It looks like an early 1970�s japanese copy of the Gibson original with low impedance pickups from the same timeperiod. The budget models usually had a bolt on neck and the more exclusive ones had a set neck.
There were a lot of manufacturers from that timeperiod who made copies such as this one, without any brandname, using the same factories. The open book Gibson headstock were normally used up to the late 70�s by many japanese manufacturers making copies before Gibson launched a lawsuit and on vintage Ibanez copies for example the "lawsuit" headstock was in use up until around 1976.
On vintage Ibanez guitars for example you can easily tell if the guitar was made prior to 1975 if it has no S/N. From 1975 and onwards up to 1987 a serial number system with a letter and a few numbers were used. For example D75XXXX was made in april 1975, and so on...
The Japanese no name copies of the 70s are really hard to identify. Looks like a copy of a Gibson LP Recording. I did a search and found this guitar. It looks very similar. Notice the two opposite triangles on the headstock. Does your guitar have 6 screws in the neck plate? If it does it's probably made in the same factory that made the Bucks & Ricket guitar.
It doesn't remind me of products from Fuji gen Gakki (Ibanez) or Matsumoku (Aria). Those were usually routed from the back to closer resemble the original Gibson. There were however several price and quality levels so I wouldn't rule out any factory.
Are there any markings on the pickups or neck plate?
Need help idenitfying this thing
Posted - 03/23/2006 : 13:40:30
