broken/repaired necks and headstocks)

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Page last updated on: 12/22/2003

 
Site Last Updated:
18 January 2004
Questions, Comments, Fears, Complaints? Mail Paul Tourville at tem_dummyhead *aT* yahoo.com