Fake D-25?

[Cougar]

It's simply that the lacquer over it was removed so it looks pretty bright now. I know what you mean and also had to look twice to a comparing model from 1973.

Thanks, Ralf. Now I don't feel like a complete idiot. Just a partial.

 

[chazmo]

It's simply that the lacquer over it was removed so it looks pretty bright now. I know what you mean and also had to look twice to a comparing model from 1973.

Ralf

Well, that and the crappy job of putting on the decal on the headstock sure had me running away! But, I agree, Ralf. It's a regular D-25 from that era. I wonder why someone would strip the body like that and yet uglify the overlay. I'd grind that right off.

The wood looks very nice, by the way. Especially that mahogany soundboard.

 

[TOSHI]

Although it is not a Guild, I would like to introduce a 1970's Japanese Guild D25 copy that I own.This is an EGIMA brand guitar made by EKON musical instruments. There are many factories in Japan that make high-quality acoustic guitars, such as Yamaha, Fujigen, Matsumoku, Yamaki, and Moridaira. However, the only information I have about EKON musical instruments is that they existed in Nagano, Japan in the past. The top is colored spruce plywood, the sides and back are rosewood plywood, and the neck is mahogany. It looks great, but what about the sound? ? ?

 

[chazmo]

Hi, Toshi...

That's a very pretty copy. The top looks more like mahogany than spruce. But, yes, it's very likely they're all laminated wood.

Generally speaking, these lawsuit-era copies of Guilds don't sound much like the originals, Toshi.

 

[TOSHI]

Hi, Toshi...

That's a very pretty copy. The top looks more like mahogany than spruce. But, yes, it's very likely they're all laminated wood.

Generally speaking, these lawsuit-era copies of Guilds don't sound much like the originals, Toshi.

I agree.
I've seen it listed as spruce in a catalog before, but the top may be mahogany laminated. I'm not sure.

 

[SFIV1967]

Although it is not a Guild, I would like to introduce a 1970's Japanese Guild D25 copy that I own.This is an EGIMA brand guitar made by EKON musical instruments. There are many factories in Japan that make high-quality acoustic guitars, such as Yamaha, Fujigen, Matsumoku, Yamaki, and Moridaira. However, the only information I have about EKON musical instruments is that they existed in Nagano, Japan in the past. The top is colored spruce plywood, the sides and back are rosewood plywood, and the neck is mahogany. It looks great, but what about the sound? ? ?

Yes, EGIMA was a brand for distribution in Japan only. Like the many other brands from so many Japanese guitar manufacturers in the 70's who produced copies of US guitars.

And on that below label you see "EKON COMPANY", the end is not readable unfortunatelly:





Here are catalog pictures with Gibson copies, they also made Martin and Guild copies.



But later guitars also sold under "EKON": ("Ti. Ekon", I don't know what the Ti. stands for)





@GGJaguar

Ralf

 

[TOSHI]

Yes, EGIMA was a brand for distribution in Japan only. Like the many other brands from so many Japanese guitar manufacturers in the 70's who produced copies of US guitars.

And on that below label you see "EKON COMPANY", the end is not readable unfortunatelly:



Here are catalog pictures with Gibson copies, they also made Martin and Guild copies.



But later guitars also sold under "EKON": ("Ti. Ekon", I don't know what the Ti. stands for)





[ユーザー= 25972] @GGJaguar [/ユーザー]

ラルフ

ありがとうございます！いいですね！ ここでEKONの機器に関する新しい情報が得られるとは思っていませんでした。 私が知っているのは、長野県伊那市に組立工場があり、高遠町に塗料工場があったことです。「Ti」は伊那孝人のイニシャルかもしれません。

 

[SFIV1967]

ありがとうございます！いいですね！ ここでEKONの機器に関する新しい情報が得られるとは思っていませんでした。 私が知っているのは、長野県伊那市に組立工場があり、高遠町に塗料工場があったことです。「Ti」は伊那孝人のイニシャルかもしれません。

どういたしまして

Your post did not translate, here is the translation for the others:
"Thank you! Sounds good! I didn't expect to find new information about EKON equipment here. What I know is that there was an assembly factory in Ina City, Nagano Prefecture, and a paint factory in Takato Town. "Ti" may be Takato Ina's initials."

EGIMA also used the "EKON Reinforced Neck", same as the "MAYA", "GRANT" and "Kingston" brands.

This stamp reads MADE M. TAKATO:

View attachment 71130





MAYA also had D-25 copies, here the MD-25 model:



Ralf

 

[chazmo]

@TOSHI , Ralf has a lot of great information about the Japanese lawsuit-era guitars!

My favorites, and perhaps most well known, are the Ibanez (Hoshino) versions. Ibanez was actually the target of the "real" cease-and-desist legal action back then (although it came from Gibson, not Guild).

 

[GGJaguar]

Ralf here are some Nashville Guild-alikes from 1978.

 

[TOSHI]

どういたしまして

Your post did not translate, here is the translation for the others:
"Thank you! Sounds good! I didn't expect to find new information about EKON equipment here. What I know is that there was an assembly factory in Ina City, Nagano Prefecture, and a paint factory in Takato Town. "Ti" may be Takato Ina's initials."

EGIMA also used the "EKON Reinforced Neck", same as the "MAYA", "GRANT" and "Kingston" brands.

This stamp reads MADE M. TAKATO:

View attachment 71130





MAYA also had D-25 copies, here the MD-25 model:



Ralf

I'm sorry. It looks like it was written in Japanese.

Oh! It's a Maya guitar.
The Maya was manufactured by Rokkoman Musical Instruments in Kobe.
The name "Maya" was given because the factory was located near Mt. Maya in Kobe.
Although it was not a very famous manufacturer, they made good guitars.
It's strange that Maya guitars have EKON covers.

 

[chazmo]

Hey, @SFIV1967 , have you had any recent thoughts about drawing all this lawsuit Guild information together in one place? It'd be a really handy reference to have somewhere. Maybe even just a thread of links to existing threads... I dunno.

Searching for this info is challenging (maybe just for me ). I love reading your posts about them

 

[TOSHI]

@TOSHI , Ralf has a lot of great information about the Japanese lawsuit-era guitars!

My favorites, and perhaps most well known, are the Ibanez (Hoshino) versions. Ibanez was actually the target of the "real" cease-and-desist legal action back then (although it came from Gibson, not Guild).

Ibanez is famous for its acoustic guitars, but it became famous for its electric guitars used by Bob Weir and Paul Stanley. The manufacturers of Ibanez at the time were Matsumoku and Fujigen. Fujigen is also famous in Japan for producing the Greco brand. The export model is Ibanez, and the domestic model is Greco. Greco's Fender model was of such good quality that it later became Fender Japan. Introducing Greco's famous copy model. It's not a guild though.

 

[chazmo]

Ibanez is famous for its acoustic guitars, but it became famous for its electric guitars used by Bob Weir and Paul Stanley. The manufacturers of Ibanez at the time were Matsumoku and Fujigen. Fujigen is also famous in Japan for producing the Greco brand. The export model is Ibanez, and the domestic model is Greco. Greco's Fender model was of such good quality that it later became Fender Japan. Introducing Greco's famous copy model. It's not a guild though.

The best of the Ibanez acoustics, in my humble opinion, came from Owari Asahi, @TOSHI That was originally the TAMA shop. The guys that worked there knew how to build a great guitar! I've always wanted to make a pilgrimage there.

 

[TOSHI]

Ralf here are some Nashville Guild-alikes from 1978.

It's Nashville!
This guitar was also sold by Rokkoman, the same company as Maya.
It was manufactured by Takamine.
Copies of the D-50 are still popular in Japan.

 

[GGJaguar]

It's Nashville!
This guitar was also sold by Rokkoman, the same company as Maya.
It was manufactured by Takamine.
Copies of the D-50 are still popular in Japan.

Excellent information, thank you!

 

[plaidseason]

What is the "semi-solid" spruce top on the N-25D?

Is this what some people might call a . . . laminate?

 

[TOSHI]

The best of the Ibanez acoustics, in my humble opinion, came from Owari Asahi, @TOSHI That was originally the TAMA shop. The guys that worked there knew how to build a great guitar! I've always wanted to make a pilgrimage there.

Owariasahi is near Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture.
The current location of Hoshino Musical Instruments' headquarters is where Tama Seisakusho was built in 1962. But now it's gone.
Tama Seisakusho's guitars are famous for their high quality.
In addition to Ibanez, there were other brands such as TAMA and Bluebell.

 

[davenumber2]

Ibanez is famous for its acoustic guitars, but it became famous for its electric guitars used by Bob Weir and Paul Stanley. The manufacturers of Ibanez at the time were Matsumoku and Fujigen. Fujigen is also famous in Japan for producing the Greco brand. The export model is Ibanez, and the domestic model is Greco. Greco's Fender model was of such good quality that it later became Fender Japan. Introducing Greco's famous copy model. It's not a guild though.

Is that a Grammer copy? Maybe a Gower?

 

[TOSHI]

Is that a Grammer copy? Maybe a Gower?

Yes. Grammer G10 copy.
Greco G-10