Orville Guitars

Iamnobody

No not that annoying stuffed green thing that Keith Harris stuck his hand up...

Japanese licensed Gibsons.

Who's got one? I've just acquired an ObG 57 reissue gold top.

The only giveaway is the three piece back. I've always fancied a GT so as I'm not a massive LP man this seemed perfect middle ground price wise.



Also shown is a £35 Thomann case which does it's job.

Philly_Q

I've owned an Orville by Gibson goldtop - not unlike yours - and an Orville LP Junior.

They're great guitars, as are the Japanese Epiphones which replaced them.

Iamnobody

I put some Gotoh locking tuners on:



And here's an internal shot! The important to some (but not me) long tenon...

daveww

I had one (pic below).  Moved on by GAS a few years ago but it was a nice guitar.

The reissues like yours are generally considered to be the best.  I've always had a soft spot for Gold Tops too.

http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/mm467/davidkw2001/Orville by Gibson/IMG_0399.jpg

Iamnobody

daveww;351324" said:

I had one (pic below).  Moved on by GAS a few years ago but it was a nice guitar.

The reissues like yours are generally considered to be the best.  I've always had a soft spot for Gold Tops too.

http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/mm467/davidkw2001/Orville by Gibson/IMG_0399.jpg

Nice - I like a good plain top. What was the neck like on yours? This ones a bit slimmer than I'd hoped. But it's fine...

daveww

Sounds similar.  I little bit thinner that I like but still nice.  I usually go for fifties necks.

fretfinder

Iamnobody said:

I put some Gotoh locking tuners on:

I hope you're going to snip those string ends... 

Iamnobody

@fretfinder When I find something to cut them with - things go missing in this house. I leave things laying around then the trouble and strife confiscates them!

I could really do with one of those multi tool things with screwdrivers and snips on to keep in a guitar case.

jimmyguitar

Aren't the ones that say 'Orville by Gibson' the best ones? Looks like an excellent goldtop.

Iamnobody

jimmyguitar;351653" said:

Aren't the ones that say 'Orville by Gibson' the best ones? Looks like an excellent goldtop.

Best? Probably not but more 'correct' with gibson pickups and fret nibs etc.

It's a nice guitar. If you covered the logo up the only thing that really suggests it's not a USA is the 3 piece back.

Rox

Having said that, I once visited a luthier who was restoring a 70's Gibson LP Custom and he said the body was eight different pieces!  I suppose that must have been a pancake one.

Drew_TNBD

I have an ObG Les Paul Custom.

Rox

Drew_fx said:

I have an ObG Les Paul Custom.

They appear to have made it backwards.  Do you still have the receipt? 

Drew_TNBD

OH WOW NEVER HEARD THAT JOKE BEFORE !!

Rox

Drew_fx said:

OH WOW NEVER HEARD THAT JOKE BEFORE !!

And now your Caps Lock button is broken.  You're having some pretty rotten luck at the moment. 

Drew_TNBD

Rox

More than happy to take a seat, my feet are killing me.

Anyway, back to the OP, I've got an Epi LPC90 which were made in the direct aftermath of the ObG's being discontinued.  If they're any indication of quality, they're rather marvellous. 

Iamnobody

It's a nice guitar. It needed a bit of a clean but that's all.

And I paid considerably less than buying from an Japan/Orville specialist...

The custom looks very nice, presumably it's an ebony board?