If it plays great and sounds like you want and makes you want to play, then who cares if it's not a real Gibson. Always a pleasure listening to your playing.
HEY Scott , I too am a Wilcox !! born an raised in MD. I was asking Chris, if he would consider making Teaching video,s I think his playing is Awesome !! I know I would watch,em if he made any, thats to be sure !! W/H/W
@@scottwilcox6313 I know, Right !! that would be super bad ass !! lol, Chris rips, I watched in amazement at how he was playing that stuff man !! it was like a video of AL Demeloia , im not sure of the spelling of his name hes that guy that plays all those wild chords an picks a gang of notes super clean as he goes from chord to chord, its AWESOME MAN !!
Unless one is buying and selling guitars, for a living, I don’t believe any guitars are worth these prices. I’d rather have a great Luthier build me a guitar. I can make a solidly built Les Paul Studio, sing as well as any $50,000+ vintage Gibson, or as Chris just demonstrated, one can make these “fakes,” sing as well as any Gibson. I want a guitar that feels right in my hands, stays in tune, and isn’t going to crack, just from using the tremolo(which should be called Vibrato) arm, too hard. One can change the pickups, and any other part of the insides, that aren’t of good quality. I just don’t care about the cosmetic things, that guitar manufacturers use to justify an extra thousand dollars or more.
@@The68lespaul Which Al Di Meola(you were close 😆) songs or performance, does Chris remind you of. I love Di Meola, but he isn’t a player I’d think of as Chris sounding like. Al is for one, plays very fast runs . At one point his Race With the Devil on Spanish Highway, was the fastest lead guitar ever recorded. He also has some more mellow lead work, but he usually adds in those quick runs, with nearly everything. I only really enjoy a few Return to Forever albums, and other projects he played on, but maybe I’ve missed something. If there’s something that you could recommend, that Chris reminded you of, from Di Melos’s work, I’d love to hear it. Thanks
Don’t forget my favorite and first guitar, a Memphis brand copy of a ES 335, made out of the Matsumoku factory in Japan from the 70’s-80’s. I’ve heard wildly varying reports about this brand, but from my own experience (and anyone who plays my guitar) they can be hidden gems. Bought on a whim in 1994 for 50$!
That,s a very cool thing !! when I 1st began trying to make sense out of a guitar, it all started with one that had the name "LYLE" at the top of the headstock, mind you, it did tune, but one bend, your re-tuning , i had to re-place the tuner,s and the pick-up,s way too much squeelin, once i had those few things done, it didnt sound half bad, I got for $20.00 buck,s an still have it to this day, to re-mind me of just how far ive come, I still strum on it from time to time, its great for coming up with new idea,s for constructing a song or new melody , just making stuff up as I go along, , it tunes, and sounds pretty good for a "LYLE" LOL, oh and it still has its made in "KOREA" sticker on the back plate at the neck screws , made in Korea, my GOD !! its been there over 30 yrs , I bought it from a music store, that mainly sold piano,s and acoustic guitar,s , they had a few electric guitar,s no gibson,s i couldnt afford one back then anyhow, but out of that little spot of guitar,s this Lyle caught my eye, plus it was the right price,LOL,
Chance plays a part as well - back in about 1973 I went into my favourite music shop and they had this nice looking instrument on one side. I tried it out and rather liked the sound so asked if it was for sale. The owner said no, it had to have some minor repairs first. I was so taken with it so I offered to do a straight swap for an SG Professional I then had (P90's etc). Owner was happy to do so since he had soemthing to seel immediately. So I had it and enjoyed it for a few years before I found out it was a 1960 Gibson 335 with PAF's - still have it to this day - but at the time I did not know them from adam - it was just the sound that got me!!
Chris, man, @10.53 was just unkind, I was simply enjoying a great guitar and then you put that image into my head, it sent shivers down my spine and my aural memory jumped in, I'm going to have that bastard duck thing in my head all day now.
neil schon and mark knopler sure sounded good with thier norlin era maple necked gibson les pauls,i love alot of the norlin era stuff ive heard or played!
Thank you so much Mr.B, you have filled in the missing pieces of my own personal jigsaw. I have a lawsuit Gibson, a Charles Summerfield Limited Gibson Les Paul copy from Fujigen factory in Japan, distributed by Ibanez and left labeless for other companies like CSL and Astoria to brand for themselves. It dates from 1976 and I acquired it from my brother in the early 80's who owed me about £40 at the time and we traded the debt. I have the original case and locally it was last serviced by Bletchley's own Andy Viccars, a superb luthier, now sadly retired. The guitar has always received high praise even if it is on the weighty side. I will be in Bristol Trinity @ 5th December for CB's rearranged gig (Yes, I travelled from Buckingham to Bristol for the original gig hahhaha), so if you want to handle some history, just say the word. Keep the flame and I love FF).
Great stuff ! I think a large percentage of us don’t have your in depth knowledge of guitars like these so going after one I’d probably hijack someone from a guitar shop to have a look . Best 335 I’ve played was the Clapton reissue with the nylon saddles ! About £3.5k maybe ten years ago ?
Well that was an education. Once again Japan seems to be the home of guitar craftsmanship. I have a 70s Ibanez Flying V and an early 80s Tokai Tele and if either are inferior to the originals I can’t tell. I also have a White Falcon players edition and no prizes for where Gretsch make them.
Fender made a series of licensed instruments with Brazilian instruments maker Giannini called Southern Cross and these are very loved, often fetching higher prices than actual Fender products.
These are really good guitars. I'm a big fan of the Fender "Master Series" Esprit guitars, also from the early MIJ-Fender era and really good, rare, if unknown.
In...1989, I was picking out my second guitar... I narrowed it down to a Yamaha RGX series and/or an early 80s Tokai Love Rock model.. they were BOTH 209$. To this day I regret not going with the Tokai. lol. But knowing me.. I would probably have traded and or sold it by now any way. Oh well. Great video as always.
I look forward to watching Friday Fretworks more than any show on TV. Thanks for the show-and-tell on all these great guitars and reminding me that I can't play guitar, for shit.
This is very common, so no disrespect Chris. But Orville have never been made in Korea, maybe a slight ego trip wanting to separate yours from a “regular” Orville. I think this rumor started because there is a K in the serial, but if you open up every Orville they have Terada routing and the electronics say MIJ. Epiphone by Gibson were made in Korea and never in Japan. (The Elitist range being Epiphone’s equivalent to the Orvilles). Between the serial and the “Epiphone by Gibson” range, this rumor has been spread to the point where I’ve seen it posted on Gibson web pages. So to be clear, Orville and Orville by Gibson are both CIJ, neither range had any guitars made in Korea. The contrast in build quality strongly supports the information I’ve shared. Regards
Indeed the Orville's by Gibson were made by Terada and also the Epiphone Elitist, Gretsch and Guild were build there. The Orville's(without the add "by Gibson ") were made at Fuji Gen and were much lesser in build quality(not a long tenon neck/body joint,not massiv flamed maple tops at Les Paul Standard models(flattops or carved tops with fineer).
That’s simply a beautiful guitar. You did well acquiring it. I have to admit that I’ve never given much thought to getting a 335 (despite my love of B.B.) until fairly recently - I’ve been happy playing a few Les Pauls for many years. However, things changed a few weeks ago when I became aware that there are some halfway decent 335 cheapies out there. Like in the $300 range. The one made by Donner actually might satisfy that itch. It just might add another dimension to my amateur six-string stylings. Or maybe not, lol, but it’ll be fun trying.
You should try a Harley Benton 335 style guitar, mine is beautifully put together, and sounds fabulous without spending a fortune. Check them out on TH-cam and decide for yourself, you've got nothing to lose by looking? 👍
While early Japanese guitars like the teisco were inexpensive poorly design beginner instruments, by the time the Orville’s were made Japanese manufacturing was world class. Look at their cars. The build quality of a Japanese Toyota versus a Detroit made anything are worlds apart, so it’s no wonder these are crafted so well.
Great guitar! I can confirm what you say about Tokai: I own a 1980 Tokai Reborn Old Les Paul copy - wonderful guitar. On the other hand I would like to state that Norlin era Gibsons are not all that bad. I have also got a 1978 Gibson SG Standard manufacured in Kalmazoo. It features many of those aspects that are considered of lower quality: 14 degree neck angle, volute to support the headstock-neck transition, three-piece neck and Schaller harmonica bridge. The only thing I cchanged were the pickups. This is flawlessly made guitar and it sounds just great. It's a "vintage guitar" in it's own right.
My Orville by Gibson Les Paul has been on loan at my dads house for the past 3 years ( it left me in lockdown ) bizarrely he finally let me have it back yesterday. Good timing on your video Chris. Absolutely gorgeous guitars well worth the money. The quality is amazing, but now you’ve had the Josh Scott effect and prices and demand will sky rocket !
Perfect timing as I’ve just acquired a 1980 Argus SA Semi Hollow from Japan in a very similar dark burst colour. I think Argus is pretty rare but pretty sought after as it’s a high end build. Superb guitar for the money 👍🎸
Good wee start Dude, great video, Ive had 2 Gibsons, both were ok, sold them on, I have A Tokai Les Paul, Black Beauty, weighs a ton but sounds great. Im not a gear snob, if it does the job, its good enough, your 335 sounds beautiful, link to where your gigging and do you ever do Jams...
I play a Gibsun (written on with gold pen) beat up 335 made by some guy and I love it. The last expensive guitar I owned became money to fix my wife's motorhome which she loves. She was happy, so was i. I'm not a cork sniffer or a collector. If I like a guitar I dont care what it says on the headstock. Same with the sax except the mark 6 RIP off I have is scandalously realistic down to serial numbers etc. It was 500 quid and not 7000.
Ive wanted an Orville by Gibson so badly for so long. Had I been aware of their existence whilst they were in production I would in fact own a few. I never learned of them at all until the late Naughties.
Wow you also offset your 57's coils!?! I did that with a les paul classic and changed the magnets out for an A5 in fhe bridge and an A3 in the neck. Good stuff!
I've got a Les Paul copy made in the Fuji factory back in 04(signature str1 - commissioned by tanglewood apparently). Gotoh hardware, vintage specs, long neck tenon and all. No wonder Gibson were sending out cease and desist's. Costs one tenth of a Gibson also🤣
I'm curious (not knocking it), what the intro playing sounds like without effects. I think it sounds great, and I realize effects have influence on how it's played. I think it would be interesting.
I have an ‘89 Orville by Gibson Les Paul. I’m not a Les Paul aficionado but I love it. Plays great and sounds great. It’s quite heavy but nothing compared to my bass guitars. Cost me less than £900 equivalent earlier this year. 👍🏽
Great Friday fretworks Chris (as always). I discovered Japanese guitars nearly 25 years back and have acquired several over the years - Burny, Greco, Orvile by Gibson and Orville, and Edwards. The oldest is an entry level 1977 Greco LP which is nice (and was cheap) but the later models were FAR superior. Black Burny LPC with VH1 pickups is a MONSTER, and OBG LPC comes with classic 57s and plays like a dream. Haven't bought any for many years now and am amazed how much some of them are now going for!
Same here, I discovered them in the 80's but started buying them in the early 2000's, I have a Greco RR65 LP custom, A Burny RR Custom, {RR is for Randy Roades model} , both from 1982, A Tokai ST70 strat from 1981 a Bacchus LP standard from the late 90's and 2 custom shop Tokai LP's, All marvellous guitars, and all keepers.... My first was a mid 70's Ibanez Rocket roll red flying Vee, should have kept that one, It was the set neck model and played very well...
" Hello Chris, 1st Please Let me say, I think the short melodies you play in this video are " AWESOME " !!!! " Chris, would you ever consider making a video of " Teaching us Suck Player,s lol, but we try,lol, we cant help it, we Love it !!,LOL, could you consider placing the camera right in close to what your doing, while explaining to us the string(s) your striking, the fret number, including every bend an slide , essentially show an tell us exactly everything your doing on the neck, I heard some things , I had to re-play several times, to get a better understanding of what it was you were doing, it sounds fresh, new an exciting, a breathe of fresh air !! if you will, id LOVE to see video,s of you playing, close-up showing everything, while you explain , that would certainly be a treat for all of us who wish to improve our abilities , and you sir, have plenty of it,LOL, ive just become a new " Big Time Fan" I Hope to see vid,s of you Teaching those cool ,an wild sounding riff,s plus, the equipment your using when you made this video, your guitar sounded AWESOME !! the way you played your notes, was also AWESOME !! im the 68-tri burst Les Paul Custom, or in short, 68LesPaul , I almost bought a Explorer made by orville by Gibson, I thought it was a Great Deal, the Orville, was made with the same exact spec,s like the neck both the Orville and the Gibson were both made with Mahagony bodies, and necks , the bridges and stop tail pieces, also the same, even the tuner,s the only difference I could see or tell was the name at the top of the headstock !! thats it, oh yea, and the $$ Price, was a Huge Difference , to this day, I regret not buying the Orville, I still may end up buying one, Please make some Teaching Video,s Chris , I know I cant be the only player out here that would enjoy Learning how to play how you play your stuff, I think its super cool !!! 68LesPaul,
I can certainly vouch for these Japanese “Gibsons” . I bought a 1986 Burny Super Grade (I think😮 based on a 1960 LP Standard) from No. Tom Guitars in London a few years ago for £750. Yes it is heavy, but it plays and sounds lovely to my ears. It’s had some very favourable comments from some “real” LP owners when they’ve had a play on it
A guy in a local band who my and plays a few shows with a year has both an Orville and a Greco lp copy. They are both amazing axes. Would not mind getting my hands on an orville
I was looking for a es335 and wasnt sure if I wanted to pay top dollar for a Gibson. I do already have a 68 les paul custom reissue. I came across an Eastman es335 style guitar (t486b) with some promising specs close to a gibson. Havent received it but it was a 1/3 of the price. Great playing btw!
I own an 1978 EAGLE LES PAUL LH (so-called lawsuit guitar made in Japan). I am left-handed. Don't even get me started on trying to find ANY good-sounding left-handed guitars from 60s and 70s. So to have opportunity to own something that was played, is worn-in and has that vintage vibe - I was all in when one became available on ebay. And I picked it up for £300. I replaced pups for Gibson's 490r and 498t. That guitar sounds MUCH better than any modern Gibson Les Paul I played (and I played a few). It resonates, it intonates and it has mojo. So who cares if it has the Gibson logo on or not - nowadays I'm a bedroom player anyways. And my Eagle Les Paul is the only Les Paul I will ever need. Plays, feels and sounds amazing!
I feel it depends on what you get i bought a Chibson it looked and weighed the part but was a piece of junk quality wise so i went another direction and just traded it and another indonesian jackson adrian smith model which was not good either for a Burny Les Paul with a Floyd Rose and Sustainer pickup. All i can say is wow i am absolutely blown away with everything about this guitar, looks, weight, quality its just killer, its better. Than any other gibson Les Paul i have ever helped or played before. I gelled with the guitar immediately next i will search for an Orville or early Epiphone with open book headstock or even another early Burny
It’s not really fair to assume that wood is less desirable because it’s thinner, depends on the purpose really, the wood can be of equal quality to thicker boards, and laminating it creates a more stable piece, that it less prone to warp or twist. Maybe not a big issue with a maple cap but still …
Chris, can you share with us the string vendor and sizes for your 335? Sounds great. I also went with Faber for tail, bridge, and saddles for my 1980 Gibson 335. John
I have a collection of Tokai guitars dating from 1981 to 2010, strats, LP's and a 335. I wouldn't trade them for the 'real' fender or Gibson ever, they are superb build quality certainly matching Fender and Gibson custom shop examples for half or ever less than half the cost.
I bloody love my Orville LP. Yes, it’s got a fotoflame but I really couldn’t give a monkeys about that. I’ve played hundreds of Les Pauls over the last 30 years but this Orville is the one that talks to me. My ‘04 LP Std Gibbo lives in its case in a cupboard. The Orville gets played daily. P.S. My Fernandes The Revival Thinline Tele is also really rather good and not going anywhere.
The entire story behind the MIJ Fender guitars is stranger than fiction. Fender adopted a "if you can't beat them join them" strategy for a time in the 1980's where they had the legendary FujiGen Gakki guitar factory making Fender guitars that were superior to American Fender's from those yrs. For the next 20+ yrs those MIJ guitars were a real bargain until the prices went way up.
Passionate playing in the opening jam. Pity about the “dramatic” organ pad (or is it reverb drenched rhythm guitars?) making it sound like 1980s MOR cock rock. With less crash cymbal and no “wall of sound” the true aggression of that playing would really stand out. And Chris could use his incredible sense of touch dynamics more. This arrangement choice is the difference between early Clapton and his work on Strats. The playing didn’t change much, but that comfortable inert organ sound just took all the emotional range away. BTW I love you are acknowledging individual guitar quality over brand name. A player’s view for sure.
I have almost the same spec'd one from '89, which I got at a relatively low price... I'm shocked to see the prices of these, albeit, their quality is probably worth it in the long-run. The neck on mine is super thin, somewhat of a 60's spec'd Gibson. Not sure if others agree here?
Seems like it's time you got an ObG Les Paul from Mark then as well Chris. But, you have to pick a real R59 one, which unfortunately he hasn't got at the moment, unfortunately. Just wait a while until a nice one shows up.
The point is "Orville" and "Orville by Gibson" are real Gibsons but just made in Japan instead of the USA. The Japanese government would not allow Gibson to use the Gibson name on the headstock because the name Gibson was already being used by another company in Japan. So the name Orville was born the difference between Orville and the Orville by Gibson models is the later used all standard USA Gibson components. The Orville models were fitted with Gotoh parts.
Bloody hell. Great opening jam!!
Chris has the same opening in another video of Friday F. Is much much much epic than this.
Here:😊 th-cam.com/video/wr5qmxO7LM8/w-d-xo.html
How did Bowie put it about Ziggy “But, boy, could he play guitar!” Take a bow young sir!
Same opening on flying v video
One of my personal favorite quotes from a guitar tech “ Meh……. If it works, it works… It’s not surgical equipment.
If it plays great and sounds like you want and makes you want to play, then who cares if it's not a real Gibson. Always a pleasure listening to your playing.
HEY Scott , I too am a Wilcox !! born an raised in MD. I was asking Chris, if he would consider making Teaching video,s I think his playing is Awesome !! I know I would watch,em if he made any, thats to be sure !! W/H/W
@The68lespaul I would enjoy that as well.
@@scottwilcox6313 I know, Right !! that would be super bad ass !! lol, Chris rips, I watched in amazement at how he was playing that stuff man !! it was like a video of AL Demeloia , im not sure of the spelling of his name hes that guy that plays all those wild chords an picks a gang of notes super clean as he goes from chord to chord, its AWESOME MAN !!
Unless one is buying and selling guitars, for a living, I don’t believe any guitars are worth these prices.
I’d rather have a great Luthier build me a guitar.
I can make a solidly built Les Paul Studio, sing as well as any $50,000+ vintage Gibson, or as Chris just demonstrated, one can make these “fakes,” sing as well as any Gibson.
I want a guitar that feels right in my hands, stays in tune, and isn’t going to crack, just from using the tremolo(which should be called Vibrato) arm, too hard.
One can change the pickups, and any other part of the insides, that aren’t of good quality.
I just don’t care about the cosmetic things, that guitar manufacturers use to justify an extra thousand dollars or more.
@@The68lespaul
Which Al Di Meola(you were close 😆) songs or performance, does Chris remind you of. I love Di Meola, but he isn’t a player I’d think of as Chris sounding like.
Al is for one, plays very fast runs . At one point his Race With the Devil on Spanish Highway, was the fastest lead guitar ever recorded.
He also has some more mellow lead work, but he usually adds in those quick runs, with nearly everything. I only really enjoy a few Return to Forever albums, and other projects he played on, but maybe I’ve missed something.
If there’s something that you could recommend, that Chris reminded you of, from Di Melos’s work, I’d love to hear it.
Thanks
You should do a PhD in Gibson Guitar studies mate. Your bits of history are always really well written.
Don’t forget my favorite and first guitar, a Memphis brand copy of a ES 335, made out of the Matsumoku factory in Japan from the 70’s-80’s. I’ve heard wildly varying reports about this brand, but from my own experience (and anyone who plays my guitar) they can be hidden gems. Bought on a whim in 1994 for 50$!
That,s a very cool thing !! when I 1st began trying to make sense out of a guitar, it all started with one that had the name "LYLE" at the top of the headstock, mind you, it did tune, but one bend, your re-tuning , i had to re-place the tuner,s and the pick-up,s way too much squeelin, once i had those few things done, it didnt sound half bad, I got for $20.00 buck,s an still have it to this day, to re-mind me of just how far ive come, I still strum on it from time to time, its great for coming up with new idea,s for constructing a song or new melody , just making stuff up as I go along, , it tunes, and sounds pretty good for a "LYLE" LOL, oh and it still has its made in "KOREA" sticker on the back plate at the neck screws , made in Korea, my GOD !! its been there over 30 yrs , I bought it from a music store, that mainly sold piano,s and acoustic guitar,s , they had a few electric guitar,s no gibson,s i couldnt afford one back then anyhow, but out of that little spot of guitar,s this Lyle caught my eye, plus it was the right price,LOL,
Thanks bro, will never forget 🙏
Saw you at Black Deer on Saturday. Absolutely outstanding. Thanks.
I really enjoy the space you leave in your playing. It helps build the atmosphere for those great tones. Great playing Chris.
That's the legacy of metal...long strings of blazingly fast notes that leave no real emotional impact...Chris Buck isn't a metal guitarist, thankfully
The Jam at the end is one of my favorites. Its always cool listening to a live context jam!
Very informative and interesting. I didn't know very much about the Orville guitars. Your playing is fantastic, as usual. Thanks for doing this!
Great short history on early Gibson guitars. What a sweet sounding Orville 335 you have. 👍🏽
Chance plays a part as well - back in about 1973 I went into my favourite music shop and they had this nice looking instrument on one side. I tried it out and rather liked the sound so asked if it was for sale. The owner said no, it had to have some minor repairs first. I was so taken with it so I offered to do a straight swap for an SG Professional I then had (P90's etc). Owner was happy to do so since he had soemthing to seel immediately. So I had it and enjoyed it for a few years before I found out it was a 1960 Gibson 335 with PAF's - still have it to this day - but at the time I did not know them from adam - it was just the sound that got me!!
Love stories like this. 👍🏽
Wow Chris that intro and outro was something else your ability is mesmerizing thanks Chris
Chris, man, @10.53 was just unkind, I was simply enjoying a great guitar and then you put that image into my head, it sent shivers down my spine and my aural memory jumped in, I'm going to have that bastard duck thing in my head all day now.
neil schon and mark knopler sure sounded good with thier norlin era maple necked gibson les pauls,i love alot of the norlin era stuff ive heard or played!
Listening to that opening jam, I think we need you to compose the next bond theme 😁 awesome!
Thank you so much Mr.B, you have filled in the missing pieces of my own personal jigsaw. I have a lawsuit Gibson, a Charles Summerfield Limited Gibson Les Paul copy from Fujigen factory in Japan, distributed by Ibanez and left labeless for other companies like CSL and Astoria to brand for themselves. It dates from 1976 and I acquired it from my brother in the early 80's who owed me about £40 at the time and we traded the debt. I have the original case and locally it was last serviced by Bletchley's own Andy Viccars, a superb luthier, now sadly retired. The guitar has always received high praise even if it is on the weighty side. I will be in Bristol Trinity @ 5th December for CB's rearranged gig (Yes, I travelled from Buckingham to Bristol for the original gig hahhaha), so if you want to handle some history, just say the word. Keep the flame and I love FF).
Second jam just gave me nostalgia to picking a car in Gran Turismo as a child. No higher praise possible than that
Great stuff ! I think a large percentage of us don’t have your in depth knowledge of guitars like these so going after one I’d probably hijack someone from a guitar shop to have a look . Best 335 I’ve played was the Clapton reissue with the nylon saddles ! About £3.5k maybe ten years ago ?
Well that was an education. Once again Japan seems to be the home of guitar craftsmanship. I have a 70s Ibanez Flying V and an early 80s Tokai Tele and if either are inferior to the originals I can’t tell. I also have a White Falcon players edition and no prizes for where Gretsch make them.
The Japanese once made swords for samurai, doing crazy things with steel, I think they can handle an electric guitar just fine.
The intro and outro jams were incredibly good!
I have a couple of ObG LP reissues. A 57 and 59, great guitars.
Could i please get one lesson from you? Jeez you are the most proficient guitarist I’ve seen in decades!
Fender made a series of licensed instruments with Brazilian instruments maker Giannini called Southern Cross and these are very loved, often fetching higher prices than actual Fender products.
These are really good guitars. I'm a big fan of the Fender "Master Series" Esprit guitars, also from the early MIJ-Fender era and really good, rare, if unknown.
Just one of the best! Thanks for the Orville tip too.
Bloody loved that video Chris but had to giggle when you showed Keith Harris and Orville at the end. Never the less … a cracking Guitar 💜💜💜
Chris you’re cheeky letting the camera 🎥 showing some headstocks’ 🤣🤣🤣🤣
In...1989, I was picking out my second guitar... I narrowed it down to a Yamaha RGX series and/or an early 80s Tokai Love Rock model.. they were BOTH 209$. To this day I regret not going with the Tokai. lol. But knowing me.. I would probably have traded and or sold it by now any way. Oh well. Great video as always.
Thanks for that. My bucket list of guitars to own has just increased by 1 - an Orville 335 in Lime Green with PAFs to get that 'typical nasal quack'
Chris, love listening to your opinions in these kids of videos. Also love listening to you play! I wish I could play like that.
Was hoping for a little burst of ‘I wish I could fly’ at the end there 😂
I could listen to you play all night.
That opening jam was 🔥 tone was awesome 👏
I look forward to watching Friday Fretworks more than any show on TV. Thanks for the show-and-tell on all these great guitars and reminding me that I can't play guitar, for shit.
Holy f dude! That music you played in the beginning is incredibly good! Damn bro!
This is very common, so no disrespect Chris. But Orville have never been made in Korea, maybe a slight ego trip wanting to separate yours from a “regular” Orville. I think this rumor started because there is a K in the serial, but if you open up every Orville they have Terada routing and the electronics say MIJ. Epiphone by Gibson were made in Korea and never in Japan. (The Elitist range being Epiphone’s equivalent to the Orvilles). Between the serial and the “Epiphone by Gibson” range, this rumor has been spread to the point where I’ve seen it posted on Gibson web pages. So to be clear, Orville and Orville by Gibson are both CIJ, neither range had any guitars made in Korea. The contrast in build quality strongly supports the information I’ve shared. Regards
Indeed the Orville's by Gibson were made by Terada and also the Epiphone Elitist, Gretsch and Guild were build there.
The Orville's(without the add "by Gibson ") were made at Fuji Gen and were much lesser in build quality(not a long tenon neck/body joint,not massiv flamed maple tops at Les Paul Standard models(flattops or carved tops with fineer).
That’s simply a beautiful guitar. You did well acquiring it. I have to admit that I’ve never given much thought to getting a 335 (despite my love of B.B.) until fairly recently - I’ve been happy playing a few Les Pauls for many years. However, things changed a few weeks ago when I became aware that there are some halfway decent 335 cheapies out there. Like in the $300 range. The one made by Donner actually might satisfy that itch. It just might add another dimension to my amateur six-string stylings. Or maybe not, lol, but it’ll be fun trying.
You should try a Harley Benton 335 style guitar, mine is beautifully put together, and sounds fabulous without spending a fortune. Check them out on TH-cam and decide for yourself, you've got nothing to lose by looking? 👍
May never come across one, but enjoyed the video, and as usual, the playing was inspirational. Thanks.
You're such a ripper Chris! That 335 is sweet. Even 2+ G's is great for an example like that.
While early Japanese guitars like the teisco were inexpensive poorly design beginner instruments, by the time the Orville’s were made Japanese manufacturing was world class. Look at their cars. The build quality of a Japanese Toyota versus a Detroit made anything are worlds apart, so it’s no wonder these are crafted so well.
After 35 years I’m still rocking a Ninja Warrior LP copy. Needs a refret but could never fault it (at least after I switched pups and tuners)
Great guitar! I can confirm what you say about Tokai: I own a 1980 Tokai Reborn Old Les Paul copy - wonderful guitar. On the other hand I would like to state that Norlin era Gibsons are not all that bad. I have also got a 1978 Gibson SG Standard manufacured in Kalmazoo. It features many of those aspects that are considered of lower quality: 14 degree neck angle, volute to support the headstock-neck transition, three-piece neck and Schaller harmonica bridge. The only thing I cchanged were the pickups. This is flawlessly made guitar and it sounds just great. It's a "vintage guitar" in it's own right.
My Orville by Gibson Les Paul has been on loan at my dads house for the past 3 years ( it left me in lockdown ) bizarrely he finally let me have it back yesterday. Good timing on your video Chris. Absolutely gorgeous guitars well worth the money. The quality is amazing, but now you’ve had the Josh Scott effect and prices and demand will sky rocket !
Terrific interesting video again Chris, and masterful playing as always. 👍❤️
Tasty jams here, thanks CB!
The jams were out of this world!
Anything you touch will be awesome
Very interesting Buckmaster, very interesting
Chris, I've got a 1980 Greco SA-1200 complete with original dry Z pickups. I'm sure we could arrange to get it in your hands
Dont get any better than that !
Great stuff as always
Perfect timing as I’ve just acquired a 1980 Argus SA Semi Hollow from Japan in a very similar dark burst colour. I think Argus is pretty rare but pretty sought after as it’s a high end build. Superb guitar for the money 👍🎸
Good wee start Dude, great video, Ive had 2 Gibsons, both were ok, sold them on, I have A Tokai Les Paul, Black Beauty, weighs a ton but sounds great. Im not a gear snob, if it does the job, its good enough, your 335 sounds beautiful, link to where your gigging and do you ever do Jams...
Amazing video Chris! What scale did you use for the intro Jam? I will be glad if someone else can tell me
The name Orville & that quack from the pickups I knew where you were heading on this one 😂
Great guitar 👍
I play a Gibsun (written on with gold pen) beat up 335 made by some guy and I love it. The last expensive guitar I owned became money to fix my wife's motorhome which she loves. She was happy, so was i. I'm not a cork sniffer or a collector. If I like a guitar I dont care what it says on the headstock. Same with the sax except the mark 6 RIP off I have is scandalously realistic down to serial numbers etc. It was 500 quid and not 7000.
Ive wanted an Orville by Gibson so badly for so long. Had I been aware of their existence whilst they were in production I would in fact own a few. I never learned of them at all until the late Naughties.
I think I’ll just upgrade, as needed, my Epiphone 335. But if the 335 was my #1 guitar style, I’d save my pennies and find a good Gibson 335.
Ive got an ‘92 Orville LP from fujigen… its one of the best LP ive ever played.
I had it refretted and if you can still get hold a ‘good one’… do it!.
Wow you also offset your 57's coils!?! I did that with a les paul classic and changed the magnets out for an A5 in fhe bridge and an A3 in the neck. Good stuff!
Damn…!
I would’ve been happy, just listening to the opening music …..! 🎶👍🏻🎸
I've got a Les Paul copy made in the Fuji factory back in 04(signature str1 - commissioned by tanglewood apparently). Gotoh hardware, vintage specs, long neck tenon and all. No wonder Gibson were sending out cease and desist's. Costs one tenth of a Gibson also🤣
The range was Plain Top, Flame Top, Quilt Top and Custom. Never could find a quilt top but have the other three . Fantastic guitars.
Amazing playing, mate.
You my friend play some of the tastious licks I've heard!!! Excellent
I actually thought you were going to talk about CHIBSONS! LOL!
I'm curious (not knocking it), what the intro playing sounds like without effects. I think it sounds great, and I realize effects have influence on how it's played. I think it would be interesting.
That has to be your most epic intro ever, man.
I have a ObG les paul custom from 89, I love it and it looks and sounds great
I have an ‘89 Orville by Gibson Les Paul. I’m not a Les Paul aficionado but I love it. Plays great and sounds great. It’s quite heavy but nothing compared to my bass guitars. Cost me less than £900 equivalent earlier this year. 👍🏽
Great Friday fretworks Chris (as always). I discovered Japanese guitars nearly 25 years back and have acquired several over the years - Burny, Greco, Orvile by Gibson and Orville, and Edwards. The oldest is an entry level 1977 Greco LP which is nice (and was cheap) but the later models were FAR superior. Black Burny LPC with VH1 pickups is a MONSTER, and OBG LPC comes with classic 57s and plays like a dream. Haven't bought any for many years now and am amazed how much some of them are now going for!
Same here, I discovered them in the 80's but started buying them in the early 2000's, I have a Greco RR65 LP custom, A Burny RR Custom, {RR is for Randy Roades model} , both from 1982, A Tokai ST70 strat from 1981 a Bacchus LP standard from the late 90's and 2 custom shop Tokai LP's, All marvellous guitars, and all keepers.... My first was a mid 70's Ibanez Rocket roll red flying Vee, should have kept that one, It was the set neck model and played very well...
@@MickH60got my eyes on a specific RR65 for a few weeks now, pretty versatile tonal spectrum, yeah?
Tokai are solid guitars and still are. Got a 335 version and hell it can sing, and would love one of their black Customs too. 😍😍😍😍
Thanks for sharing 🎸🎶🎵
Hidden gem, for sure! But well known by your followers now. Thanks for letting us in on it!
" Hello Chris, 1st Please Let me say, I think the short melodies you play in this video are " AWESOME " !!!! " Chris, would you ever consider making a video of " Teaching us Suck Player,s lol, but we try,lol, we cant help it, we Love it !!,LOL, could you consider placing the camera right in close to what your doing, while explaining to us the string(s) your striking, the fret number, including every bend an slide , essentially show an tell us exactly everything your doing on the neck, I heard some things , I had to re-play several times, to get a better understanding of what it was you were doing, it sounds fresh, new an exciting, a breathe of fresh air !! if you will, id LOVE to see video,s of you playing, close-up showing everything, while you explain , that would certainly be a treat for all of us who wish to improve our abilities , and you sir, have plenty of it,LOL, ive just become a new " Big Time Fan" I Hope to see vid,s of you Teaching those cool ,an wild sounding riff,s plus, the equipment your using when you made this video, your guitar sounded AWESOME !! the way you played your notes, was also AWESOME !! im the 68-tri burst Les Paul Custom, or in short, 68LesPaul , I almost bought a Explorer made by orville by Gibson, I thought it was a Great Deal, the Orville, was made with the same exact spec,s like the neck both the Orville and the Gibson were both made with Mahagony bodies, and necks , the bridges and stop tail pieces, also the same, even the tuner,s the only difference I could see or tell was the name at the top of the headstock !! thats it, oh yea, and the $$ Price, was a Huge Difference , to this day, I regret not buying the Orville, I still may end up buying one, Please make some Teaching Video,s Chris , I know I cant be the only player out here that would enjoy Learning how to play how you play your stuff, I think its super cool !!! 68LesPaul,
I got a RLC70 Burny LP for £600 and it was a very, very, rare lefty (since stolen) with VH1 pickups. Great guitar.
I can certainly vouch for these Japanese “Gibsons” . I bought a 1986 Burny Super Grade (I think😮 based on a 1960 LP Standard) from No. Tom Guitars in London a few years ago for £750. Yes it is heavy, but it plays and sounds lovely to my ears. It’s had some very favourable comments from some “real” LP owners when they’ve had a play on it
I don't care if it's 100% legit Gibson or not the sounds you get from it are epic. Cheers Chris
I absolutely love my Orville by Gibson Les Paul Standard in Wine Red. Definitely a hidden gem of a guitar.
A guy in a local band who my and plays a few shows with a year has both an Orville and a Greco lp copy. They are both amazing axes. Would not mind getting my hands on an orville
Have a 1978 Terada made Campbell CSA-75 (335 clone).
Amazing tone!
I would also like to mention the Aria Pro II Les Paul copies. I think they are the best copies out there from that era.
The Orville ES-335's are going upwards of $3,000 US on Reverb.
I was looking for a es335 and wasnt sure if I wanted to pay top dollar for a Gibson. I do already have a 68 les paul custom reissue. I came across an Eastman es335 style guitar (t486b) with some promising specs close to a gibson. Havent received it but it was a 1/3 of the price. Great playing btw!
Chris, have you been to Moto Music in Cardiff? I picked up a lovely ES135 there last week
I got a ‘77 Japanese Fender-style guitar/bass doubleneck from them - also a 70s Celestion G12H. Great service! 👍🏽
I own an 1978 EAGLE LES PAUL LH (so-called lawsuit guitar made in Japan). I am left-handed. Don't even get me started on trying to find ANY good-sounding left-handed guitars from 60s and 70s. So to have opportunity to own something that was played, is worn-in and has that vintage vibe - I was all in when one became available on ebay. And I picked it up for £300. I replaced pups for Gibson's 490r and 498t. That guitar sounds MUCH better than any modern Gibson Les Paul I played (and I played a few). It resonates, it intonates and it has mojo. So who cares if it has the Gibson logo on or not - nowadays I'm a bedroom player anyways. And my Eagle Les Paul is the only Les Paul I will ever need. Plays, feels and sounds amazing!
I was buying OBG's from Japan in the early 2000's for a few hundred Aussie dollars, that ship sailed long ago....
I feel it depends on what you get i bought a Chibson it looked and weighed the part but was a piece of junk quality wise so i went another direction and just traded it and another indonesian jackson adrian smith model which was not good either for a Burny Les Paul with a Floyd Rose and Sustainer pickup. All i can say is wow i am absolutely blown away with everything about this guitar, looks, weight, quality its just killer, its better. Than any other gibson Les Paul i have ever helped or played before. I gelled with the guitar immediately next i will search for an Orville or early Epiphone with open book headstock or even another early Burny
It’s not really fair to assume that wood is less desirable because it’s thinner, depends on the purpose really, the wood can be of equal quality to thicker boards, and laminating it creates a more stable piece, that it less prone to warp or twist. Maybe not a big issue with a maple cap but still …
Chris, can you share with us the string vendor and sizes for your 335? Sounds great. I also went with Faber for tail, bridge, and saddles for my 1980 Gibson 335. John
Try the Japanese Argus AA.... if you can find one. They were the highest end Japanese Gibson 335 copies.
Please allow me to pick up my jaw up off the floor.
I have a collection of Tokai guitars dating from 1981 to 2010, strats, LP's and a 335. I wouldn't trade them for the 'real' fender or Gibson ever, they are superb build quality certainly matching Fender and Gibson custom shop examples for half or ever less than half the cost.
I bloody love my Orville LP. Yes, it’s got a fotoflame but I really couldn’t give a monkeys about that. I’ve played hundreds of Les Pauls over the last 30 years but this Orville is the one that talks to me. My ‘04 LP Std Gibbo lives in its case in a cupboard. The Orville gets played daily.
P.S. My Fernandes The Revival Thinline Tele is also really rather good and not going anywhere.
The entire story behind the MIJ Fender guitars is stranger than fiction. Fender adopted a "if you can't beat them join them" strategy for a time in the 1980's where they had the legendary FujiGen Gakki guitar factory making Fender guitars that were superior to American Fender's from those yrs. For the next 20+ yrs those MIJ guitars were a real bargain until the prices went way up.
As always Chris you play the guitar so Excelance !!
I get the whole vintage/rare vibe but why not try an Epiphone ES-335 in Vintage Burst?
Passionate playing in the opening jam. Pity about the “dramatic” organ pad (or is it reverb drenched rhythm guitars?) making it sound like 1980s MOR cock rock. With less crash cymbal and no “wall of sound” the true aggression of that playing would really stand out. And Chris could use his incredible sense of touch dynamics more. This arrangement choice is the difference between early Clapton and his work on Strats. The playing didn’t change much, but that comfortable inert organ sound just took all the emotional range away. BTW I love you are acknowledging individual guitar quality over brand name. A player’s view for sure.
If possible, please review the Japanese made, open book headstock Epiphone LPs and ES models.
I have almost the same spec'd one from '89, which I got at a relatively low price... I'm shocked to see the prices of these, albeit, their quality is probably worth it in the long-run. The neck on mine is super thin, somewhat of a 60's spec'd Gibson. Not sure if others agree here?
Seems like it's time you got an ObG Les Paul from Mark then as well Chris. But, you have to pick a real R59 one, which unfortunately he hasn't got at the moment, unfortunately. Just wait a while until a nice one shows up.
The point is "Orville" and "Orville by Gibson" are real Gibsons but just made in Japan instead of the USA. The Japanese government would not allow Gibson to use the Gibson name on the headstock because the name Gibson was already being used by another company in Japan. So the name Orville was born the difference between Orville and the Orville by Gibson models is the later used all standard USA Gibson components. The Orville models were fitted with Gotoh parts.