Is That a Canoe Paddle? A Surfboard? No, It’s the Domino Californian Rebel

This body style rivals the Vox Phantom, Gibson Flying V, and Bo Diddley’s cigar box guitars for least-ergonomic-but-most-’60s shape.
With this wacky instrument, the Domino brand set its sights on the California surf scene.
Recently, I’ve been thinking about the Ventures, their amazing music, and the impact they made. In case you missed it, one of the band’s founding members, Don Wilson, passed away in January. I was reminded of my interviews with Don and his take on the band’s history and influence. For the uninitiated: The Ventures sound came to embody surf rock and instrumental prowess, featuring driving rhythms and catchy riffs that put the electric guitar out in front. Don and the boys performed their hit song “Walk, Don’t Run” on Dick Clark’s Saturday Night Beechnut Show in 1960 and lit the kindling for the first electric guitar craze—with the Beatles creating the inferno a few years later.
During the ’60s, the Ventures were insanely popular in Japan, where their recordings became the sound of American popular music and culture. Since the Ventures were an instrumental band, the music was more accessible to Japanese fans. Mosrite’s Ventures models were all the rage and just about every guitar manufacturer in the Land of the Rising Sun was trying to get 6-strings into the hands of Don and his bandmates. (I’ve written before about how Mosrites were dissected and studied, which led to all sorts of guitar designs and build ideas throughout Japan.)
The electronics include a simple volume and tone knob, a pickup selector, and two mini switches for a “lead” or “rhythm” tone.
Here in the U.S., the Ventures—who were formed in Washington—were musical representatives of the Southern California lifestyle, along with Dick Dale, the Beach Boys, and Jan and Dean. As I was thinking about Don and the Ventures, I remembered a very rare guitar from the ’60s that seemed to capitalize on the California surf aesthetic and instrumental surf rock: the Domino Californian Rebel. The marketing copy for this wacky guitar was straight out of 1967 and included all the buzzwords and catchphrases to lure budding instrumentalists:
“Cause today’s ‘top rockers’ know … Now DOMINO’S World Leading, Pace Setting SOUND-POWERED design … have taken on the appearance of the ‘CALIFORNIAN REBEL’ acoustic electric guitar. Coming from a family of the highest fashion in stylish contemporary looks, and high powered, turned-on Sound Action, the-all new ‘CALIFORNIAN REBEL’ is more than ready to begin its record breaking flight to the top of today’s music scene! DON’T BE LEFT OUT of tomorrow’s Shout-Shaking excitement … Grab Hold and Tear Loose with DOMINO’S latest gift of imagination.”
I mean, that would be enough to get even Gidget—you gotta search this one!—to pick up an electric guitar. The angular body sports an f-hole, a German carve, and has plastic wood accents—a nod to the famous Pontiac Woody station wagon, which my grandfather owned back in the day. The guitar was made at the Kawai factory in Japan (and I really think I need to write a longer story about that company in 1967, because there were so many crazy guitars coming out of there that year). My two-pickup model cost $90 in ’67. Apparently there were other pickup options, but I haven’t seen them.
These have a Gibson-scale length and a lightweight feel. The stock electronics include a simple volume and tone knob paired with a pickup selector and two mini switches for a “lead” or “rhythm” tone. The sound is very similar to the Kawai-built Kingston electrics favored by bluesman Hound Dog Taylor. The Kawai tone was always a bit aggressive since they used a lot of series wiring. Other little details include beautiful binding, a slotted headstock, and a cute, little bridge mute which was fashionable at the time and great for surf pickin’.
This guitar was an exclusive of the New York-based Maurice Lipsky Music Co., which used the Domino name on imported guitars. Alas, the Californian Rebel was a shooting star that remains rather elusive today. It never had quite the impact of Don Wilson and the Ventures, but this quirky instrument is a nice little time capsule of their era.
1967 Domino Californian Rebel Guitar Demo
Guitarist Mike Dugan shows us that the Californian Rebel is a guitar fit for sun, fun, and fuzz. And it’s a perfect sub for a Vox Phantom in your period-correct Brian Jones-era Stones cover band.
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Few musical acts did more to put their fame and fortune to good use than punk rock icon Wayne Kramer. Known for his enduring commitment to activism, especially in justice reform, his life story embodies the defiant, DIY ethos of punk, directly inspiring generations of bands and musicians who followed. Now, fans and fellow musicians alike can attempt to emulate Kramer’s incendiary sound with the new, limited-edition pedal.
Designed before his death in February 2024, Wayne Kramer—together with friend Jimi Dunlop (Dunlop CEO) and Daredevil Pedals owner Johnny Wator —the pedal features artwork from artist and activist Shepard Fairey (Obey Clothing founder). A majority of profits from the sale of the pedal goes directly to Kramer’s charity supporting the rehabilitation of incarcerated people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds.
In honor of his close friend, Tom Morello—the innovative guitarist behind Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, the Nightwatchman, and more—demoed the pedal, showcasing its sound and shining light on Wayne Kramer’s incredible legacy.
Tom Morello Introduces MC5 Wayne Kramer-Inspired Pedal For Charity: MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive
"What they've tried to bake into the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive distortion pedal is not just Wayne's sound but Wayne's attitude, and the grit and the rawness of Detroit and of the MC5," said Morello, one of Kramer’s best friends, during his demo of the pedal. "This is the guitar pedal that was used on the song 'Heavy Lifting' that I recorded with Wayne for the last MC5 record.
"Named after the late rocker's charity—which provides instruments and art workshops to incarcerated individuals as rehabilitation tools—the MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal aims to capture all of the high-voltage energy of Wayne Kramer's sound. It features two uniquely voiced gain circuits cascaded together with a singular pot controlling both the output level of each circuit and the overall saturation level of the distortion.
Music makers looking to capture Kramer’s raw, fiery sound can pick up the new MXR® Jail Guitar Doors Drive pedal, exclusively on Reverb via The Official MXR Jail Guitar Doors Drive Reverb Shop for $199, here: https://reverb.com/shop/the-official-mxr-jail-guitar-doors-reverb-shop.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kiesel’s new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼” input, XLR and ¼” outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. It’s intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But don’t let that hold you back if you’re a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼” phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry – important for the instrument most responsible for the band’s groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).
His credits include Miles Davis’ Jack Johnson and Herbie Mann—next to whom he performed in Questlove’s 2021 documentary, Summer of Soul—and his tunes have been covered by Santana and the Messthetics. But it’s as a bandleader and collaborator where Sharrock cut his wildest recordings. As groundbreaking as Sharrock’s music could be, his distorted tone and melodic tunes helped bring rock listeners into the jazz tent. Our callers let us know how much Sharrock meant to them and why he’s one of the “top guys of all time.”