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High end Japanese Guitars


jwguitar

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I didn't own it but I played one of these for a while in the early 80s. It belonged to a bass player friend who was in the band.

 

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It was the guitar that opened my eyes to the high end Japanese instruments. I like the early JV Series Fender as well as Ibanez and Yamaha (MIJ) 335 styles.

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I don't have any high-end Japanese guitars, but I do have a few MIJ's that I enjoy nonetheless -

1978 Ibanez Performer PF200

1990 Fender MIJ HRR 60's Strat

1997 Fender CIJ 62 Reissue Jaguar

1998 Fender MIJ 72 Reissue Tele Custom

 

My buddy has an Ibby ST300 that's on the higher end of their line from 1979. Great guitar.

 

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My Manoman Paul clone, made by Chusin Gakki around 79, My 94 Ibanez TC-630, Fuji Gen Gakki, 79 Epiphone Genesis. Ok, not a Japanese company, but most likely made in Japan. (early serial; number, later ones made in Taiwan.) A 84 Electra Workingman 280. NOT a high end, but plays as good as one.

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I have a 62 tele RI that I got in about 1985, which is my grab and go. I also have to Gretsch guitar, a Power Jet and a Tenny Rose. All 3 were made in Japan and are really nice. The tele has some dings and mileage on it after 30 years, but it's doing ok.

 

 

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I have an El Maya EM1300. It cost £239 (reduced from £279) in a clearance of new old stock in 1988.

It was a brand new 10 year old guitar (sill in polythene and covered in the plastic film) - nobody knew what they were back then or now. I have never seen another.

about 10 years ago I took it to luthier for a proper set up before I learned how, and was told "If you ever want to sell it, don't! Its the best guitar ever to come into the workshop - you will be spending thousands to get that kind of quality nowadays from an american made Les Paul, and you would always regret it. he had seen others and his connclusion was the same about those.

I still have it.

It is an El Maya original design, but Les Paul fans will feel at home. A pair of high gain open faced humbuckers, one volume pot and one control pot for each pickup.

Solid mahogany arched top (could be chambered) straight through maple neck with Mahogany stripes (not a set neck, its sraight through) through body string set up to a hard tail strat type tail piece with fully adjustable saddles.

The hardware is gold plated.

It has incredibly volume and sustain unamplified. Through my fender amp, I find it best suited to classic rock, melodic rock and heavy blues style.

not well suited to funk, country but ok for Jazz - too much note well and sustain with less articulate attack, and just too high gain.

But it is awesome, beautifully built, incredible detailing in the body bindings echoing the soundhole on spanish guitars.

I the vfactory wasnt destroyed by the earthquake, they would have gone bust with such over-engineered guitars.

I will post some pictures when I get a chance.

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