Penco Guild clone - simply amazing.

[mellowgerman]

My guitarist just picked up a Penco dread that is obviously a Guild clone. With that said, this thing blows me away!! It's one of those astonishing Japanese products from the 70's. The pickguard, headstock shape, and neck-joint are almost identical to Guild stuff. Not to mention the TRC is pretty much the same too just that it has 3 screws instead of 2.
Tone and playability is beyond belief. If you close your eyes you'd swear you're playing a vintage Guild. One of the sweetest dreads I've ever had the privilege of playing.

Anyone else ever hear of these or have personal experience with them?

Here are some photos:

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

I believe there was an artical about Pencos in a recent vintage guitar magazine. They were imported from Japan by a music store chain in Pennsylvania, (hence the "Penco"), called Philadelphia Music Exchange.

Read all about it here!

 

[mellowgerman]

I believe there was an artical about Pencos in a recent vintage guitar magazine. They were imported form Japan by a music store chain in Pennsylvania, (hence the "Penco"), called Philadelphia Music Exchange.

Read all about it here!

thanks for the link grot!

 

[GardMan]

Looks like a D-40! Are there "hot dots" in it, or has the bridge been screwed on?

 

[dapmdave]

Looks like a D-40! Are there "hot dots" in it, or has the bridge been screwed on?

To me that looks like one of those adjustable acoustic giutar bridges that Gibson was so fond of.

Dave

 

[c70man]

I believe there was an artical about Pencos in a recent vintage guitar magazine. They were imported from Japan by a music store chain in Pennsylvania, (hence the "Penco"), called Philadelphia Music Exchange.

Read all about it here!

As a PROUD owner of over 3 Pencos, (a 12'er for sale on E-bay), I can ownestly say they can be amazing sounding guitars. My 14-m has a solid top Spruce. They are a great find.

I bought my first one in "74 or so and though I have traded all kinds of guitars, I always held on to my trusty Penco...My Maple 14-M is a Martin clone, as is my 12 string A-20. They did come with average tuners, so I swapped those out. And they also had adj bridges, which I replaced with solid bone. Over 30+ years of playing them, they didn't require neck resets. Just some adj and a trip or two to my set up guy to dress frets. I use D'Addarios on the 12 and Elixors on the 6's. They have great sustain, excellent harmonics and fast necks. Here's a few pics...

 

[mellowgerman]

Looks like a D-40! Are there "hot dots" in it, or has the bridge been screwed on?

To me that looks like one of those adjustable acoustic giutar bridges that Gibson was so fond of.

Dave

you got it :wink:



C70man, nice collection!!

 

[southernGuild]

Very interesting! Adorskhki made me aware of this thread as he knows that I have 'something' similiar. Looks much like a Guild F65.....even has the oval sound hole, great build and sound too, beautiful woods ( spruce and rosewood ) all the quality bits.......I scored it at a garage sale for $50, the owner knew little of its background, but it is a CHINESE build......HONGXUAN, but on the Guild shaped headstock, it says ACCORD, built for Australian conditions. The label inside says It was made in HONGXUAN USA ( isnt "USA" a little island just off of Shanghi?) Anyway..............A fine little guitar all in all, has electronics on her as well ( works but i never use it ) and the company from what I can gather is long gone.
I will post photos oneday....so you all can SEE. Strange stuff is out there! :roll:
SG.

 

[adorshki]

The label inside says It was made in HONGXUAN USA ( isnt "USA" a little island just off of Shanghi?) Strange stuff is out there! :roll:
SG.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Brad Little]

I've never run across one personally, but have a few online friends (from PA) who say they were very good for the money. I guess a lot of the Japanese guitars from the 60s-70s were very well made. I've always been impressed with the Dorado models imported (and made to their specs) by Gretsch. Some very good guitars for very little money.
Brad

 

[Tony Burns]

We talk about how inexspensive some of these guitars were from the early 70's -some 50-150 bucks seems cheap by todays standards . but what really blows me away is that you could buy a new Guild back then for 200 to about 500 bucks .