The True Story Behind Japanese 'Lawsuit' Guitars - Soundfly

Subscribe for access to Soundfly's premium, creative music courses and now get 50% OFF when you
join annually!
The True Story Behind Japanese ‘Lawsuit’ Guitars
Sign up here. (https://soundfly.com/subscription?
utm_source=Flypaper&utm_campaign=Flypaper-ad-system&utm_medium=banner-ad)
(https://soundfly.com/)
acebook.com/sharer.php?
per.soundfly.com%2Fdiscover%2Ftruth-
it-era-guitars%2F)
witter.com/intent/tweet? (https://flypaper.soundfly.com)
80%99+Guitars&url=https%3A%2F%2Fflypaper.soundfly.com%2Fdiscover%2Ftruth-
ars%2F&via=learntosoundfly)
soundfly.com/discover/truth-
uit-era-guitars/)
DISCOVER (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/CATEGORY/DISCOVER/), FEATURES (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/CATEGORY/FEATURES/)
The True Story Behind Japanese ‘Lawsuit’

Guitars
FEBRUARY 8, 2017 by ELYADEEN ANBAR (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/AUTHOR/DEENANBAR/)
Welcome to 6String Minutes. In this segment, we’ll uncover the truth
about Japanese “lawsuit” guitars imported to the United States from the mid-1970s on. Gear hunters and
enthusiasts around the world all claim to have seen them, but the true story may shock you.*
(* If you happen to be plugged into an ungrounded amplifier and touch metal.)
/
Let’s take a journey back to the ’70s. Guitars and guitar-based rock ‘n’ roll music
The True Story Behind Japanese ‘Lawsuit’ Guitars had reached a level of
(http://flypaper.soundfly.com/tips/led-zeppelin-alternate-tunings/)
popularity that would last well into the early 2000s.
While heavy riffs and searing solos dominated the airwaves, the quality manufacturing of the classic
instruments synonymous with the culture — guitars like Gibson’s Les Paul and SG, Fender’s Stratocaster and
Telecaster — was beginning to decline significantly from a production standpoint. The careful attention
to detail, superior parts, and meticulous craftsmanship diminished, while price tags
it-era-guitars%2F)
remained high.
witter.com/intent/tweet?
Harry Rosenbloom (https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/harry-rosenbloom), owner
soundfly.com/discover/truth- of
uit-era-guitars/)
Medley Music in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, made his living selling handmade instruments. Sensing the
domestic guitar market’s downturn, however, Rosenbloom’s company, Elger Guitars, became the sole North
American distributor for Japanese guitar manufacturers, Hoshino Gakki Gen.
Hoshino began importing classical guitars from a small, Spanish guitar maker named Salvador Ibáñez in the
’20s to sell in Japan, and went onto launch their own brand under the name Ibanez, inspired by the imported
guitars in 1935. Rosenbloom, sensitive to the domestic hostility towards Japanese products still prevalent in
the late ’60s, used this as the brand name for his imported guitars. In 1971, Hoshino became profitable
enough to purchase Elger Guitars from Rosenbloom and officially changed their name to Ibanez, USA.
Ibanez achieved US success when it began manufacturing copies of classic Fender, Gibson, and
Rickenbacker guitars in the late ’60s. While Gibson and Fender guitars declined in quality, Japanese copies
were, at least visually, markedly on par with the American originals.
/
it-era-guitars%2F)
uit-era-guitars/)
Catalog images of the Ibanez model 2350. The left image features a non-branded headstock. The center image boldly displays the Ibanez
brand on the head. And the guitar on the right features an entirely new design with a new head shape.
Although not built to the same specifications as their American counterparts — many of which sported bolt-
on necks (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolt-on_neck), inferior electronics, and multi-piece plywood
tops — the Japanese instruments were utilitarian, had personality, and were faithful to the original designs.
They were quickly embraced by novice players and those who didn’t want to shell out their hard-earned cash
for a guitar of questionable quality. American guitar brands felt the hit.
In addition to Ibanez, other manufacturers started importing their own copies of the classics. Seventies Les
Paul lookalikes featured names like Burny, Tokai, and Greco on their headstocks. (Notice that Greco’s font
is nearly identical to Gibson’s
(http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/13/3475.jpg).)
/
it-era-guitars%2F)
uit-era-guitars/)
Fernandes created faithful recreations of Fender instruments; and Takamine and Suzuki both made acoustic
guitars nearly identical to certain Martin models.
Interestingly, most Japanese copies of the time didn’t have serial numbers — a great way to tell if an
instrument is truly a “lawsuit” guitar, even today.
/
it-era-guitars%2F)
uit-era-guitars/)
The early logo of Takamine looked exactly like the Martin logo.
Speaking of which, in 1977, Gibson’s parent company filed a lawsuit against Ibanez (essentially the Hoshino
corporation) for copying their “open-book-style” headstock.
/
it-era-guitars%2F)
uit-era-guitars/)
An image of pre-lawsuit Ibanez (left) and post-lawsuit Ibanez. Notice the “open book”
Gibson ripoff vs. the second design.
The lawsuit was settled out of court, and Ibanez replaced the headstock with a revised design.
Ibanez ramped up the quality of its own designs, including set-in-neck copies of solid body and archtop
guitars (http://flypaper.soundfly.com/features/guitar-anatomy-fundamentals-guitar-body-
styles/). Soon after, it rolled out its own line of signature instruments like the Iceman and Destroyer, which
set the tone for the company-defining instruments of the ’80s and ’90s. A tone befitting the international rise
of heavy metal (http://flypaper.soundfly.com/discovery/the-ultimate-top-25-list-of-metal-
bands-covering-pop-songs/)!
/
it-era-guitars%2F)
uit-era-guitars/)
On the left, a late-’70s Ibanez Destroyer. In the center, a 1978 Ibanez Iceman Artist IC300. On the right, a ’76 Ibanez Firebrand.
So, what’s the salacious “true story” we promised earlier? Most instruments that claim to be
“lawsuit-era” guitars simply aren’t.
That isn’t to say they aren’t cool, functional instruments with unique character — quite the contrary. The only
technical “lawsuit” guitars are Ibanez models, or other branded guitars manufactured by Hoshino, that look
nearly identical to Gibson or Fender guitars, save for the name on the headstock and some technical
specifications. They mostly originated out of the FujiGen Gakki plant in Japan and were imported to the US.
At the same time that Japanese guitar factories were making copies of American designs, they were also
tinkering with unique designs of their own. It’s not uncommon to see guitars from this period sporting wild
body designs, as many as four pickups (http://flypaper.soundfly.com/features/guitar-anatomy-
fundamentals-guitar-pickups/), and some curiously organized pickup selectors and knobs.
Are these “lawsuit” guitars? Absolutely not. Are they still cool? Most definitely. The Greco 950 is
one of the coolest non-copied designs to come from Japanese factories.
/
it-era-guitars%2F)
uit-era-guitars/) The Greco 950 (a.k.a. “The Shrike”) was made at the Teisco factory between 1967 and 1969.
What about all those copies you see online? Sellers on third-party sites like eBay win on a technicality by
billing these instruments as “lawsuit-era guitars,” both expanding the range of guitars included to anywhere
between the late ’60s to early ’80s, and implying the guitars are made in Japan without saying it outright.
But, buyer beware. There are a lot of guitars falsely credited to Japanese manufacturers that were actually
made in China and Korea.
Responding to the market’s desire for lower priced instruments, Fender opened its own Japanese plant in
1982. The Japanese Fender guitars are not “lawsuit guitars.” But, they tend to be great, high-quality
instruments.
In 1984, Fender’s parent company sold it to new owners, and in the following years, production in the US
slowed as management transitioned. Most of the instruments sold during this period were old-stock American
guitars and imported Japanese guitars, which gave the market time to adjust to the presence of these new,
low-cost instruments bearing the Fender name.
The results of “lawsuit-era” guitar making are still felt today. Most high-end guitar manufacturers have
overseas plants that produce lower cost versions of their instruments for hobbyists, students, and
professionals alike. Gibson bought Epiphone, and Fender created the Squier line, further proof of these lower
cost instruments’ success.
For anyone in the market for a vintage instrument, the Japanese guitars from the ’70s and ’80s are
great choices that don’t command the outrageous price tags of their American
counterparts. Just be wary of sellers using the word “lawsuit” to drive up the asking price of their vintage
Japanese instruments, and try to ask a lot of questions.
If you’d like to learn more about the story of Ibanez, this book covers it
(https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000XXEQA4/), well, cover to cover! For 6String
Minutes, I’m reporter Elyadeen Anbar, signing off.
Want to get all of Soundfly’s premium online courses for a low monthly cost?

/
Subscribe to get unlimited access (https://soundfly.com/subscription?
utm_source=Flypaper&utm_campaign=Flypaper-ad-system&utm_content=bottomcta) to
all of our course content, an invitation to join our members-only Slack community forum,
exclusive perks from partner brands, and massive discounts on personalized mentor
sessions for guided learning. Learn what you want, whenever you want, with total
freedom.
it-era-guitars%2F)
Sound y: Creative Courses for Curious Musicians
uit-era-guitars/)
/
it-era-guitars%2F)
uit-era-guitars/)
(https://soundfly.com/courses/west-side-story-companion?
utm_source=Flypaper&utm_campaign=Flypaper-ad-system&utm_medium=sidebar-ad)
Sign up here for Soundfly’s weekly newsletter.
Your email address
SIGN UP
TAGS: ACOUSTIC GUITAR (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/ACOUSTIC-GUITAR/), ELECTRIC GUITAR

(HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/ELECTRIC-GUITAR/), FENDER
(HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/FENDER/), GIBSON (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/GIBSON/),
GUITAR (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/GUITAR/), HISTORY /
(HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/HISTORY/), HOSHINO (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/HOSHINO/),
IBANEZ (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/IBANEZ/), JAPAN (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/JAPAN/),
LAWSUIT GUITARS (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/LAWSUIT-GUITARS/), MARTIN
(HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/MARTIN/), MUSIC HISTORY (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/MUSIC-
HISTORY/), MUSIC LAWSUITS (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/MUSIC-LAWSUITS/)
it-era-guitars%2F)
Elyadeen Anbar (https://flypaper.soundfly.com/author/deenanbar/)
Elyadeen Anbar is a guitarist, writer and educator residing in Los Angeles, CA. He has had the pleasure of contributing music
and production to some of his favorite artists, and graced stages the world over. His work can be found at
uit-era-guitars/)
elyadeenanbar.com (http://elyadeenanbar.com), soundcloud.com/mrs-walrus
(http://soundcloud.com/mrs-walrus), and selfesteemmusic.tumblr.com.
(http://selfesteemmusic.tumblr.com)
(http://deenanbar.com/)
(http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?
(https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?
(https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/truth-
e+True+Story+Behind+Japanese+%E2%80%98Lawsuit%E2%80%99+Guitars&url=https%3A%2F%2Fflypaper.soundfly.com%2Fdiscover
u=https%3A%2F%2Fflypaper.soundfly.com%2Fdiscover%2Ftruth-
lawsuit-era-guitars/)
lawsuit-era-guitars%2F&via=learntosoundfly)
lawsuit-era-guitars%2F)
59 Comments Flypaper 🔒 Disqus' Privacy Policy 

1 Login
 Recommend 8 t Tweet f Share Sort by Best
Join the discussion…
LOG IN WITH
OR SIGN UP WITH DISQUS ?
Name
Jim Demestihas • 4 years ago

cant discuss lawsuit guitars without mentioning Univox and the Matsumoku factories......
3△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›
The Flash > Jim Demestihas • 2 years ago

Sure you can, because Matsumoku or Univox were ever involved in any lawsuit.
Monty Daniels > The Flash • 2 years ago

Hey The Flash. In your comment you have ''were ever involved in any lawsuit.'' I suppose you meant
to say that were never involved in any lawsuit. I understood the Type-O but some may not.
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›
Darren Washen > Jim Demestihas • 4 years ago

/
Love Matsumoku guitars
Love Matsumoku guitars.
Kyle Harrison • 4 years ago
This article is inaccurate; Hoshino isn't the only one to manufacture, true " lawsuit" instruments. The instruments
were made by Fujigen and in the Matsumoku factory and marketed under many names. Matsumoku released Aria,
Electra, ect.. that were lawsuit instruments and weren't part of Hoshino
it-era-guitars%2F) Bill Menting > Kyle Harrison • 4 years ago
The article has its moments with a few things wrong, but the only "true" lawsuit{and we usually use "copy
era"} guitars, are Ibanez guitars with Gibson open book headstocks from 70-about 76. Hoshino/Elger was
the only company involved in litigation with Norlin{Gibsons parent company}. FGN continued making open
book styles for the far eastern market under the Greco name for Kanda Shokai. Bill Menting, 1960s
uit-era-guitars/)
Moderator, Ibanez collectors world.
freakbiker . > Bill Menting • 4 years ago

From what I understand, this never even went to court as Ibanez had already designed their new
headstock when Gibson was preparing a lawsuit
Bill Menting > freakbiker . • 4 years ago

It did in fact go to court in September of 1977. It was settled out of court in February of 1978,
the details of which were never revealed by Hoshino Gakki or Norlin. The new headstock
design[which was sort of stolen from Guild] started appearing on some models in late 75, I
have some open book designs that are dated as late as November of 76. Norlin planned to
spring the summons on Ibanez at the NAMM show in 77, leaving them with an empty booth,
but they got wind of it before hand and changed all the headstocks by this time.
Curtis Everett > Bill Menting • 3 years ago

That's great! That is the best data I've seen ever regarding the "Lawsuit" BS and Iv'e been
trading and dealing Matsumokus and Tokais and the like for 30 years! THANKS!!!
Grimble Squeem > Bill Menting • 4 years ago

Bill. Can you link to an accurate history of Japanese lawsuit guitars? There are glaring inaccuracies
in almost everything I've read. There has to be one somewhere.
Bill Menting > Grimble Squeem • 4 years ago

Hey Rick. If you can find a copy of "Ibanez the untold story", it pretty much covers Ibanez
history from the early days as a stationary store that sold flutes and sheet music, to the world
class company it is today. Bill
David Egg Philbeck > Kyle Harrison • 2 years ago • edited

That's true. Aria manufactured a Gibson copy of the Hummingbird in the early 70s which WAS a lawsuit
copy.. and it was made identical if not much better than the Gibson Hummingbird.. i know because i have a
1972 Aria 7450 Hummingbird and if you put it next to a factory Gibson Hummingbird from that same year
you will not see any difference and as far as sound goes i prefer the Aria Hummingbird hands down..that's
/
just my humble opinion ..
The ›True Story Behind Japanese ‘Lawsuit’ Guitars
△ ▽ • Reply • Share
Marc Vanier > David Egg Philbeck • 6 months ago

I plan to buy a vintage 12 strings hummingbird copy from the SEGOVIA company.Do you thinks it is
another name for export and it is ARIA that really made it.
it-era-guitars%2F)
This comment was deleted.
Avatar
Avatar This comment was deleted.
uit-era-guitars/)
ZYT Mod > Guest • 3 years ago
Hey everyone, we replaced this image months ago. We'd appreciate your help in keeping our
community positive and constructive. I'm going to delete this thread in a minute, it's really
gone off the rails!
Tsarkov19 > ZYT • 3 years ago

The article is excellent, thank you for running it.
Ernie Saker • 4 years ago

Very clearly explained, thank you. I am a guitar shop owner and tech who regularly has to tell customers that the
"Lawsuit Les Paul" or whatever that they just got on Ebay is no such thing. A small scam, but a scam all the same.
Duane Brocious • 2 years ago

One FACT why the case was settled. Elger/Ibanez had redesigned their head stocks in 1975 for their 1976 line up.
The ONLY reason everyone changed head stocks was because of the cost of legal fees fighting frivolous lawsuits
from Gibson. A good lawyer would provide the court with hundreds of examples of the head stock shape from the a
century before Orville Gibson was born. Gibson has never won a single lawsuit for infringement and probably never
will. /
Deen • 4 years ago • edited
Hello Soundfly readers,
Thanks to you guys for caring enough about true information to post your thoughts. If it weren't for such a rich
community of dedicated readers and researchers, we wouldn't be able to create a comprehensive overview of this
story- much of which was collected from online research. Sadly, the internet cannot always be trusted, but I am
happy to share sources for some of the facts claimed here, and will gladly adjust if those facts are proven wrong.
it-era-guitars%2F)
This was not meant to be an exhaustive historical account, but more to help clarify for newer guitar buyers, to arm
an individual with information for their own resources, and to prevent anyone from getting scammed. But that said,
we'd never want to purvey false information, so your input helps us determine what is right and what is wrong. Here
is another retelling of the Rosenbloom/Ibanez story: http://bit.ly/2sPQaDT
Best,
uit-era-guitars/)
E.A.
almark • 4 years ago

I had a Fender Squire II back in the 90s, Korean made, it sounded amazing.
Thomas Tarnow • 4 years ago

Gibson bought Epiphone (an american company) in 1957 pre-dating any lawsuit-era and the manufacuring of
Epiphones move to Japan in 1970 many years before the Ibanez lawsuit in 1977.
Mike Halloran > Thomas Tarnow • 4 years ago

I'm remembering that as being 1972. They were identical to instruments bearing the Lyle and Aria names up
to that point. The Blue label had Epiphone and U.S.A on it (but neb=ver said they were made here). This
confuses a lot of eBay buyers — but not the sellers committing the fraud claiming that these are Gibson
USA made Epiphones.
PrplMnkyDshwshr • 2 months ago

PRS still makes a single cut that is nearly identical to the Les Paul . A judge threw the case out, saying that only an
idiot would mistake the brands at the point of sale. I completely agree, I fucking love my LP but I’d also have a PRS
single cut, they are sweet guitars
EZFIx • 3 months ago

⛺ View — uploads.disquscdn.com
Bought this Ventura in the late 70's.. pretty sure it's a lawsuit guitar
hardawan bayu • 5 months ago

got this ibanez 2375 strat model and it sounds great .. ino wonder thre are lawsuits for these kind of guitar
▶ Ibanez 2375 Stratocaster Guitar (rare vintage guitar… — disq.us

Vinny Verducci • 7 months ago • edited

I have a late 70s japanese lotus les paul copy. It has the same open book headstock that the ibanez in this article/
j p p py p
has except it's branded lotus. Were those also part of the lawsuit?
△ ▽ • Reply • Share › The True Story Behind Japanese ‘Lawsuit’ Guitars
sempei58 • 7 months ago • edited

I have an Ibanez SG copy electric guitar either 1974 or 1975 from memory. Purchased brand new. Still have original
case. Burgundy colour, booklet headstock, but no logo. Can not find any serial number. Would this be a lawsuit
guitar? Either way approx value? Very good condition, not a lot of play considering age. If any replies. Contact
joe1808@bigpond.com
it-era-guitars%2F)
Joz Jonlin • 10 months ago
I'm not sure why I've never researched my old Ibanez acoustic before. It's the Ibanez Concord with the model of E-
684BK. There is no serial number anywhere on the guitar. I've always wondered how Ibanez was able to
uit-era-guitars/)
manufacture a Hummingbird clone. Now I know. I've never seen another one in person. I guess they're rare enough
at this point as well as being vintage that you just won't see a whole lot of them out there.
Julian Mokhtar • a year ago

So as I understand it there was no slew of legal actions against Japanese manufacturers. Tokai guitars for example
are referred to as lawsuit guitars when in fact there was no such thing. In fact their factory was so good at
reproducing Fenders that they went on to manufacture for Fender Japan.
Richard Grills • a year ago

Hi,
I have an Ibanez Siver Series White Stratocaster guitar that I bought In 1970-71. The wood was so green that I
couldn't play it for 2 years without it going out of tune. Since then it is still my best guitar for many reasons. I don't
like thick necks and had a few Gibsons over the years but always came back to my Strat.
The seriel number is I773817 , I can;t find any information about this guitar, or what it might be worth. I lost the
tremolo bar because the bridge goes out of tune using a bar.
Lardy Fatboy • 2 years ago

As ever this article is Under researched and as such not quite correct. It is true that the term "Lawsuit" Guitars only
talks about the lawsuit that never was with electric guitars.but for some reason the whole start of the story is missed
out or ignored. Thee start of the story is the lawsuit between CF Martin & Co. and the Japanese maker K. Yasuma
& Co. that did go to court. The case was over instrument design copyright and that Yasuma's instruments were too
close a copy to Martin ones in the size, shape, use of woods, bracing patterns and the like, not only for acoustic
guitars, but also for mandolins and ukuleles. One of the reasons for the case was that the Yasuma instruments
were being seen to be as good, if not better that the declining quality Martin products and Martin decided a lawsuit
was cheaper than improving their own quality. As the lawsuit was heard in the USA and it was between a US
company and a foreign company, suprise suprise Martin won and one of the things they won was the right to have
all K Yasuma instruments in the US (the main market) destroyed with no form of compensation for K Yasuma & Co.
thus driving them to the brink of bankruptcy (and accounting for the scarcity of K Yasuma instruments in the US
now) It was the outcome of this case demonstrating the likely outcome of any future similar case between a US firm
and a Foreign firm that caused the Norlin, Hoshino case to be settled out of court regardless of it's merits
This also answers the moot point about what is and isn't a "lawsuit guitar". The only guitars that are legitimately
lawsuit guitars are K Yasuma ones because there WAS a lawsuit everything else was done because of the threat of
a lawsuit and it applies equally to any japanese guitar maker of the time because they were all threatened whether
publically or not
△ ▽ • Reply • Share › /
py
The
Monty Daniels > Lardy True
Fatboy • 2Story Behind
years ago Japanese ‘Lawsuit’ Guitars
Lardy, thanks for your comment. I usually browse through eBay & Reverb at 60's & 70's era guitars. I've
been trying to learn all I can about the ''Lawsuit'' era guitars because I've ran into sellers on both sites that
have late 70's but mainly 1980's guitars, who claim that they either have a ''Lawsuit era guitar'' & sellers who
have a listing with these famous words - ''Vintage 60's Guitar'', where I've pointed out that what they had
was an 80's guitar made in either Taiwan or China, if the guitar turns out to be dated around 1988 or newer,
since Taiwan had many manufacturing plants building guitars. A seller on Reverb claimed to have a a late
it-era-guitars%2F) 1960's or early 1970's Kay, with a Gibson SG body style. I explained to that guy on Reverb that his late 60's-
early 70's Vintage Kay with the SG Body style had to be from 1980's because of a coupe of things, 1- No
name on the Headstock, also nothing but a newish looking logo on his ''one piece pickguard'', [they used a
two piece pickguards on those guitars], so the only information was just the foil manufacturers sticker on the
back of the body just under the Neck Plate that says ''Made In Taiwan.'' lol, so Taiwan gave it away since in
uit-era-guitars/) 1980, Teisco moved their manufacturing operations over to a factory in Taiwan. I also sent him a photo of my
so called ''Vintage late 60's - early 70's Kay with the SG Body style, which looked like his, plus I had the
neck off & there was a date stamped on both the Neck Heel & on the body, inside the Neck Pocket, with a
35 calendar days difference. He wanted to question it but I explained that I knew for sure Kay branded
guitars were made in Japan, starting in 1973 since the Kay name was auctioned off in 1969 & any unused
stock was according to the Wikipedia site entry/page about the ''History of Kay'' electric guitars & electric
Bass guitars as well. Now the guy at Reverb did sell his Kay because I kept in touch with him because i was
going to sell my Kay but gave him the chance to sell his 1st because I was going to sell mine $100 cheaper
than his was listed for. I do have a question for you. If you can find any information about Kay branded
guitars made in 1970, 1971 & 1972, since Tesico didn't start using the ''Kay'' name on their guitars till 1973 &
the owners befo69, just sold off the guitars that were made from the end of 1968. Teisco didn't build anything
in 1969 after they bought the Kay name. I do not believe there were any made during those 3 years.
Michel VERAN • 2 years ago • edited

Interesting history but i think something has a wrong point of view : If Ibanez is the only brand that had a lawsuit
procedure, lot of japanese brands did guitars look alike US guitars... and so, they are lawsuit ERA guitars too, even
they're not lawsuit PROCEDURE guitars. For example, Tokai changed during the 80's its export headstock guitars
to avoid a lawsuit as other japanese brands did. Domestic japanese market guitars remained with the "correct"
original headstock, due to the not patented, unprotected design in far east countries, so these are not lawsuit era
gutars, that's right; Today you can buy great guitars in japan brand new, with the original US headstocks, as
Edwards, Navigator (the greatests!) Fernandes, Tokai... etc.
Björn Vesterberg • 2 years ago

Hello i am Bjorn fr.o.m. Sweden,i have buy a real copy of a Fender strat,i know IT is a copy.I have check there is no
number or signs.
I only know IT is from the beginning of the eighties.I like to know if there is anyone that can help me with some
history,on the back there was a plate with sign Made in Japan.
Should be very happy if someone could help.
Your,s sincere Bjorn ⛺ View — uploads.disquscdn.com ⛺ View — uploads.disquscdn.com ⛺ View — uploads.disquscdn.com
Roger Shields • 3 years ago

The Internet's information about Lawsuit Guitars is quite interesting. Conflicting information, gaps in information and
just enough information to drive you crazy. I have a Dixon Model 62 MIJ that has one story about it that has been
reused all over the place. "Gibson sued Dixon, won and bought up as many guitars as they could find and
destroyed them." According to the legend, Dixon worked at Gibson, left with bad feelings and started designing and
producing guitars in Japan. Apparently, this upset someone at Gibson enough to sue Dixon and drive him out of /
business. Great story.
Now I would have a hard time The believing
True Storyit except
Behindyou can't find ‘Lawsuit’
Japanese a Dixon forGuitars
sale anywhere. Mine is a nice acoustic,
well made, with a small body. Sounds good but nothing to go wild about. An appraiser and two brokers couldn't
value it as they couldn't find any comparables. What other similar guitars are sitting out there as "one of a kind (or
close)"
Russ Hamilton • 3 years ago

I have a guitar that is identical to the iceman..even have a case shaped to its exact fit. The headstock is branded
it-era-guitars%2F)
Aspen..anyone know anything about that guitar?
Stefanie • 3 years ago
uit-era-guitars/)
I bought a slightly used Taka guitar back in early 1979. It's basically a copy of a blonde Gibson J-200, but some
details are slightly different. It has the open book head, but clearly says TAKA- no attempt to copy the Gibson logo.
Inside, the label says TAKA model no W-950, Japan.
It has marvelous tone, and has definitely improved with age. I've never been able to find out anything about this
guitar, and have only rarely seen the Taka name on eBay guitars, but never this model. I'm not sure how to classify
it- but I suppose ultimately it doesn't matter- I have no plans to part with it!
Paulie Boy • 3 years ago • edited

I'd love to know the name of the Japanese factory that produced Martin's Shenandoah line. Martin refuses to
divulge who it was. Any info would be appreciated!
frank > Paulie Boy • 3 years ago

I believe Takamine was first contracted to produce the Martin Shenandoah, but then Martin pulled out of the
deal after Takamine was sold. Takamine still produced the guitars but with their name mimicking the Martin
style. But I'm not sure who produced the actual Shenandoah.
panzrwagn > frank • 10 months ago

Bingo. You nailed it. The reason Martin pulled out was Takamine had another agreement signed for
US distribution of their products with (I think) Tama, with whom Martin had issues. Unfortunately
Martin had already sent patterns and instructions and tonewood samples to Takamine, so Takamine
simply 'followed the directions' Martin provided. In 1976 I bought Takamine 310S (000-Body,
Rosewood back and sides, Mahogany neck) I will put up against any equivalent Martin of any era.
And from 3' away (where you can't really make out the 'Takamine' headstock script in the Martin font)
it is indistinguishable, visually or sonically. It has aged superbly, and is a wonderful instrument.
frank > panzrwagn • 10 months ago

I own a Tak F340-S ( solid Spruce top, Mahogany back and sides, Rosewood neck). I'm not
much of a guitar player, though I try. My experienced guitar playing friends tell me it sounds
like a $1,200 instrument.
Darren Washen • 4 years ago

Excellent article Elydeen, but I'm afraid you created more questions than you answered. The lawsuit era guitars are
a can of worms, which I am just as happy to leave closed.
/
Lawsuit guitars are not always what they seem. While some may not be up to par, many of the
The
70's imports were excellent. True
Lets useStory Behind
Takamine for Japanese
example, as‘Lawsuit’ Guitars
I have owned 1 or 2 in my
life. They were so blatant that they copied even the script on the head stock. Now while it
may be true that many of the Taka-Martins were at least equal to the originals, most were
much better. Now we can get the Martin guys going. "Martins are the BEST. I love overpaying
on my guitars as long as they were made in America". Yee haw.
These guitars were so good, they fooled many a boasting Martin aficionado. Same or better
wood. Same or better attention to detail. 1 third or better the cost. Conflicting stories
it-era-guitars%2F)
from shop owners at the time show either 7/10 or 8/10 chose the Takamine every time. This
all came to a head when a Martin exec was given the opportunity to try both out side by
side. He chose the Takamine and almost immediately the threat of legal action ensued.
There was never a lawsuit filed so I refer to these as "so-called lawsuits".
uit-era-guitars/)
Takamine chose the very best to copy. Martin. Guild. Gibson. Mossman tree of life and
see more
Jeremy Royal Edit Mod > Darren Washen • 4 years ago

Hey Darren,
I know what you mean about quality being all over the place. I bought an unlabeled late-1960s Matsumoko
factory black sheep last year, its a combination of the body of an ES339, the headstock of a Fender, and
unpainted dark wood panelling. I think it used to have a tremolo bar as well, but that's long gone. It's
basically a kitchen sink of design styles from everywhere, and it sounds lovely. I changed out the old
humbucker pickups and had to do some work on the neck, but its got incredible playability and a subtle,
unique tone characteristic, I can see it being used in a 70s Tokyo jazz club. As someone who doesn't really
"shred" on guitar, or spend too much time worrying about tone, its honestly perfect for me and I play it more
than my other guitars by far. It has a personality, and as you say, with Lawsuit era pieces it's a mixed bag,
some of them have stood the test of time as unique and veritable pieces, others were pieces of shit.
Thanks all for the stimulating conversation!

Load more comments
✉ Subscribe d Add Disqus to your siteAdd DisqusAdd ⚠ Do Not Sell My Data
/
Related Articles The True Story Behind Japanese ‘Lawsuit’ Guitars
it-era-guitars%2F)
uit-era-guitars/)
(https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/songs-that-use- (https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/songs-to-inspire-
found-sounds-in-intriguing-ways/) change/)
Songs That Use Found Sounds in Intriguing Ways Songs to Inspire Change (with Speech and Keenan
(https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/songs- The First)
that-use-found-sounds-in-intriguing-ways/) (https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/songs-to-
inspire-change/)
(https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/what-songs- (https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/what-songs-were-
make-you-want-to-practice/) defined-by-their-solos/)
What Songs Make You Want to Practice? What Songs Were Defined by Their Solos?
(https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/what- (https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/what-
songs-make-you-want-to-practice/) songs-were-defined-by-their-solos/)
/
(https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/what-are-your- (https://flypaper.soundfly.com/produce/how-did-your-
favorite-unexpected-holiday-tracks/) parents-influence-your-taste-in-music/)
What Are Your Favorite (Unexpected) Holiday How Did Your Parents Influence Your Taste in
Tracks?
per.soundfly.com%2Fdiscover%2Ftruth- Music?
it-era-guitars%2F)
(https://flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/what- (https://flypaper.soundfly.com/produce/how-did-
are-your-favorite-unexpected-holiday-tracks/) your-parents-influence-your-taste-in-music/)
uit-era-guitars/)
SO UNDF LY ( HT T PS: / / SO UNDF LY. CO M / )
ABO UT US ( HT T PS: / / SO UNDF LY. CO M / ABO UT )
CO URSES ( HT T PS: / / SO UNDF LY. CO M / CO URSES)
CO NTACT ( M AI LTO : SUPPO RT @ SO UNDF LY. CO M )
(https://soundfly.com/)
A different sort of music school for today's musicians.
Get music news and tips delivered to your inbox once a week.
Your email address SIGN UP

The True Story Behind Japanese 'Lawsuit' Guitars - Soundfly

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The True Story Behind Japanese 'Lawsuit' Guitars - Soundfly

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Subscribe for access to Soundfly's premium, creative music courses and now get 50% OFF when you

DISCOVER (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/CATEGORY/DISCOVER/), FEATURES (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/CATEGORY/FEATURES/)

The True Story Behind Japanese ‘Lawsuit’

Welcome to 6String Minutes. In this segment, we’ll uncover the truth

(* If you happen to be plugged into an ungrounded amplifier and touch metal.)

Want to get all of Soundfly’s premium online courses for a low monthly cost?

Sign up here for Soundﬂy’s weekly newsletter.

Your email address

TAGS: ACOUSTIC GUITAR (HTTPS://FLYPAPER.SOUNDFLY.COM/TAG/ACOUSTIC-GUITAR/), ELECTRIC GUITAR

59 Comments Flypaper 🔒 Disqus' Privacy Policy 

 Recommend 8 t Tweet f Share Sort by Best

Join the discussion…

Jim Demestihas • 4 years ago

The Flash > Jim Demestihas • 2 years ago

Monty Daniels > The Flash • 2 years ago

Darren Washen > Jim Demestihas • 4 years ago

freakbiker . > Bill Menting • 4 years ago

Bill Menting > freakbiker . • 4 years ago

Curtis Everett > Bill Menting • 3 years ago

Grimble Squeem > Bill Menting • 4 years ago

Bill Menting > Grimble Squeem • 4 years ago

David Egg Philbeck > Kyle Harrison • 2 years ago • edited

Marc Vanier > David Egg Philbeck • 6 months ago

Avatar This comment was deleted.

Avatar This comment was deleted.

Avatar This comment was deleted.

Avatar This comment was deleted.

Avatar This comment was deleted.

Avatar This comment was deleted.

ZYT Mod > Guest • 3 years ago

Tsarkov19 > ZYT • 3 years ago

Ernie Saker • 4 years ago

Duane Brocious • 2 years ago

almark • 4 years ago

Thomas Tarnow • 4 years ago

Mike Halloran > Thomas Tarnow • 4 years ago

PrplMnkyDshwshr • 2 months ago

EZFIx • 3 months ago

hardawan bayu • 5 months ago

▶ Ibanez 2375 Stratocaster Guitar (rare vintage guitar… — disq.us

Vinny Verducci • 7 months ago • edited

sempei58 • 7 months ago • edited

Julian Mokhtar • a year ago

Richard Grills • a year ago

Lardy Fatboy • 2 years ago

Michel VERAN • 2 years ago • edited

Björn Vesterberg • 2 years ago

Roger Shields • 3 years ago

Russ Hamilton • 3 years ago

Paulie Boy • 3 years ago • edited

frank > Paulie Boy • 3 years ago

panzrwagn > frank • 10 months ago

frank > panzrwagn • 10 months ago

Darren Washen • 4 years ago

Jeremy Royal Edit Mod > Darren Washen • 4 years ago

Thanks all for the stimulating conversation!

Load more comments

✉ Subscribe d Add Disqus to your siteAdd DisqusAdd ⚠ Do Not Sell My Data

SO UNDF LY ( HT T PS: / / SO UNDF LY. CO M / )

ABO UT US ( HT T PS: / / SO UNDF LY. CO M / ABO UT )

CO URSES ( HT T PS: / / SO UNDF LY. CO M / CO URSES)

CO NTACT ( M AI LTO : SUPPO RT @ SO UNDF LY. CO M )

Your email address SIGN UP