Mystery guitar I bought in Japan

[cowbell]

I bought this guitar at a "Hard Off" store (used electronics) in northern JP. It was labeled as junk and I picked it up pretty cheap. cleaned the volume knob rheos and it was perfect. Any info on what this is or copy of? I have'nt seen any others like it, and it is an awesome player.




Uploaded with

Sorry couldn't get it to stop rotating the pic

[VintAxe]

Hey cowbell.

I'd say your guitar is a loose interpretation of a Rickenbacker 325 which was made famous by John Lennon during the early Beatle years. It's difficult to say who made it without spending a bit of time in the VintAxe Catalog Library. Although most Japanese companies focused on Fender/Gibson copies, I think Greco and Burny made Rickenbacker copies in the Mid-Late 70's. Ibanez/Hoshino also marketed 4001 basses as I recall.

Since you bought the guitar in Japan it is also very possible it was made by one of the smaller domestic builders. It is my understanding that Rickenbacker lawyers vigorously pursued legal action against companies that copied their designs which is one of the reasons you don't see more Rickenbacker copy guitars in the US.

You clearly "smuggled" one in

[cowbell]

While I love it to death (guitar wise and sentimental) any idea what the true value could be? If I remember right I bought it for 8500 or so yen (in 2006) ...basically under $100 I had no idea it would have such a nice sound/ stay in tune, etc...plus it is flawless.

[VintAxe]

[cowbell]

[Mgeek]

[mrblanche]

[Spud1950]

[Mgeek]

[mrblanche]

There IS a company that makes Rickenbacker copies. Not surprisingly, they're in China. It's a set model that can be bought by distributors worldwide, and it's not impossible they made the copy up above. You can order them; but, as others have pointed out, why buy the hassle for an inferior-sounding guitar?

[auriemma]

With the courts allowing only the headstock to be copyright protected, the bodies are not an issue. If that guitar was made BEFORE that ruling, Its exempt from that ruling. And considering it says Photogenic as the name, Ric can't do much about it legally.

[selkentvintageaxeman]

I have tried FIVE TIMES to sell my mid-70's Japanese "Shaftsbury" (Rose-Morris...an English importer) 330 semi acoustic copy on UK Ebay, and FIVE TIMEs that petty idiot John Hall has made them take it down.

I emailed him, and he replied personally, with some trite bullshit about trade infringment etc.

My guitar is 40 YEARS OLD!

I am poor!...and I needed to sell my much-loved guitar to pay for some repairs to my car, but the mulit-million dollar corperate monster that is Rickenbacker felt it necessary to stop me from doing so.

Pathetic.

[Peer]

As to the original post, Photogenic, AFAIK, is a copy brand produced in The Philippines, and distributed throughout SE Asia. In Japan, the Kyoritsu Corp. used to be the importer until a couple of years ago.

[shanfranpsycho]

[VintAxe]

Hey shanfranpsycho.

If you are in the market for a Japanese Rick copy be sure to check out my early 1970's 360 copy on the For Sale page. It may or may not be what you are looking for but you should take a look. It's a beautiful, unique and very playable instrument.

Here's the link, just scroll down: