# Lado Hawk series



## BVKWVS (Oct 9, 2016)

Hi there,

I recently got my hands on a Lado Hawk series. From what I heard here;
Any Lado Owners Out There????
it is a Korean-made line of affordable guitars the Lado Canadian guitar makers made from late 1990's to early 2000's. Since I bought it for peanuts (almost literally), I expected it to be quite shitty. However, after a nice setup of the neck, a string change, intonation and cleanup, it actually sounds and feels very decent. It has surprisingly great sustain, and the neck doesn't feel as cheap as I expected, although it's very flat and large, much like an Ibanez, not really what I'm used to playing.

I wondered if anyone had any more information about it? Or if anyone owned a similar one? What are its specs, pickups, etc? I imagine it's made out of plywood? Also the tremolo arm is missing, I tried to use my Stratocaster's, but it wouldn't fit, any idea for a replacement part?

here are some pictures:







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Cheers guys!


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## BVKWVS (Oct 9, 2016)

I'm not sure whether the pics work, here they are again: http://i350.photobucket.com/albums/q413/bvkwvs/IMG_3834_zpsbr28yi10.jpg
http://i350.photobucket.com/albums/q413/bvkwvs/IMG_3833_zps3sso3b3v.jpg


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Your pix aren't showing


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)




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## BVKWVS (Oct 9, 2016)

Thanks, there it is. Sorry about that, it's my first post.


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

Chancho. When you are a man, sometimes you play Lado and wear stretchy pants in your room. It's for fun. 

I have one of the original Hawks from the early 80s. Its interesting.........


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Nice looking guitar. Sorry, I am no help though. Never heard of Lado.


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2016)

I used to have a Lado standard.
IIRC, I paid $125 for it back in '84.
It came with DiMarzios.


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## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

Lado was an "almost success" guitar company. They're located near my Hometown in Lindsey ON. 
They used to sell them in my local guitar shop. 
They were dropped after spotty supply from what I remember. But I was only 12/13 when this took place so my memory might not be accurate.


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2016)

I used to stop at Joe's shop on Warden Ave when he was in Scarberia (mid 80's).
He concentrated mostly on one-off customs at the time.
There was a lot of beautiful eye candy fer sure!
I actually bought a used Washburn there (which I've since passed on to my nephew).
Looked/felt nice and I wanted something with a Floyd at the time.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

There's one for sale locally that I got to noodle on. It could definitely use one of those 'good set-ups'.


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## Rollin Hand (Jul 12, 2012)

Steve Harris and Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden had some Lados in their arsenals. As well, there is this:


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

For the trem arm: go to the hardware store and find a bolt that fits it. It could be a 6mm or 7mm metric like my Yamaha and Squire, or it could be a imperial pitch like a MIM or Mia fender.


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## Jaybo (Jun 3, 2010)

That actually looks really nice. I've seen some pointy Lado's which I want as fond of, but that one is sweet


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## BVKWVS (Oct 9, 2016)

cboutilier said:


> For the trem arm: go to the hardware store and find a bolt that fits it. It could be a 6mm or 7mm metric like my Yamaha and Squire, or it could be a imperial pitch like a MIM or Mia fender.


Good call thanks! Will do that


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## BVKWVS (Oct 9, 2016)

Thanks guys. I'm actually really impressed by the quality of the instrument. Only the tuning pegs leave to be desired, but maybe the tuning instability his something to do with the floating tremolo bridge. I ordered extra springs to install and might just lock it with a block of wood. The pickups actually sound good! Especially in a crunchy amp setting. I opened the neck one to see if I could find any serial number or brand, there's nothing written on it! Any idea what it might be?


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## iamthehub (Sep 21, 2016)

I remember going to see Lee Aaron back in the late 80s. Her guitarist had a Lado I think. 

Trust me to be looking at the guitarists guitar, when Lee Aaron was on stage.... 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


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## Dennis Watson (Feb 12, 2018)

BVKWVS said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I recently got my hands on a Lado Hawk series. From what I heard here;
> Any Lado Owners Out There????
> ...


Hi I remember when Lado was first made in Uxbrige and my friend George Ransanyi learned how to make his guitars there.He has made guitars for our friend like Keith Richards and James Taylor..Here,s just 1 of my old Lado 12 string.not sure how old it is..have had it for along time.


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## Dennis Watson (Feb 12, 2018)

Hi I remember when Lado was first made in Uxbrige and my friend George Ransanyi learned how to make his guitars there.He has made guitars for our friend like Keith Richards and James Taylor..Here,s just 1 of my old Lado 12 string.not sure how old it is..have had it for along time.
Hi I remember when Lado was first made in Uxbrige and my friend George Ransanyi learned how to make his guitars there.He has made guitars for our friend like Keith Richards and James Taylor..Here,s just 1 of my old Lado 12 string.not sure how old it is..have had it for along time.


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## Dennis Watson (Feb 12, 2018)

iamthehub said:


> I remember going to see Lee Aaron back in the late 80s. Her guitarist had a Lado I think.
> 
> Trust me to be looking at the guitarists guitar, when Lee Aaron was on stage....
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


Just like ALOTA MILES.WAS a Looker back in the day LOL


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## Collin Bass (Oct 17, 2020)

Yeah man, I had a 6 string Hawk Series Lado much like yours only in Amberburst. I thought the quality for the price was pretty decent. The humbuckers sounded great, the build quality was good, beautiful flame Maple top. It could have given any PRS a run for it's money.

Actually, I liked it so much I ended up buying Hawk Series Bass. And I still have it. I've had it for nearly 20 years and it's still solid, straight, and sounds great! Birdseye maple top, neck through, and the active pickups sound fantastic!


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## Pickboy to the stars. (Nov 25, 2020)

Lado Guitars


Official Facebook home for JK Lado & Company. Lindsay, ON, Canada




www.facebook.com


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## David Neal (Dec 26, 2019)

Collin Bass said:


> Yeah man, I had a 6 string Hawk Series Lado much like yours only in Amberburst. I thought the quality for the price was pretty decent. The humbuckers sounded great, the build quality was good, beautiful flame Maple top. It could have given any PRS a run for it's money.
> 
> Actually, I liked it so much I ended up buying Hawk Series Bass. And I still have it. I've had it for nearly 20 years and it's still solid, straight, and sounds great! Birdseye maple top, neck through, and the active pickups sound fantastic!
> 
> View attachment 332491


 I have one of these basses , exactly the same. I picked it up last year on KIJIJI. Funny enough I have never played it as the previous owner did some funny stuff with the pre amp and it needs a new one. But I can confirm your views that it is well made, nicely finished and looks great. I contacted lado to see if I could get my hands on one of their premium pre amps used on their Canadian made basses but that was not possible so eventually I will bang in an aftermarket unit get her some new strings and set up. I have scoured the internet looking for info on these and you are just about the only thing I could find. Cheers


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## Ninjaking67 (9 mo ago)

I had a black Lado Hawk almost identical to yours. I bought it new at a music shop in Port Perry (Jason Callan Music) in 2000 or 2001. It was a great guitar. I sold it when I purchased a PRS CE22.
I wish I had it back!


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## Noodles (12 mo ago)

I have a black Lado Hawk and have a love/hate relationship with it. It was my second electric, bought in the mid/late 80's, and has been my first or second go-to ever since. 

I love the fretboard and its finish, the 80's Dimarzio bridge humbucker, and the all-black and silver look.

I hate that it only has the one pickup (limited tone) and I've never really used the Kahler(?) tremolo (which may be my ineptitude, though it looks as cool as all-get-out).

If you find one for sale I'd certainly take it for a test drive.

In the photo, it's the one on the right (obviously).


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## THE NEUTRAL GOD (4 mo ago)

BVKWVS said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I recently got my hands on a Lado Hawk series. From what I heard here;
> Any Lado Owners Out There????
> ...


Yes I DO!
I have a Hawk SERIES LADO, I'm sure it's from the 80s
It has a top neck kinda like the 80s Gibson, all 6 tuner on one side with a stratocaster body style + with the original Kayler tremolo!


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