Members Brian Krashpad Posted March 12, 2010 Members Share Posted March 12, 2010 @soundcreation - Actually, that's not quite true - they sued Activision over the Guitar Hero product. Gibson also got their ass handed to them when they sued PRS over the PRS singlecut. PRS got hometowned by some judge in Memphis, who was promptly reversed on appeal. Gibson Guitar Corp. v. Paul Reed Smith Guitars, 423 F.3d 539, 544 (6th Cir.2005). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EllenGtrGrl Posted March 12, 2010 Members Share Posted March 12, 2010 My first electric was a Memphis, early 60s Melody Maker copy, back in 1981. Other than weighing a ton, and having a sticky neck, it was a pretty decent guitar. In the early 90s, for a few months, I used a Memphis LP copy (with a set neck, gold plated hardware, and DiMarzio Super Distortion pickups [those weren't stock - a previous owner installed them]) as a backup and alternative tunings guitar. It was also a pretty decent guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StraySinger Posted March 12, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 12, 2010 Here's a view of another Memphis of the same profile as mine that I got sent as a reply to this question on VintAxe.com... maybe this will help trigger some memories. Still looking for a model number! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Tele Posted March 12, 2010 Members Share Posted March 12, 2010 Here's a view of another Memphis of the same profile as mine that I got sent as a reply to this question on VintAxe.com... maybe this will help trigger some memories. Still looking for a model number! haha that pic angle makes the headstcok look freakishly big...These are really cool looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StraySinger Posted March 12, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 12, 2010 @Angry Tele - Hahaha! You're right. That's pretty funny. Gonna go pick up a practice amp, a cable, and a new set of strings for one of my acoustics, since I don't want to string two of them the same... and a #$!@% peg winder. I will NOT restring my 12-string without one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members headless Posted March 12, 2010 Members Share Posted March 12, 2010 @Angry Tele I'm gone for a few days and things have changed. I didn't get the memo on this, "@headless" thing. Can it be done automatically somehow, or do I have to type it each time? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StraySinger Posted March 12, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 12, 2010 @headless - I do it manually; it's basically something I picked up off another BBoard I post on. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted March 13, 2010 Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 From http://www.ehow.com/facts_4927795_what-history-memphis-guitars.html"Memphis guitars were produced from the 1970s to the middle of the 1980s and were largely based off the Gibson Les Paul and SG model of guitar. Yamaha Instruments owned Memphis guitars.Memphis guitars began when the Yamaha corporation saw a huge demand for Gibson-style guitars and decided to offer its own knock-off version at a much lower price than an authentic Gibson. The Gibson Guitar Company sued Memphis guitars in the mid 1980s to cease production as it felt Memphis had stolen its guitar design."Another source says they were MIJ and imported my Kaman. The plot thickens... No sources in that article so therefore it is not a source. Yes Gibson did sue PRS...fair point...but I was basically referring to the "lawsuit era" guitars, in which there were virtually no law suits aside from the one I mentioned. Should have made that more clear. My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lachupakabra361 Posted March 13, 2010 Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 I love my memphis to death! i put an epiphone lp bridge humbucker in it at its amazing! best metal guitar i own. it oozes tone which is surprising cause its plywood! haha texas special single coil was temporary. oh and no, the paint job is not original. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StraySinger Posted March 13, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 @lachupakabra361 - Awesome paint job! I picked up a practice amp this afternoon... and I'm about to try it out! :-D Tonal quality report to follow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members harold heckuba Posted March 13, 2010 Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 Your Memphis was also labeled as Cort. I used to have one just like it with a Cort logo. Body was plywood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StraySinger Posted March 13, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 @harold heckuba - Interesting. Yes, it's plywood... Also interesting, while Memphis is defunct, it looks like Cort is still around! They aren't making anything nearly as primitive (so to speak) as the Memphis now, though... Looks like a single body style with numerous finishes, both on guitars and basses. The points of the body are a lot pointier on Corts than they are on my Memphis, and the headstock is different now. (I don't know about in the late 1970s-early 1980s.) Here's a current-model Cort electric guitar: and bass: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Tele Posted March 13, 2010 Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 @Angry Tele memphis=cort? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tartanphantom Posted March 13, 2010 Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 Memphis has nothing to do with Yamaha. The Wiki is a farce, and so is Ehow... I guess the rule of thumb is that if you don't have accurate info, just smoke some crack and make up a story. Furthermore, the Wiki and Ehow state that Gibson sued them in the mid 80's. However, Memphis-branded Gibson copies were being sold as far back as 1976... I seriously doubt that it would have taken Norlin 6 or 7 years to formulate a lawsuit for design copyright or patent infringement, nor do I believe that it would have taken them that long to even figure out that their designs were being scarfed. Nevertheless, people see this stuff on the internet and automatically assume that it MUST be true-- after all, who would dare post something false or inaccurate on Wikipedia? However, Memphis WAS imported and distributed by Kaman (C. Bruno & Son, Inc.) The practice of a wholesale distributor "creating" a budget or student-line house brand from some generic import line was quite common in the 60's and 70's. It is more likely that Memphis was made by Cort or possibly Matsumoku although I cannot confirm this 100%. How do I know this? I have copies of the 1977 and 1982 Memphis catalogs. You can plainly see the connection with Kaman (aka C. Bruno & Son) listed on the back of the catalog. There is NO mention of Yamaha at all. Also, since Yamaha already had its own distribution network, there would have been no reason or benefit to having Kaman distribute them. Unfortunately for the OP, his particular model is not listed in either the 1977 or the 1982 catalog, which is a pretty good indication that it came some time after that. (Click on thumbnails to enlarge) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members harold heckuba Posted March 13, 2010 Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 I am guessing that guy who got on here with 2 posts a while back and was trying to get us to buy his Memphis LP for $800 is the person who edited that Wiki and added the Yamaha info. He was insisting his was made by Yamaha, and everyone disagreed. Coincidentally (or not), wikipedia now has Memphis made by Yamaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GreaserMatt Posted March 13, 2010 Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 That guitar is awesome; memphis' have been many a great guitar player's first guitar.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GreaserMatt Posted March 13, 2010 Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 That guitar is awesome; memphis' have been many a great guitar player's first guitar.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Tele Posted March 13, 2010 Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 @Harold Heckuba I was kind of waiting for teh spam, wasn't sure though I am guessing that guy who got on here with 2 posts a while back and was trying to get us to buy his Memphis LP for $800 is the person who edited that Wiki and added the Yamaha info. He was insisting his was made by Yamaha, and everyone disagreed. Coincidentally (or not), wikipedia now has Memphis made by Yamaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tartanphantom Posted March 13, 2010 Members Share Posted March 13, 2010 I am guessing that guy who got on here with 2 posts a while back and was trying to get us to buy his Memphis LP for $800 is the person who edited that Wiki and added the Yamaha info. He was insisting his was made by Yamaha, and everyone disagreed. Coincidentally (or not), wikipedia now has Memphis made by Yamaha. Possibly. I do know that I personally added the "citation needed" and "dubious" tags to the Wiki article, because it is pretty baseless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted March 14, 2010 Members Share Posted March 14, 2010 Possibly. I do know that I personally added the "citation needed" and "dubious" tags to the Wiki article, because it is pretty baseless. that's good that you did that. Personally I think Wiki is a fantastic way to record event, history and facts. It's not dictated AT you by some academic or political body with an agenda and people can call bull{censored} on it anytime they feel. Just because facts come to you in a book doesn't make them anymore believable either. It's all about correctly sourcing your views. If your info is sourced and correct..which is easy to check, then it will be fine. If you write B.S. then you can be called on it as tartan has done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StraySinger Posted March 16, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 16, 2010 Got this from Yamaha support - they probably don't know everything, but it was someplace to start: Hello Sal,Unfortunately information on the Memphis guitar line of guitars is not available this time. I believe they we similar to a Les Paul guitar.-Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StraySinger Posted March 16, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 16, 2010 @tartanphantom - Great information; thanks! Someone needs to update that Wikipedia page... For the record, I never said it was absolutely true just because it was on teh Interwebz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StraySinger Posted March 16, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 16, 2010 I've sent a message to Kaman (KMC Music) - hopefully they will have all their catalogs and will be able to provide the information I'm looking for. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tartanphantom Posted March 16, 2010 Members Share Posted March 16, 2010 For the record, I never said it was absolutely true just because it was on teh Interwebz. Wasn't implying that you were to blame, I blame the source of the info, not the guy who finds it on some website:thu:. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Railfanespee Posted March 16, 2010 Members Share Posted March 16, 2010 Cool guitar! Interestingly, it has the same bridge as my Harmony H804, although I bet yours plays and sounds quite a bit better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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