SAVAGE SERIES Guitars

The SAVAGE Series has a rather unique body shape featuring an asymmetrical negative cutaway on the bottom. The SAVAGE Series were the only instruments from Daion that had bolt-on necks and pickguards (as the control cavity was routed from the top like a Fender). Strings were routed through the body like other Daion electrics, however the nut was white plastic rather than brass, which was a departure for Daion.

For guitars, there were four models: Savage, Barbarian, Veteran, and Berserker (how can you not love these names!). Though the Savage and Barbarian were sold in most markets, the Veteran and Berserker appears only to have only been available select markets (namely Europe) and were not originally sold in the United States.

Necks had rosewood fingerboards with 22 frets with pearloid dot position markers. Early production had a bare wood headstock. In later production the headstock were black (the black appears to be a plastic veneer).

There were a wide range of finishes available (in very primary colors) - white, black, yellow, red, and blue. Unlike the POWER Series which had tinted color finishes so the woodgrain could show through, the SAVAGE Series colors are solid. Knobs were black plastic with 0-10 numbering (like the Mark X). Except for the Veteran model, Bridge bases were chrome with brass saddles and side screws to lock everything in place (like the Mark X). Strap pins were also chrome.

Savage

The most popular model, it features two “Power Pulse” humbucker pickups with the three screw anti-tilt feature, a single coil tap mini-toggle switch, a traditional three-way pickup selector, and two volume and two tone controls.

Barbarian

The next most popular model, it features three “Power Pulse” humbuckers with three toggles (one per pickup). Top position is coil split, center position turns the pickup off, down position turns the humbucker on. It has one volume and two tone knobs.

Veteran

The third most popular model (but much more rare than the two aforementioned models), the Veteran is Daion’s take on a Fender Strat. All pickups and controls are mounted to the pickguard - like a Strat. It has two single coil pickups and a very traditional strat-style vibrato with chrome saddles. Tremelo spring adjustment is through a cavity on the back of the guitar (like a Strat). This was the only Daion with a tremelo until late 1983 and ’84 when the Mark XXV and Mark XXX models were produced.

Berserker

We have not been able to source an example of this guitar. It has a single humbucker with coil tap, with a single volume and tone control. We have seen one (albeit modified) on the web.