Identify guitar

ICBM

Neil said:

Looks like my old Avon Les Paul.

Looked like it had been dipped in glass. The "humbuckers" were cheap single coils, heavy plywood construction and people are paying good money for these?

I guess it is down to sentiment and the legend that everything that came out of Matsumoku was a gem. 

They often aren't *that* bad, as long as you accept the limits of the construction.

I think a couple of hundred is fair if they play nicely - although not all do, fretting problems and uneven necks are fairly common - and there aren't any structural faults. They're certainly not as well-made or conventionally good-sounding as an Epiphone Les Paul which sells for about the same money, but they arguably have more character if you're not trying to get something as 'close' to a Gibson as possible.

The pickups are probably the worst aspect of them, but you can easily put in something a lot better for very little cost and without ruining the character of them. The machineheads are junk but can usually be fixed with a little care without replacing them.

We sold a Columbus one through the shop recently for (I think) £225, it was quite a nice guitar in a slightly trashy 70s glam/punk sort of way.

guitars4you

I sold Avon Guitars in the mid late 70's - around £70 and I actually owned one for a short while whilst learning to play and an Avon SG Bass when I had a poor attempt at learning the bass - I'm a bit surprised they are commanding £150/200 values, but maybe nostalgia has an impact on this - Budget guitars are better built today than 40 years ago, but with a reasonable set-up they can be okay with some character

Voxman

guitars4you said:

I sold Avon Guitars in the mid late 70's - around £70 and I actually owned one for a short while whilst learning to play and an Avon SG Bass when I had a poor attempt at learning the bass - I'm a bit surprised they are commanding £150/200 values, but maybe nostalgia has an impact on this - Budget guitars are better built today than 40 years ago, but with a reasonable set-up they can be okay with some character

I'm not surprised at the prices.  I had a Shaftesbury Les Paul copy that I bought for £65 brand new when I was 15. I modified it with Schaller machine-heads, DiMarzio super distortion in the bridge, & a phase switch. It had a pro-setup and was my gigging guitar for many years until I could afford to buy a real one. I sold it for £175 around 17 years ago.  

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c33/voxman5/ADVENT-PC/Pictures/76030b15e51af7af7d592fe2b657f38b_zps7d839a55.jpeg

btjking7

Thanks guys! Think it's an Avon for sure now

HarrySeven

ICBM said:

 often aren't *that* bad, as long as you accept the limits of the construction.

This much is true. In the dim and distant past, a Jedson Les Paul copy was my main guitar for years. Sounded great, had a gnat's knacker of an action and was generally a very lovely thing...


ICBM said:

I think a couple of hundred is fair if they play nicely - although not all do, fretting problems and uneven necks are fairly common - and there aren't any structural faults.

Indeed - maybe for some models...

It's when the "70's Matsumoku vintage mojo" blah blah blah b*llocks gets trotted out that my piss boils.

If there were a hierarchy of '70's (readily available) copies, how would you sort it? NB. I know that this is also really about the numerous manufacturers *behind* the brands below, but you know what I mean...

Jedson
Grant
Yamaha
Kimbara
Satellite
JooDee
Cimar
Kasuga
Fernandes
Columbus
Univox
Burny
Electra
Kay
Eros
Columbus
Avon
Pearl
Arbiter
Zenta
Aria
Maya
Fresher
Daion
Etc
Etc...

ICBM

HarrySeven said:

Zenta

We have a Zenta Les Paul Recording copy in the shop just now - and by a coincidence, also the Zenta amp to go with it!

My first "Les Paul" was a Hondo. Imagine my surprise when I plugged it into my amp and found it was quieter and brighter-sounding than my (80s Matsumoku - much better) Aria Strat copy .

guitars4you

HarrySeven said:

ICBM said:

 often aren't *that* bad, as long as you accept the limits of the construction.

This much is true. In the dim and distant past, a Jedson Les Paul copy was my main guitar for years. Sounded great, had a gnat's knacker of an action and was generally a very lovely thing...


ICBM said:

I think a couple of hundred is fair if they play nicely - although not all do, fretting problems and uneven necks are fairly common - and there aren't any structural faults.

Indeed - maybe for some models...

It's when the "70's Matsumoku vintage mojo" blah blah blah b*llocks gets trotted out that my piss boils.

If there were a hierarchy of '70's (readily available) copies, how would you sort it? NB. I know that this is also really about the numerous manufacturers *behind* the brands below, but you know what I mean...

Jedson
Grant
Yamaha
Kimbara
Satellite
JooDee
Cimar
Kasuga
Fernandes
Columbus
Univox
Burny
Electra
Kay
Eros
Columbus
Avon
Pearl
Arbiter
Zenta
Aria
Maya
Fresher
Daion
Etc
Etc...

some memories with some of those names