Greco Vee and Exlorer.

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spikeymikey

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What do you guy's think of these two:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200983234867?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JAPAN-VINTAGE-1978-GRECO-GNECO-EX-800-EXPLORER-Korina-lawsuit-Ibanez-Destroyer-/281199314932
 
Helloooo....

Both Greco Explorer and Flying V bodies are ash, same as Ibanez used on their Explorer/Destroyer/Vee bodies. Necks are maple. Knobs and Bridge are incorrect for pre-60's also. FV scratchplate is wrong colour for 1958.

Korina is the name for the finish - not the wood. Gibson, Orville, Tokai, Burny all used mahogany except for the original 22 1958 Gibsons. They were White Limba.
Epiphone did a reissue using low grade white limba and Gibson did a few reissues using high-grade white limba about 5 years ago.
For those who don't know White Limba has all the sonic and density characteristics of Mahogany at around half the weight. It is found in Africa and has become increasingly difficult to find so it is expensive.
Some manufacturers have made Strat, Tele and LesPaul bodies of White or Black Limba to sell and I must say the Black Limba is quite striking.

So, when chasing anything that says 'Korina' keep this in mind

regards
Peter Mac
 
I was surprised that the Ibanez RocketRoll is so highly prized and priced given it uses the wrong woods.

Karl Kaufmann said:

Indeed, it's very nice, but at that price I want it to look perfect. And there's one important detail that's wrong on that. (Wrong also on many/all reissues and most copies/replicas) Only anally retentive replica makers - such as Max - get the detail right.

Prize for the correct answer... ;)


PS: Karl, you live in a fantastic place! I was in Bregenz last Christmas and will be there again in February. Will be bringing plenty of bergkase back with me. :)
 
ampmaker said:
I was surprised that the Ibanez RocketRoll is so highly prized and priced given it uses the wrong woods.

Karl Kaufmann said:

Indeed, it's very nice, but at that price I want it to look perfect. And there's one important detail that's wrong on that. (Wrong also on many/all reissues and most copies/replicas) Only anally retentive replica makers - such as Max - get the detail right.

Prize for the correct answer... ;)

The answer, (I think) is that they get the woodgrain of the two body pieces running parallel to the neck and not converging toward the neck like the original Gibson's were made. I think Gibson gets this detail correct on the custom shop re-issues too.

What's the prize?? :lol:
 
Well, that was no fun, One answer and an immediate win! :-?

Yes, I've always been perplexed as to why the copies rarely got the wood grain direction right.

Prize...? Cripes - I thought I'd not need one. OK, PM me your address and I'll send something from my Big Box of Stuff. :)
 
:D

Oh yes, I take this stuff very seriously!!!

I agree, the grain 'thing' really bothers me on replica '58 Vee's too. I don't see why they can't get that aspect right? Wood economy? I guess with the later, all- mahogany ones there's not that problem.

I know you make great amp's, Barry(I think that's the correct name IIRC? If not, please forgive me!). I spoke with you a few times on the phone and you told me about Chris who makes superb cabinets - one of which I have for my Cornell "Plexi" head. I'm going to get one of yours one day too, a low-wattage( I'm thinking possibly a PP36), - I'm good with a soldering iron and a schematic so??maybe when I'm back in Clacton next Spring?
 
Hi everyone!


What is the real downer on most Korina replicas is in my opinion, that usually the body shape is slightly off, as well as the headstock shape and the body thickness (usually too thin, like on the Bacchus BFV58K).
Also the Pickguards are not correct most of the time, as they were 4ply on the white ones. Original V's had the neck tenon went all the way through the front pickup routing and stopped half way in between the bridge and neck pickup.
I never saw a japanese reissue which had this feature.

"Korina" was a name created by Ted McCarty and was indeed used for the wood, not the finish. McCarty told that several times in interviews with Tom Wheeler. The idea to use Limba was, that they wanted a light natural look without the need of dying or bleaching the wood. So they used Limba and clearcoated it.
Limba is by no means a rare wood, the problem is, it gets rotten and splits very soon , so it is not easy to come by pieces which are big enough to use for guitar bodies (think of an Explorer, 1piece body....).

As for the pickguard colour: Larry Meiners believes that black Pickguards were used on the early V's and white ones on later ones. What year the colour changed is not known afaik. So, at least, the early 60's Korina V's came with white guards, and the 57 prototypes with black ones, as well as most certainly all 58 V's.


Jonas
 

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