Can anyone tell me who makes this?

[chgogoodgirl]

Can anyone tell me who makes this?... or is it just a beautifully well crafted custom job. I'd place it made in the 60's but I'm no expert.

Any help would be soooooo appreciated.

GG
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[Michael Ambrose]

Oooooh! Nice nice!!

I, personally, can't tell from the pics... maybe one of these guys could tell from that headstock inlay?

Any stickers or stamps inside the f-holes?

Any printing anywhere on it?

[VintAxe]

My first impression is that the guitar was made at the Matsumoku factory (Aria). I'll look into it and see if we can't identify the model.

Does it have "Made in Japan" or "Steel Reinforced Neck" on the neckplate?

[mrblanche]

Looks like a set neck, so there likely won't be a neck plate.

Very nice looking, though!

[VintAxe]

Yeah, you're right mrblanche, I was responding in a hurry last nite.

This guitar appears to be a cousin of the Aria Diamond in another thread.

[Michael Ambrose]

You know... I vaguely remember discussing a Ventura with similar appointments... the key factors here are the "authentic"-looking humbuckers and the L-5/L-7 style carve at the tail of the fretboard... you RARELY see that carve on a Japanese copy.

[chgogoodgirl]

The tuners, pickups, bridge and knobs are not original to the instrument, and it does have a steel reinforced neck. I've checked everywhere for a stamp or label in the f-holes and have found nothing. The trap, tail and frets are all original. and I was told by and expert luthier, that the entire finish of the headstock and neck and body do not show any signs for any piece ever being replaced or refinished. He did also state that in his opinion it was manufactured in a factory and not something that was done in a private shop.

So the mystery continues. My hope is this addition information will help someone here help me identify this!

Thanks in advance!!!!!!!

[Bassassin]

Just a feeling rather than anything specific I can put my finger on, but I don't think this is a Matsumoku. I'd say similarities with the Aria Diamond are more to do with them being copies of the same guitar, tbh.

I think this is late 70s or maybe early 80s - it has a plain headstock rather than a Gibson "open book" type, many copy manufacturers started doing this after Gibson started making legal noises! Would I be right in assuming the Grover Imperial type tuners aren't original?

Just another hunch - this might even be Korean, not MIJ. I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of the higher end offerings that came out of Cort, Young Chang or Samick.

Jon.

[Michael Ambrose]

Pups are almost always a dead giveaway, and tuners always help... so thats definitely going to hurt the cause.

I think ultimately finding an exact identification is going to depend on figuring out what that headstock inlay is.

Its undoubtedly from the Far East, that much is for sure... I've seen mid-70's Hondo LP's with a similar headstock and inlay, so Korean-made could be a good guess there. ("S" for Samick, maybe? hahaha...)

There used to be a wine-red Hondo-made LP (no branding on the headstock but for a gibson-style diamond inlay)... from five feet back you'd swear it was a really decent guitar... set neck, bound top and headstock... and then you held it and realized the top was a multi-piece body and cap... similar to the top on this guitar.

Perhaps a few more photos? Back of the headstock and neck heel?

[chgogoodgirl]

I thought that was the 'open book' Gibson style headstock. Am I wrong? Or did I miss understand what you were saying?

I will try to post more pix (of the back) as soon as possible. Has anyone had any luck with the 'S' or lightning bolt inlay on the headstock? I looked into a bunch of Samicks but couldn't find a logo that looked like that.

Gosh this is really driving me nuts. lol

I really appreciate all the help on here guys. You all are the best.

gg

[Bassassin]

Your headstock profile has a smooth, unbroken curve - the Gibson design (as "borrowed" here by Ibanez!) looks like this:



It's sometimes also called a "moustache" profile for obvious reasons!

Michael - I wouldn't be surprised if you're right and that is S for Samick. I've had a couple of Samick-made guitars (including an LP very like the Hondo you describe) and they had identical jack plates, with the accentuated rounded corners. Just a small detail, but a clue's a clue...

Shame this is a semi and accessing the electronics is likely to be awkward - I think we'd find Korean DP - brand pots in there.

Following this hunch chgogoodgirl - are the screws which hold the pickup rings to the body chromed, or do they have a black finish? Korean builders often used black screws.

J.