Les Paul Copy MIJ (CAN)

[Barry]

Maple neck, maple body, black position markers, Looks good.
http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell ... Z472129418
CAD$350
Seller also includes a shot of the four MIJ LP's which he's offering up...somewhere...no details on those but there could be some good 'uns there.

[stilllifer]

Barry. I actually looked at this a few weeks ago... I like the black Raven LP copy he has for sale... I don't own a black LP copy and need one, I mean want one!!! Might swing down there Monday and check it out...

[Barry]

I see the ad's gone. Too late or did you get it already?

[stilllifer]

I see the ad's gone. Too late or did you get it already?

It's still for sale...

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell ... Z476398517

[Barry]

Hmmm...I was just doing a little back checking over at the Matsumoku Forum. Not 100% certain but the concensus both there and at the Washburn Forum is that Raven was made by Matsumoku! No definitive time frame however.

[stilllifer]

Hmmm...I was just doing a little back checking over at the Matsumoku Forum. Not 100% certain but the concensus both there and at the Washburn Forum is that Raven was made by Matsumoku! No definitive time frame however.

Thanks Barry. Yeah from I can tell, they were made by Matsumoku in one form or another. Read somewhere that Univox and Ibanez had an affiliation with Raven and Great West out of BC. The interesting thing about this one is the Raven logo on the headstock...if you google up Raven guitars, you will see that most of them just have the words RAVEN in mother-of-pearl on the headstock. This one also has a maple neck, again a little different than the traditional rosewood fingerboards. I did see a bass guitar for sale in Winnipeg last week and it was a Raven with this same Raven logo. I emailed the guy and he said his was from the late '60's or early '70's. I'm going to try it out and see what it's like and can report back.

[charles]

Looking closer at the photos of the Raven from your link, I think it's a late 60's model. The rounded end of the fingerboard is usually seen on the very early MIJ copies. From the back of the headstock, the neck looks like it might be a multy-ply laminate, like you would often find on guitars like Teisco...?

[stilllifer]

Looking closer at the photos of the Raven from your link, I think it's a late 60's model. The rounded end of the fingerboard is usually seen on the very early MIJ copies. From the back of the headstock, the neck looks like it might be a multy-ply laminate, like you would often find on guitars like Teisco...?

Charles. The guy selling it says it's a maple neck and he says it's the original neck...I just confirmed it with him a short time ago...that wouldn't be a quilted maple or spalted do u think???

EDIT: He just told me it's multi-ply maple...so any issues with those multi-ply necks that you're aware of??? He seems to be very upfront about everything so that's good...

[Barry]

...The guy selling it says it's a maple neck and he says it's the original neck...it's multi-ply maple...

One of the clues to identifying a Matsumoku guitar, especially those of the late 70's and into the 80's, is the three piece maple neck. Exceptionally strong and stable. I would not be concerned at all. Almost zero chance of warping.

[stilllifer]

...The guy selling it says it's a maple neck and he says it's the original neck...it's multi-ply maple...

One of the clues to identifying a Matsumoku guitar, especially those of the late 70's and into the 80's, is the three piece maple neck. Exceptionally strong and stable. I would not be concerned at all. Almost zero chance of warping.

That's great to hear Barry. Charles seemed to think it was maybe late '60ls though???

[charles]

...the three piece maple neck.

Look at the photo of the close-up back of the headstock:


That's a heck of a lot more than 3 pieces of maple.

[stilllifer]

...the three piece maple neck.

Look at the photo of the close-up back of the headstock:

That's a heck of a lot more than 3 pieces of maple.

So is this a case of "the more the merrier"??? The guy selling did say it was "multi-ply" but didn't specify... I have zero experience with multi-ply necks...

[charles]

...the three piece maple neck.

Look at the photo of the close-up back of the headstock:

That's a heck of a lot more than 3 pieces of maple.

So is this a case of "the more the merrier"??? The guy selling did say it was "multi-ply" but didn't specify... I have zero experience with multi-ply necks...

Personally, I am not a fan of these necks; but there is nothing really "wrong" with them, per se.
Honestly, I don't believe I have never seen one of these multi-ply's on an LP copy before.

[Barry]

Yeah, that's definitely "multi" ply alright! I haven't seen that on a vintage ED MIJ guitar either.
I would think that would also definitely rule out Matsumoku as well.

That said, there is nothing inherently bad about a laminate neck construction. Hell, even Martin is selling their latest entry level offerings with something they call stratabond necks and high pressure laminate bodies! They are strong and stable. They just look, um, weird.

[stilllifer]

Yeah, that's definitely "multi" ply alright! I haven't seen that on a vintage ED MIJ guitar either.
I would think that would also definitely rule out Matsumoku as well.

That said, there is nothing inherently bad about a laminate neck construction. Hell, even Martin is selling their latest entry level offerings with something they call stratabond necks and high pressure laminate bodies! They are strong and stable. They just look, um, weird.

Well that's interesting. Not sure if it was you or Charles that mentioned it might be from the '60s...where do you think this would be made then if it wasn't Matsumoku/Japan???