These are the sort guitars that I grew up with. Started playing in 72 and the shops were full of...Antoria, Kimbara, Saxon, Avon, Columbus, Ibanez, Aria, and a host of other names. Most were made by either Matsumoku or Fujigen. But...Japanese "lawsuit" guitars didn't really start to get any good until about 78, when they really decided to up their game, with...fixed-necks, solid-wood bodies, and decent Maxxon pick-ups. Before 78, most Japanese guitars weren't great tbh...and they had plywood bodies and bolt-on necks. The exceptions to these being the Hondo IIs with Di Marzio pick ups...which ROAR! I had an Aria Pro II "Leopard Sound" in around 78, and it was a real GEM.
Hi Chris :-) Oh my, now we're talking! Same here - I'm a 1960 model so I remember being utterly envious of the rich kids that had the Shaftesbury's. I had an old, beaten up Hagstrom LP copy that was astonishingly competent. My one lamentable lost love was an early 80's Aria Pro ii neck-thru with DiMarzios and they rarely crop up these days in the format that mine came in. I'm probably remembering it with rose tinted nostalgia specs but it was a corker. Cheers, Gary :-)
I had a 1976-7 Antoria Les Paul Gold-top back in 1978. My first regret is selling it in the first place; my second is in swapping out the original humbuckers for DiMarzio Dual-Sounds complete with micro-switches. It was a cracking guitar.
Hi Peter :-) Ah, we all have a lost love like that. Mine was an Aria Pro ii with a thru-neck. As it turns out it came equipped with DiMarzios. Cheers, Gary :-)
I saw an Antoria replica of a Gibson Moderne in a pawn shop in NYC in the 1970s. First Moderne I ever saw in person (in guitar?). I think they were the same as Greco Modernes but I have never seen one of those except in pictures.
Hi Anymouse (anonymous?) :-) Now that's something I'd like to see. I'm aware of their existence but I think they now live with the Unicorns. It wouldn't surprise me if they out-valued the Gibsons! I was lucky enough to try out a Theodore Custom Shop and I'd like to try even one of the reissue Modernes but I doubt I'll ever see a Greco, Ibanez or Antoria model. Thanks so much for sharing :-)
Hi Gary, that's a lovely looking instrument. I thought it sounded nice albeit not as fat as a Gibson but nice and bright so it would certainly cut through the mix very nicely. It's guitars like this that make it essential to have a guitar tech who you know and trust who you can call on to sort things out for you when it's needed. I can manage a basic set up and have adjusted a truss rod or two in my time, but this one would have been well beyond my limited skills to sort out. That's why when I was searching for a Les Paul the first place I looked was for one you'd had your hands on. If I'm buying an instrument that I've only seen on a computer screen I figured I couldn't go wrong if you'd set it up. After the months of waiting which seemed like forever there's just three days to go before the price of a kidney drops into the bank and I'll be the very proud new owner of that lovely Studio 70s Tribute you had on a few weeks back. I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas. :)
Hahahahaha, hi Rod :-) I'm so happy that you're finally getting the Gibson you've been wanting all this time. If it ever needs work, just bung it in the post and I'll be happy to give it a whistle up with no charge so long as I'm allowed to review it again! Wise choice my friend, it's a belter. Cheers, Gary :-)
Hi Gary, I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas this week. The guitar should be with you to today. Your mate said he'd pop it in for a final check over before he sends it, I'm sure it's all good but it's fantastic that he's going the extra mile and you too. You can't get better than that when it comes to buying a guitar from the internet. Thanks so much for your kind offer and I'm sure I'll take you up on that in the future. The thing about getting the first Les Paul is, will one be enough!!!!
Bob's just popped round now with it for a final check prior to posting. Regarding you wanting another guitar, the old saying goes that if you know how many guitars you own you don't have enough!
Hi David :-) This one isn't mine, it only came in for work and I don't think he's got it up for sale just yet. You can see any of my eBay guitars on foxyfoxyfox eBay name. If you type in my seller name anything I've got on will come up. Cheers, Gary :-)
![ประสบการณ์ จ้าง Developer ที่ผมจะไม่มีวันลืม [ภาค2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pZbsSDRrmXA/mqdefault.jpg)
Great video. I bought this very guitar on eBay after watching your review. I love it!
Hi Euan :-) I'm so happy you like it :-) I really enjoyed reviewing this one and it looks excellent in that Ice Tea Burst. Cheers, Foxy :-)
These are the sort guitars that I grew up with.
Started playing in 72 and the shops were full of...Antoria, Kimbara, Saxon, Avon, Columbus, Ibanez, Aria, and a host of other names.
Most were made by either Matsumoku or Fujigen.
But...Japanese "lawsuit" guitars didn't really start to get any good until about 78, when they really decided to up their game, with...fixed-necks, solid-wood bodies, and decent Maxxon pick-ups.
Before 78, most Japanese guitars weren't great tbh...and they had plywood bodies and bolt-on necks.
The exceptions to these being the Hondo IIs with Di Marzio pick ups...which ROAR!
I had an Aria Pro II "Leopard Sound" in around 78, and it was a real GEM.
Hi Chris :-) Oh my, now we're talking! Same here - I'm a 1960 model so I remember being utterly envious of the rich kids that had the Shaftesbury's. I had an old, beaten up Hagstrom LP copy that was astonishingly competent. My one lamentable lost love was an early 80's Aria Pro ii neck-thru with DiMarzios and they rarely crop up these days in the format that mine came in. I'm probably remembering it with rose tinted nostalgia specs but it was a corker. Cheers, Gary :-)
I had a 1976-7 Antoria Les Paul Gold-top back in 1978. My first regret is selling it in the first place; my second is in swapping out the original humbuckers for DiMarzio Dual-Sounds complete with micro-switches. It was a cracking guitar.
Hi Peter :-) Ah, we all have a lost love like that. Mine was an Aria Pro ii with a thru-neck. As it turns out it came equipped with DiMarzios. Cheers, Gary :-)
I saw an Antoria replica of a Gibson Moderne in a pawn shop in NYC in the 1970s. First Moderne I ever saw in person (in guitar?). I think they were the same as Greco Modernes but I have never seen one of those except in pictures.
Hi Anymouse (anonymous?) :-) Now that's something I'd like to see. I'm aware of their existence but I think they now live with the Unicorns. It wouldn't surprise me if they out-valued the Gibsons! I was lucky enough to try out a Theodore Custom Shop and I'd like to try even one of the reissue Modernes but I doubt I'll ever see a Greco, Ibanez or Antoria model. Thanks so much for sharing :-)
Hi Gary, that's a lovely looking instrument. I thought it sounded nice albeit not as fat as a Gibson but nice and bright so it would certainly cut through the mix very nicely. It's guitars like this that make it essential to have a guitar tech who you know and trust who you can call on to sort things out for you when it's needed. I can manage a basic set up and have adjusted a truss rod or two in my time, but this one would have been well beyond my limited skills to sort out. That's why when I was searching for a Les Paul the first place I looked was for one you'd had your hands on. If I'm buying an instrument that I've only seen on a computer screen I figured I couldn't go wrong if you'd set it up. After the months of waiting which seemed like forever there's just three days to go before the price of a kidney drops into the bank and I'll be the very proud new owner of that lovely Studio 70s Tribute you had on a few weeks back. I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas. :)
Hahahahaha, hi Rod :-) I'm so happy that you're finally getting the Gibson you've been wanting all this time. If it ever needs work, just bung it in the post and I'll be happy to give it a whistle up with no charge so long as I'm allowed to review it again! Wise choice my friend, it's a belter. Cheers, Gary :-)
Hi Gary, I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas this week. The guitar should be with you to today. Your mate said he'd pop it in for a final check over before he sends it, I'm sure it's all good but it's fantastic that he's going the extra mile and you too. You can't get better than that when it comes to buying a guitar from the internet. Thanks so much for your kind offer and I'm sure I'll take you up on that in the future. The thing about getting the first Les Paul is, will one be enough!!!!
Bob's just popped round now with it for a final check prior to posting. Regarding you wanting another guitar, the old saying goes that if you know how many guitars you own you don't have enough!
Can you put a link for your ebay in the description please gary.👍🏻
Hi David :-) This one isn't mine, it only came in for work and I don't think he's got it up for sale just yet. You can see any of my eBay guitars on foxyfoxyfox eBay name. If you type in my seller name anything I've got on will come up. Cheers, Gary :-)
Antoria? Never seen one, never heard of them in 35 years of playing guitar. Born too late i guess.
Possibly, yes