Cool Z ZSA-RV, lime green, made in Japan 2013. Cool Z is a 'house brand' for major Japanese music retailers Shimamura, who have a few stores around Japan. They're all made at the iconic Fujigen Gakki plant, which has made guitars for Fender and Ibanez and are regarded among the best production instrument makers in the world. The ZSA-RV is a non-catalog limited run model. It borrows from a couple of classic models: semi-hollow, thinline body like an ES-335, trap tail and P-90s like an Epiphone Casino. The neck is awesome: great balance between thick and thin, excellent fretwork, pleasing natural resonance... it feels great. The hardware is all great quality, so it holds tune nicely and has a certain integrity in the hands. The pickups deliver a great sound: percussive, defined attack, sweet and clear top end, girthy expansive midrange, nice earthy lows. It's warm and gooey under a soft touch, or becomes pretty snappy and aggressive when strummed with vigor. Now, that green finish: I saw this pop up for sale in Japan and had to bring it here. It looks outstanding: the vibrant, metallic kermit green is so cool, and paired with some cream plastics and binding and the gold knobs, this is the most swaggertastic semi-hollow we've had in ages. Needless to say it's a long shot we'll score another one of these any time soon, so you know the drill: one shot one kill.

Model: Cool Z ZSA-RV
Made: Japan, 2013, Fujigen plant (serial K130360)
Finish: lime green metallic, thin gloss poly
Body: laminate maple
Weight: 3.845kg
Neck: mahogany, one piece, rosewood board, 24.75" scale, 12" radius, slim 60s profile
Mods: none
Pickups: History PS-3 soap bar single coil x2
Case: Cool Z gig bag

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has some dimples on the end. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, no major marks. The back has a dimple and a surface scratch near the neck joint, a surface scratch in the middle of the body and some scuffs in the elbow area and bottom corner. The sides have some dimples on the top horn and near the jack, nothing nasty. The front has a surface scratch around the jack, some dimples around the tailpiece and knobs and some play wear on the guard and horns. Overall: excellent condition (9/10)

Playing condition notes: Neck is straight, action is low, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electrics tested and working properly. The frets have some normal wear but they're pretty even and there's no major buzz issues, 7/10 for fret life left. No headstock breaks. Setup with fresh 10/52 Moonshiners strings.