Mid 70's-early 80's Japanese

[copacetic]

As my business is based in Japan but live in California, I spend a good amount of time in the land of the rising sun. One of the perks of that is that I get to see crazy collections of musical instruments there. Even going into guitar stores there can be daunting when you see full lines of new and used models of American, German, English and of course Japanese. Recently visited a collector who had many Gibson, Fender, Hofner and Rickenbacker guitars and basses from the mid '70's-early 80's. Along with them were their Japanese counterparts from the same period made by Fuji-gen, Matsumoku etc. most of them matched right up and even surpassed their Ametican counterparts. Yes this was a low point in American quality but still interesting. Seeing Yanaha(Fender) Jazz & P's with Birdseye maple necks and beautiful woods was a surprise. I'm not sure Rickenbacker was at low period in quality during this period but several of the 4001 clones (Carlo Robelli!) were uncannily similar in every aspect in terms of quality wood, finish, balance and sound. I don't know how they engineered the pickups but puttin and playing them side by side was a pleasant surprise. They nailed it. That were bolt on necks and besides that and the Ribelli name on the headstock, keys you wou be hard pressed to question the quality. The Robelli Were lighter and better balanced neck vs body as well. They eventually will publish a book with detailed pictures, specs and total history of the manufacturing and the legal issues that came up.  I told them they should do an English translation as well.

[Happy Face]

That's awesome! Especially to find a local with a collection of Japanese instruments. A few years back I marched through all of the guitar shops near Ochanomizu in Tokyo looking for a part for a Yamaha SA-15 guitar and maybe another SA-17 bass. Most stores only had US brands and maybe a few European instruments.  I think I only found one Japanese axe.

The sales guys were really interested in the photos I showed them of the two Yammies. ("Cho kakui yo!") One guy even called Yamaha to see if they had the part I needed but they didn't. 

Later in that week, I was in a saloon in Naka-Meguro and overheard a Japanese guy and two Americans talking. The Yanks ran a studio in LA and the local was a blues guitarist. I interrupted them and told the Japanese guy how I could find no Japanese guitars in Japan. He laughed and said "You will have better luck in the US. We did not respect Japanese brands back then!"

That said, there has been an upsurge in interest in quality Japanese guitars since then. 

[ilan]

and maybe another SA-17 bass

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1968s-YAMAHA-SA-17-Electric-Bass-Free-Shipping-Vintage-/222207463239

[clankenstein]

In 1976 I was in Singapore and i went to the Yamaha shop in one of the mega shopping centres and there were racks of 'Gibbon' guitars and basses,all gibson copies .Oh how i wish i had bought one .I got an Ibanez (bolt on) eb2 d copy that i had for a few years instead.I wonder where they all are now.

[clankenstein]

http://www.music-trade.co.jp/otherhistory2.html wow i was beggining to think i imagined the whole thing, but on this page it mentions the gibbon brand.

[Happy Face]

In 1976 I was in Singapore and i went to the Yamaha shop in one of the mega shopping centres and there were racks of 'Gibbon' guitars and basses,all gibson copies .Oh how i wish i had bought one .I got an Ibanez (bolt on) eb2 d copy that i had for a few years instead.I wonder where they all are now.

Thanks. I have an EBay search alert on that model. The price is way over-ambitious.

But it's a fun bass to play.