Members mc5nrg Posted February 3, 2008 Members Share Posted February 3, 2008 I think the guitars were MIJ imports and the amps USA made. Much more of a presence in the Western USA. Well, relatively speaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members adlo76 Posted February 3, 2008 Members Share Posted February 3, 2008 no string thru body?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Buck62 Posted February 3, 2008 Members Share Posted February 3, 2008 Aims guitars were manufactured at the Hoshino plant (Japan) circa the mid 70's, along with Ibanez, Elger and Penco guitars. For the most part, they shared the same bodies and hardware as Penco guitars. But the Penco's usually had nicer MOP inlay on the neck and also used MOP in it's name on the headstock. Thus, costing a few bucks more. From what I remember, the Penco's were sold in the east and midwest USA, as they were distributed by the Philadelphia Music Exchange. Aims guitars were sold further west, as the distributor (Randall) was located in California. Don't be confused by the fact that the ads for these Japanese copy guitars stated they were manufactured by a US company. These companies were simply distributors. There were very few of these distributors that actually did the full design and original prototypes in the USA. Univox (whose parent company was Unicord - which eventually became Korg) was one of the US companies that did their own design on traditional American-designed guitars. Another US guitar company called Westbury Guitars did their own completely original designs and prototypes here in the USA. The first few hundred guitars were actually manufactured here. But Westbury (which was also a subsidiary of Unicord) quickly realized that they could reap larger profits by contracting a Japanese manufacturer, so they had the Matsumoku factory manufacture their guitars. The reason that the American companies implied that they were the manufacturers of many of these Japanese-made copies was because they believed it would help them sell more guitars... plain and simple. There was a stigma attached to buying Japanese-made products back then because WWII was still fairly fresh in people's memories. Putting an American sounding name on the headstock and advertising these guitars as their own helped them sell better. Props to mc5nrg for knowing his stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted February 3, 2008 Members Share Posted February 3, 2008 I have one that I bought new in 1975 or so (and still have it). The neck is narrow and the fingerboard very flat. I replaced the neck pup when it died. The stock pups are by Maxon (MIJ), and as I recall, the dealer came straight out and told me the guitar was MIJ. I was shopping for a Tele, and these were about $100 less expensive and (according to the certified Aims-Randall dealer) of better quality than CBS-Fender stuff. When I look at what a 1974-5 Tele is worth today , I am reminded that I was a-stupid kid. The AIMS is a fairly well-made rock of a guitar overall. However, the bridge position is such that good intonation (on mine) is achieved only at the extremes of backing-up the saddles. The whole toploader is rather rinky-dink. And, the original tuners could be better. These do show up on Ebay occasionally. A like-new one was listed recently, and I was tempted. Me as a kid with my new guitar: And 2nd from left in a recent line-up: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Buck62 Posted February 3, 2008 Members Share Posted February 3, 2008 What did that Aims Tele cost you brand new? I'm guessing around $115.00? I got my '75 Penco SG brand new for $110, which was ten bucks less than the actual price. The guy who owned the guitar store cut me a break because $110 was all I had to spend after cleaning out my savings account for my first electric guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted February 4, 2008 Members Share Posted February 4, 2008 What did that Aims Tele cost you brand new? I'm guessing around $115.00? I got my '75 Penco SG brand new for $110, which was ten bucks less than the actual price. The guy who owned the guitar store cut me a break because $110 was all I had to spend after cleaning out my savings account for my first electric guitar. More like $175, plus tax, after making a deal. The AIMS SG was less expensive, AFAIK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jagid Posted February 5, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 I have one that I bought new in 1975 or so (and still have it). The neck is narrow and the fingerboard very flat. I replaced the neck pup when it died. The stock pups are by Maxon (MIJ), and as I recall, the dealer came straight out and told me the guitar was MIJ. I was shopping for a Tele, and these were about $100 less expensive and (according to the certified Aims-Randall dealer) of better quality than CBS-Fender stuff. When I look at what a 1974-5 Tele is worth today , I am reminded that I was a-stupid kid. The AIMS is a fairly well-made rock of a guitar overall. However, the bridge position is such that good intonation (on mine) is achieved only at the extremes of backing-up the saddles. The whole toploader is rather rinky-dink. And, the original tuners could be better. These do show up on Ebay occasionally. A like-new one was listed recently, and I was tempted. Me as a kid with my new guitar: great old photo there Jerry... on first glance, i'd sware that was myself in that pic. eccept i was only age13 in 1975. my tele looks exactally like yours, flat/narrow neck. there's no markings on the guitar anywhere to indicate import or orgin of creation, theres some #s on the pots and pickups but everything else is totally generic w/o markings. there is a serial # impressed into the headstock, also a hand written in pencil, low 3 digit #number under the clear finish on the neck butt... weather mine is original parts can only be verified by comparing it to yours, since these are the only two i have ever seen, and you bought yours new. yours looks to be in much better condition, as mine was rescued from a nashville recording studio... it had a rough eairly life. purchased 1990 for $175, so i'd say it was a decent buy. ............................................................................. not being my intent to make a big deal out just another knockoff tele but the lack of solid and or reliable information compells me to keep digging. stay groovy' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dsbluegrass Posted March 26, 2008 Members Share Posted March 26, 2008 I just picked an Aims tele from a friend. I've been hounding him for 15 years to sell it...he never plays it. He bought it new back in '74 or '75. I can post a pick if anyone is interested. It's pretty much original except it has Fender tuning keys. Does anyone know what kind of wood the body is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted March 26, 2008 Members Share Posted March 26, 2008 I just picked an Aims tele from a friend. I've been hounding him for 15 years to sell it...he never plays it. He bought it new back in '74 or '75. I can post a pick if anyone is interested. It's pretty much original except it has Fender tuning keys. Does anyone know what kind of wood the body is? Hell yes, post a pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dsbluegrass Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Here it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Here it is... LOL... That one has the same mods as mine! My neck pup died, so i swapped in a Strat-sized replacement. The original Kluson-style tuners sucked, and I installed aftermarket jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members harold heckuba Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 I used to have an Aims Les Paul that was black with a bolt on maple neck and fingerboard. The fingerboard had black block inlays. It was decent, but not great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dsbluegrass Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Glad to see there are more out there. For what it is, its awesome. The banana yellow faded finish matches my '72 strat. I've been on a Danny Gatton kick lately and wanted to get a cheap Tele. If anyone has any guesses to what kind of wood the body is, I love to here it... and thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GilmourD Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Is that a separate maple fretboard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Krashpad Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Congrats! (o)(o) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Originally Posted by GilmourD Is that a separate maple fretboard? Yessir. Maple slab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iambeetle Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 may I ask what strings do you use in the picture? Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Originally Posted by iambeetle may I ask what strings do you use in the picture?Thanks!! Ernie Ball 10s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jagid Posted April 2, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 2, 2008 farout... now we have 3.were only this model/color made ya think? the catalog image shows the same guitar.one post in here claimed he had a strat, the catalog lineup doesn't show one... either it's a false statment or theres more aims guitars than that catalog image shows.anyway, mine still has the original maxon pickups and they work great, i see no reason to need a fender other than for the name... pfffender.not sure what the body wood type is, i'm no wood grain expert but heres a pic for anyone that maybe can identify it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted April 3, 2008 Members Share Posted April 3, 2008 Originally Posted by jagid farout... now we have 3.were only this model/color made ya think? the catalog image shows the same guitar.one post in here claimed he had a strat, the catalog lineup doesn't show one... either it's a false statment or theres more aims guitars than that catalog image shows.anyway, mine still has the original maxon pickups and they work great, i see no reason to need a fender other than for the name... pfffender.not sure what the body wood type is, i'm no wood grain expert but heres a pic for anyone that maybe can identify it. Hmmm...lauan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dsbluegrass Posted April 5, 2008 Members Share Posted April 5, 2008 Thanks for the pics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted November 20, 2012 Members Share Posted November 20, 2012 Well, it has been 4 and a half years... anyone else find one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rolfman Posted January 24, 2013 Members Share Posted January 24, 2013 My Mom (RIP) bought me an Aims Tele back in 1974 for $170. A quality guitar, heavy, with the famous Tele sound. It brings back fond memories of jamming in a garage band when I was a teen. I bought a cheezy multi-colored pick guard for it (probably de-valued it somewhat, but who cares). I forget what happened to it. I don't think there were many produced.....I've never seen another. As copies go, it was a very good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members asterlite Posted February 15, 2015 Members Share Posted February 15, 2015 I just wanted to stop in and say hi! I found(rescued) one! and cost me all of 125 bucks. best money Ill ever have spent. looks identical to yours picker.It plays and sounds incredible. Man they made some awesome guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted February 16, 2015 Members Share Posted February 16, 2015 they were made by Fuji Gen Gakki, the same plant that made Ibanez. I have seen a few AIMS Paul copies around, and they played just like the Ibanez ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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