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70s Japanese Gibson Dove copy


Pago

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Hi Everyone....... I'm new to the site and not even sure if i'm allowed to be asking advice on a non Gibson brand.... but will take the chance as it is Gibson related.....I have not been able to find much information on the Gibson Dove 12 string... Quite a bit on the Doves in F light... I have come across a Cimar Dove 12 string... Japanese made copy of the Gibson Dove... It actually sounds pretty darn good.. As i will probably never be able to afford the real thing " i was hoping someone might be able to shred a little light on this copy... it is a.......Model 371 bk 12........ it has 70837 Serial number maybe... and  HT 75-12-128 Japan... Not sure but i'm thinking HT maybe place of manufacture........ December...... 1975...... 128th made...Like i say it sounds really great " and i have borrowed it with the option to buy at what i think is a very good price... It would be appreciated if anyone knows of this Guitar and doesn't mind sharing their knowledge....Many Thanks ...... i was going to add a pic but i'm not sure how to get the photo under 500kb

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Looks pretty kool. If it sounds good and feels right, go for it.   

You know these models - the Dove and the Hummingbird - were so popular that the 70s generated tons of weaker sometimes messy copies. They were seen in many a teenage room and often appeared more sensational than they sounded.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            There's a chance the 'Dove' above has developed some real nice wood - also if it's ply, so do it, , , but don't forget to dream about the real deal. . 

Edited by E-minor7
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Hi E-minor .... Dream i think it will be.. Would love to be able to get my hands on a new one.. but at over 4000 dollars a bit out of my price range.. But you never know " a second hand one may pop up somewhere ... i'm not certain but i think the 12 strings are quite hard to come by.... Thanks for your input

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4 hours ago, Pago said:

Hi E-minor .... Dream i think it will be.. Would love to be able to get my hands on a new one.. but at over 4000 dollars a bit out of my price range.. But you never know " a second hand one may pop up somewhere ... i'm not certain but i think the 12 strings are quite hard to come by.... Thanks for your input

Best of luck to you ^

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4 hours ago, Pago said:

Hi E-minor .... Dream i think it will be.. Would love to be able to get my hands on a new one.. but at over 4000 dollars a bit out of my price range.. But you never know " a second hand one may pop up somewhere ... i'm not certain but i think the 12 strings are quite hard to come by.... Thanks for your input

Oh, you're very welcome.

RBSinTo

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On 2/26/2021 at 4:59 PM, RBSinTo said:

 A cursory search reveals that Cimar was a guitar brand produced by Ibanez, who in the 70's was producing very good copies of Gibsons. They were eventually sued by Gibson and forced to stop producing the copies.

 

Along with Cimar, York was another brand marketed by Ibanez, and actually, Ibanez never did produce instruments themselves.  They speced what they wanted from an assortment of Japanese companies who manufactured products for them.  On the acoustic guitar side of the spectrum, Ibanez copy models from the early to mid seventies were somewhat crude, particularly by comparison to what Takamine was putting out (however Ibanez mandolins & banjos were stellar & excellent copies).  Beginning in the latter half of the '70s, Ibanez significantly upped their acoustic guitar game with the Artwood Series, and began using original styling cues because of the lawsuit.  Besides the Artwood lineup, almost all Ibanez acoustic guitar models used laminated body woods - but these Japanese-made instruments were well built & typically produced a satisfying tone (including the maple-bodied 1981 M-340 I currently own!).   

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Speaking of guitars with laminated wood, there is a Gibson Blue Ridge Custom acoustic currently for sale on Kijiji, here in Toronto. I did a bit of research and found they were produced from '68 to '79, and again from  '89 to '90. They  had  solid spruce tops and exterior laminated rosewood sides and backs (with maple interiors) and plain style pickguards and looked very much like a Martin.

According to opinions of owners, they produced a nice sound.

Interesting information in light of the current discussion.

RBSinTo

 

Edited by RBSinTo
Found additional information
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9 minutes ago, RBSinTo said:

Chief,

Thanks for the heads up.

I'll keep searching in the distance for the glow of torches.

RBSinTo

No need to worry only the Canadian members can hunt you down, which is probably 5. Unless the boarders opened and we were not told.

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8 hours ago, RBSinTo said:

Speaking of guitars with laminated wood, there is a Gibson Blue Ridge Custom acoustic currently for sale on Kijiji, here in Toronto. I did a bit of research and found they were produced from '68 to '79, and again from  '89 to '90. They  had  solid spruce tops and exterior laminated rosewood sides and backs (with maple interiors) and plain style pickguards and looked very much like a Martin.

According to opinions of owners, they produced a nice sound.

Interesting information in light of the current discussion.

RBSinTo

 

The heart of the issue was Ibanez's use of Gibson's Open Book Headstock.  Hit with a drop in the music industry, just prior to  filing the lawsuit Norlin had been reporting pre-tax losses which more than the company's net worth.   Even though Ibanez versions were plywood body (some had laminate tops and others solid), poly finished far less costly instruments,  what I recall is that Norlin did not want any competition and  hoped that the lawsuit would leave  Ibanez's U.S  distributor with nothing to display at NAMM or to provide stores with.    Ibanez, however, had the jump on Gibson and had already re-designed the headstock. 

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3 hours ago, zombywoof said:

The heart of the issue was Ibanez's use of Gibson's Open Book Headstock.  Hit with a drop in the music industry, just prior to  filing the lawsuit Norlin had been reporting pre-tax losses which more than the company's net worth.   Even though Ibanez versions were plywood body (some had laminate tops and others solid), poly finished far less costly instruments,  what I recall is that Norlin did not want any competition and  hoped that the lawsuit would leave  Ibanez's U.S  distributor with nothing to display at NAMM or to provide stores with.    Ibanez, however, had the jump on Gibson and had already re-designed the headstock. 

No matter what someone is going to fake something that is considered high end, be it guitars or Gucci handbags. Didn't Billy Crystal as Fernando say it is better to look good than to feel good.

Edited by Sgt. Pepper
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