Victoria Electric Guitar!

[Milardo]

I have a Victoria Electric Guitar I think that it was made in the late 1960s. It says made in Japan. I don't have much information about it does anybody have information on this guitar?

[VintAxe]

Hi Milardo,

If you can post a picture of your guitar we may be able to tell you who manufactured it (see instructions under Forum Help and Guidelines).

My first thought concerning the Victoria brand is that you may have a guitar distributed by RCA Victor. In 1969 RCA began using franchised music outlets to distribute their records and apparently import guitars were sold as well. According to Willie Moseley, RCA house brand labels included Baron, Royalist and Victor. I don't know that RCA sold guitars under the Victoria brand name but it seems like a possibility.

Anyway, the brand doesn't tell us much concerning the origin of the guitar. If you want to know who actually made the instrument try posting a picture. sb

[Milardo]

Here's a picture of the Victoria



http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o196 ... Guitar.jpg

[cheepaxes]

[VintAxe]

Hi Milardo,

You guitar is pictured in Bizarre Guitars of the 60's, but the manufacturer is not identified. Apparently, Hiroyuki Noguchi didn't know who made it either. He did date it to the mid 1960's. sb

Here's the picture:

[Bob K]

Wow - LOVE that guitar!

Bob

[Milardo]

Yes this guitar looks cool and plays great. Original owner I am just my Dad had it at first. Was in storage for super long time. I don't think it is bizarre at all. It is one of the best looking guitars of before and now! Any way to contact Hiroyuki Noguchi? Am in the process of trying to find out all information about this guitar.

[Milardo]

More pictures



http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o196/Neorw/Case2.jpg



http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o196 ... arCase.jpg



http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o196/Neorw/Cable.jpg

[explorer1251]

That Victoria is the same one I had as my first electric guitar as a teenager back in the late '60s (even the same sunburst). My dad bought it for me at a Montgomery Wards store!

It had heavier gauge Black Diamond strings. The lighter strings with the unwound third weren't sold then. I tried to lower the action by putting shims into the neck pocket. Despite the poor quality I'd still like to play it again. Thanks for the blast from the past - I'm really enjoying this site!

[K-GIN]

The Victoria looks like the progenitor of the Tokai Talbo.



http://www.tokaiguitar.de/images/gallery/talbo/002.jpg

[Milardo]

You're welcome.

[K-GIN]

That's a great guitar, Milardo. A friend of mine made a guitar body and got the neck off an old Japanese guitar. It was a Victoria in really bad condition. My friend liked the teardrop cover over the pots so much that he had one cut to match it in gold for his finished guitar.

Have you found any more info on the manufacturer?

[Milardo]

Sorry, I don't know what company made it, but hopefully somebody else here knows more information about it.

[Spud1950]

I think I found a good clue. Here's another Victoria branded guitar.The description says it was made by Zen-On. Click to enlarge. The pickups appear to be the same as in your guitar.




Here's a Zen- On on ebay.



Here's a Victoria. The two, while not exactly the same, seem to be akin to each other.




Seems very possible that the Victoria brand is a product of Zen-On.

[Milardo]

Thanks for the pictures and the info.