Ibanez guitars actually do have Spanish roots. In the early 1900s, parent company Hoshino Shoten had been importing guitars made by luthier Salvator Ibanez. Salvator Ibanez went out of business with the Spanish Revolution (1936), however. Subsequently, Hoshino purchased the "Salvator Ibanez" trademark to continue manufacture of the brand.
Hohner was a german company, manufacturer of harps + accordeons established in 1857. Sure they were the main importer of guitars in Germany + Europe. Since 1997 the trade name Hohner belongs to Taiwan corporation KHS.
This video is so informative and interesting dude, thanks. I have an Ibanez Sr800 MIJ, Vester Tradition and a Hohner Arbor series LP type. All wicked guitars with something about them.
Dont forget to talk about all the Great guitars that came out of the Matsumoku factory that some of these and other big names had them build for them and that SLM Saint Louis Music is the ones that imported them over under the names of Westone, Alvarez. That would be a great video to watch from someone like you that takes some time to research and I believe that why your very informed. Please consider it! Thanks for this one.
My dad just walked thru my door handing my a 70s Cortez strat he got. For 40bucks at a flea market I changed the strings amd the thing sounds amazing... this video is the only thing with a made In japan type explanation so thank you... considering my vintage guitar collection is nothing more than a 60s teisco this new Cortez from the 70s and a Memphis bass I got given to me years back I'm glad I now know the brass tacks about my 3 oldies hanging on my wall :) thank you so much
I have had two of the 70s Japanese copy guitars, a Memphis Strat copy and one called a Brazos, which was an ES-135 copy. The Memphis was literally made out of particle board, and was heavier than a Les Paul, but had good pickups and sounded great. The Brazos was an ES-135 copy and one of the finest guitars I have ever laid hands on. In ignorance of what I had, and wanting a solid body, I traded it for a Bill Lawrence Tele copy which I had until my psycho ex broke into my house and stole it and then destroyed it. Anyway, if you run across my Brazos 135 copy, let me know and I might just be willing to come to AZ and buy it.
Nice and informative video. It does not skip over the fact that all japanese guitars are not made equal. I have a few japanese guitars and basses from the 80's and early 90's (Squier and Fender, Epiphone, Ibanez Roadstar II, Blazer and ATK, Aria Pro II RS, Burny, Westwood) that are a joy to play. On the other hand, someone recently lent me a Teisco EP-2L to try out. It was absolute garbage. Just because it says "Made in Japan" does not make it a winner, especially before 1980.
Another excellent informative video. Thank you for the upload. I have two Japanese Fenders. They are extremely underrated guitars. You want a 50s strat but don’t want to spend 2k? You can pick up a Japanese for less than a Mexican and they’re superior in every way.
I have an 86 62 reissue Strat. It’s the finest strat I’ve played to date. It’s vintage white with a rosewood board but it’s turned crazy yellow, which I find odd because I thought these had Poly finishes?
Polyurethane, while being much more durable is yellowing only slightly slower than NC. Polyester doesn't, that's one way how the instruments teach the important distinction between poly_ester and poly_urethane after a few decades - a distinction the average US guitar player has not learned to make because everyone just calls it all "poly". Polyester armor coating is rarely to be found on Japanese guitars beyond the so-called "bizarre" era of the 60s, while e.g. Fender embraced that crap in the 70s to $ave the undercoating efforts.
I think the Korean made guitars are fallowing the same path. PRS stopped making there guitars in Korea in 2019 and all the used Korean made PRS guitars are around a $1000 on EBay now
I have a Ventura Bruno V-20 guitar. I can find virtually zero information about it. It has a almost 1/4" wooden pick-guard, which I have never seen. I love it but I'd like to find out more about it.
Japanese wood working companies were coping Fender Gibson guitars and the only thing to do is to contract them out and that’s why Japanese made guitars because the only way to profit from the copywriter patients violated was to contract them out and collect the profits.
@@mr_ozzio5095 the gold foil pickups are clear clean and have a fender banjo tone and the reissued pickups were not gold foil they were chrome and they are hot and heavy fat and deep hard tones like Metallica but with a fender banjo sound if you can catch my drift! Lol
@@mr_ozzio5095 what I’m learning about the Japanese Fender Mustang is Matsumoto Japan was where the FujiGen GaKki guitars were made for Gibson Epiphone and Fender and the Mustang was a Fender model that was being copied and it was a damn good job so Fender went and followed The Epiphone Gibson lead and they were in contract with FugiGen GaKki Matsumoto Japan until 1987 and then the plant shutdown.
@@mr_ozzio5095 I only have the Japanese guitars I own because they were the best quality for the price and I bought them in parts and made them happen.
I have an old Maxitone semi-hollow bass that I can't find any information on. Looking on Google, I've only seen one picture and it was broken, but no info. Do you have any information on this bass?
Hey Man! Nice video! I would love to see more about Japan made guitars. Btw. I've got a question. I love vintage Japan basses,already got 70s Fender and 90s Edwards. Now I've got an opportunity to buy 80s CG Winner jazz bass, but I'm really struggling to dig some more information about that company. According to information from a current owner, those were made in Matsumoku same as Ibanez, Aria or Vantage. But due to poor marketing company died. Anyway, have you got any more knowledge about CG Winner maybe? Thanks!
@@GarysGuitarsUSA @Gary's Guitars yes it's MIJ. According to information I was able to find it was made by a very close friend of Leo Fender. Fender even helped CG starting a business. Guitars were make at Matsumoku. Unfortunately, CG was not a good businessman and company didn't survive. Already bought it, waiting for delivery
it would of been cooler if japanese companies would of said no to american guitar companies and stuck creating those super cool , authentic and unique guitars as they did from the mid 60s to the early 70s
Eddie Van Halen needed a extra small neck because he had little tiny hands and could not play a man size guitar off the shelf. He didn’t really do anything else but make a very small guitar. Eddie looked like he was Chinese.
not familiar with those. There were a lot of "stencil" instruments from Japan. That means USA based companies bought a bunch of them and had the option to put their own name on it.
Ibanez guitars actually do have Spanish roots. In the early 1900s, parent company Hoshino Shoten had been importing guitars made by luthier Salvator Ibanez. Salvator Ibanez went out of business with the Spanish Revolution (1936), however. Subsequently, Hoshino purchased the "Salvator Ibanez" trademark to continue manufacture of the brand.
That explains why my telecaster from Japan parts sound way too good and won't ever trade for a guitar modern or vintage 😅
Hohner was a german company, manufacturer of harps + accordeons established in 1857. Sure they were the main importer of guitars in Germany + Europe. Since 1997 the trade name Hohner belongs to Taiwan corporation KHS.
Fernandes and Vantage are 2 of my favorite Japanese Guitars.
I have a Burny Les Paul Junior & Explorer, Fernandes' brand of mostly Gibson & Fender replicas, from the 80s (Burnys golden era). They are awesome.
This video is so informative and interesting dude, thanks. I have an Ibanez Sr800 MIJ, Vester Tradition and a Hohner Arbor series LP type. All wicked guitars with something about them.
Dont forget to talk about all the Great guitars that came out of the Matsumoku factory that some of these and other big names had them build for them and that SLM Saint Louis Music is the ones that imported them over under the names of Westone, Alvarez.
That would be a great video to watch from someone like you that takes some time to research and I believe that why your very informed. Please consider it! Thanks for this one.
My dad just walked thru my door handing my a 70s Cortez strat he got. For 40bucks at a flea market I changed the strings amd the thing sounds amazing... this video is the only thing with a made In japan type explanation so thank you... considering my vintage guitar collection is nothing more than a 60s teisco this new Cortez from the 70s and a Memphis bass I got given to me years back I'm glad I now know the brass tacks about my 3 oldies hanging on my wall :) thank you so much
Your dad is 😎 very smart
I have had two of the 70s Japanese copy guitars, a Memphis Strat copy and one called a Brazos, which was an ES-135 copy. The Memphis was literally made out of particle board, and was heavier than a Les Paul, but had good pickups and sounded great. The Brazos was an ES-135 copy and one of the finest guitars I have ever laid hands on. In ignorance of what I had, and wanting a solid body, I traded it for a Bill Lawrence Tele copy which I had until my psycho ex broke into my house and stole it and then destroyed it. Anyway, if you run across my Brazos 135 copy, let me know and I might just be willing to come to AZ and buy it.
I have a beautiful 1991 Fernandes 57 Stratocaster replica. Its absolutely beautiful.
Nice and informative video. It does not skip over the fact that all japanese guitars are not made equal. I have a few japanese guitars and basses from the 80's and early 90's (Squier and Fender, Epiphone, Ibanez Roadstar II, Blazer and ATK, Aria Pro II RS, Burny, Westwood) that are a joy to play. On the other hand, someone recently lent me a Teisco EP-2L to try out. It was absolute garbage. Just because it says "Made in Japan" does not make it a winner, especially before 1980.
Portsmouth! Woot! I grew up in Southern NH. Great videos with great information.
Another excellent informative video. Thank you for the upload. I have two Japanese Fenders. They are extremely underrated guitars. You want a 50s strat but don’t want to spend 2k? You can pick up a Japanese for less than a Mexican and they’re superior in every way.
I have a Memphis PBass MIJ is amazing
Don’t forget FGN they’re highly thought of.
Love Aria pro2
Excelent information!!
Very informative 🎸
I have an 86 62 reissue Strat. It’s the finest strat I’ve played to date. It’s vintage white with a rosewood board but it’s turned crazy yellow, which I find odd because I thought these had Poly finishes?
Polyurethane, while being much more durable is yellowing only slightly slower than NC. Polyester doesn't, that's one way how the instruments teach the important distinction between poly_ester and poly_urethane after a few decades - a distinction the average US guitar player has not learned to make because everyone just calls it all "poly". Polyester armor coating is rarely to be found on Japanese guitars beyond the so-called "bizarre" era of the 60s, while e.g. Fender embraced that crap in the 70s to $ave the undercoating efforts.
I think the Korean made guitars are fallowing the same path. PRS stopped making there guitars in Korea in 2019 and all the used Korean made PRS guitars are around a $1000 on EBay now
Made in Korea guitars are great. Definitely want to make a video about those too.
The old pros retire and the greatness fades
@@GarysGuitarsUSA What do you know about Yamaki? And Kasuga?
I just picked up a super mystery guitar today and I believe it’s a 80’s Japanese Les Paul
7:02 hola puede ser una Shiro, yo tengo una y es fantástica
Hello!! What can you say about the goya g-340 a part of cf Martin made in Japan . Thank you
I have a Ventura Bruno V-20 guitar. I can find virtually zero information about it. It has a almost 1/4" wooden pick-guard, which I have never seen. I love it but I'd like to find out more about it.
Thank you! Always had interest in this story. Have mij fender jazzmaster and also fernandez rickenbacker
spacibo!
Japanese wood working companies were coping Fender Gibson guitars and the only thing to do is to contract them out and that’s why Japanese made guitars because the only way to profit from the copywriter patients violated was to contract them out and collect the profits.
Tokai made japanese fender for a while, very nice p-bass"hard puncher" with a very naff name....
@@mr_ozzio5095 the gold foil pickups are clear clean and have a fender banjo tone and the reissued pickups were not gold foil they were chrome and they are hot and heavy fat and deep hard tones like Metallica but with a fender banjo sound if you can catch my drift! Lol
@@f1s2hg3 never played one, just heard mostly good stuff about them.
@@mr_ozzio5095 what I’m learning about the Japanese Fender Mustang is Matsumoto Japan was where the FujiGen GaKki guitars were made for Gibson Epiphone and Fender and the Mustang was a Fender model that was being copied and it was a damn good job so Fender went and followed The Epiphone Gibson lead and they were in contract with FugiGen GaKki Matsumoto Japan until 1987 and then the plant shutdown.
@@mr_ozzio5095 I only have the Japanese guitars I own because they were the best quality for the price and I bought them in parts and made them happen.
Great vid Gary. Do you have any info on a mid70s DIA Les Paul copy?
Have you heard of the brand "Vintage born in states developed in japan" is this a mij brand?
Thank you
I have a ‘70’s era Royce that is a copy of Les Paul Gibson. Is it worth anything at all?
I have an old Maxitone semi-hollow bass that I can't find any information on. Looking on Google, I've only seen one picture and it was broken, but no info. Do you have any information on this bass?
Hey Man! Nice video! I would love to see more about Japan made guitars. Btw. I've got a question. I love vintage Japan basses,already got 70s Fender and 90s Edwards. Now I've got an opportunity to buy 80s CG Winner jazz bass, but I'm really struggling to dig some more information about that company. According to information from a current owner, those were made in Matsumoku same as Ibanez, Aria or Vantage. But due to poor marketing company died.
Anyway, have you got any more knowledge about CG Winner maybe? Thanks!
That one is new to me.. but if it's real MIJ, and the price is right, go for it.
@@GarysGuitarsUSA @Gary's Guitars yes it's MIJ. According to information I was able to find it was made by a very close friend of Leo Fender. Fender even helped CG starting a business. Guitars were make at Matsumoku. Unfortunately, CG was not a good businessman and company didn't survive. Already bought it, waiting for delivery
czcams.com/video/7t-UWOogxhI/video.html
And here it is!
Greco and Tokai next please.
Is selder bass is known brand in Japan ?
it would of been cooler if japanese companies would of said no to american guitar companies and stuck creating those super cool , authentic and unique guitars as they did from the mid 60s to the early 70s
Eddie Van Halen needed a extra small neck because he had little tiny hands and could not play a man size guitar off the shelf. He didn’t really do anything else but make a very small guitar. Eddie looked like he was Chinese.
Eddie was half Polynesian half Dutch
Dutch Indonesian IIRC 🤙🏼. RIP EVH 🙏🏻
Quest guitar are Japan Guitars?
not familiar with those. There were a lot of "stencil" instruments from Japan. That means USA based companies bought a bunch of them and had the option to put their own name on it.
Any info on a Rythmcraft electric guitar
you failed to mention that it's because Japan had better a Craftsman
You forgot Elger wich started it all
They were metric