tyrell65 Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I have an Arbiter Les Paul Junior, circa 1979 -80. It was bought by a mate in 1980 brand new for 99 quid and has circuclated between him and me for 30 years. I seached the net for info on these guitars but there is very little info, all I've managed to find out is that they were made at the Ibanez factory in Japan - i can't remember the name of the place- and that they came single cut and dbl cut in brown sunburst. The guitar is very well made, and finshed. It is detail perfect in every aspect, glued in neck, correct body thicknes and weight, fat neck of the late 50s period and the electrics are especially interesting as they use a 500k volume pot, a 250k tone pot and a cross linked bumble bee style .022 capacitor, just like the originals. Arbiter / Ibanez really did well to do this and the result is a kickass sound which is probably as good as a Gibson re issue LP Junior of the same period, and maybe even as good as one of the originals. In comparsion I've aslo owned a 1963 Gibson SG Junior, and it sounds better than that did. Probably due to the thicker heavier body. This is why I think that the P90 may even be a Gibson; it has the Gibson braided wire of the period, and there is no reason not to believe the pickups weren't sourced from either Gibson or Epiphone as in the late 70's not many players were interested in the P90, and they would have been dirt cheap wholesale. It also has mini Schaller machines, also stock on these guitars, so no corners were cut with the build quality. I've had two of these and they have both been exactly the same. I also owned an Ibanez LP Junior, probabbly made at the sme factory as the Arbiter, in cherry red with a tortoise shell pick guard, which was a killer guitar too. In fact I used it more that the SG at the time. The guitar has been professionally set up with the nut lowered and frets levlled for a nice fast n low action. The tech that did the work was very interested in it and i think wanted to keep it! It sounds excellent and has the classic growl and tonal range expected in a decent Junior. Crank up through a decent valve amp and wind the tone back half way and it gets very creamy, wind it right back to around 2 and it's just nasty and almost wah like with solos. Everything flat out and it's great for Johnny Thunders and early Clash and Mott tones. Just what a Junior should do... Anyway, enough waffle - does anyone know anything else about these guitars!!?? Anyone else got one? I'll post some pics if someone can tell me how to do it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyg Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Billy Bragg used one for years even when he could afford something different (I hesitate to use the word "better") and John Martyn used one for a while too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrell65 Posted February 28, 2010 Author Share Posted February 28, 2010 Here's some fotos of the Arbiter...ain't she sweet!!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrell65 Posted February 28, 2010 Author Share Posted February 28, 2010 Billy Bragg used one for years even when he could afford something different (I hesitate to use the word "better") and John Martyn used one for a while too. I rememeber Billy Bragg using one, he stripped off the finish. I was thinking of getting it refinished in TV yellow, for more authenticity to the original as the Gibson dble cut didn't come in sunbusrt, but hey i think it's ok to leave it sunburst. After all there are very few / no DC sunburst Juniors around so why not leave it as is..!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearhead Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I don't know know much about this axe but just wanted to say that it looks nice. Looks to be a pretty quality build! I've ALWAYS wanted one of the old Jr's like that! Damn! Now I'm gonna have to go buy another axe!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Never heard of ARBITER before, but it looks great and I'd bet it sounds even better. My vote is to leave it stock - never been a fan of TV yellow, and that retro SB finsh is to die for (see my avatar). If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Welcome mate, and thanks for posting! PS: The knobs are in the vintage-correct location. How's the intonation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrell65 Posted March 1, 2010 Author Share Posted March 1, 2010 Never heard of ARBITER before' date=' but it looks great and I'd bet it sounds even better. My vote is to leave it stock - never been a fan of TV yellow, and that retro SB finsh is to die for (see my avatar). If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Welcome mate, and thanks for posting! PS: The knobs are in the vintage-correct location. How's the intonation?[/quote'] Arbiter was a UK musical instruments distribuor in the seventies and eighties. So I guess they had them named eponymously for sale in the Uk like other Jap LP copies of the time coming out of the Ibanez factory. Thanks for the tip, I think i will leave it all original, it has a bit of sentimental value as it's been with me on and off for so long. I added some pointer washers to the control knobs for the quick tone adjustment. These didn't come on the guitar. The intonation luckily is spot on open string and at 12th fret, so no need to change the bridge for the badass type, i don't like them on juniors, they ruin the simple vibe of the guitar. I'm wondering how many of these were made, I only know of one other friend who has one these days, although they occassionally pop up on ebay, but people want between 300 to 450 for them, which when u consider you can buy a reissue Gibson LP Junior now for 599, is a tad optimistic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoop Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Looks pretty darn cool to me, and just further enhances my want for a Junior! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyg Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Arbiter was a UK musical instruments distribuor in the seventies and eighties. So I guess they had them named eponymously for sale in the Uk like other Jap LP copies of the time coming out of the Ibanez factory. Actually Arbiter (or Dallas-Arbiter as they were originally) started out in the 60's and only went out of business a couple of years ago. In the 70's and 80's they were distributors of Hayman and Shergold guitars and later I believe they were the distributors of Steinberg software and high quality brass and woodwind instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
custombuiltguitars Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 that is a really sweet looking JR. I'd leave it as is. After looking at the pics, I am willing to bet the quality is every bit as good or better than what Gibson was putting out at the same time. Nice JR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rkitect Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 Hi all, if anyone is interested, I am selling one of these guitars. Please see http://forums.epiphone.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=14703 Regards, Rkitect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rkitect Posted April 6, 2010 Share Posted April 6, 2010 Hi, I have posted some images to the above now so that those interested can see the actual guitar that I am selling. Regards, Rkitect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nixs Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Gorgeous, beautiful guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Zeplin Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Really nice piece. I wouldn't change anything as long as you are happy with it. Is the finish poly or nitro? Btw the $599 Gibson Jrs are not reissues, they are Gibson USA not Custom shop but are nice axes none the less Z. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Not sure the last time tyrell65 was here, but he hasn't posted anything in this thread for almost 2 years. Read yer dates! (Nice Jr. though...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary pearce Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 I have a yellow one , brought in 1978 from fender soundhouse , tottenham ct rd , London alas gone , shop not guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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