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Orville ?


bigneil

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Well, I learned something today, I Never heard of Orville by Gibson until about 20 minutes ago!!

 

Apparently they started making them in Japan just after they moved the Epis to Korea and were priced midway between the USA Gibbys and the mik Epis and were in production from 88 to 98 .

 

Have any of you guys owned one?, What was it like?, would you buy another one?

 

 

200px-Orvillebygibson_guitar_headstock.jpg

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I have an Orville EO-1SB acoustic with a headstock that looks like this:

 

EpiOrvilleE01.jpg

 

It's an OK guitar, I only paid $200 for it thinking my daughter would pick it up. She hasn't so far, so I wil probably sell it.

 

Here's a link to a litttle bit more about them: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/54749-epiphone-orville-series-guitars/page__p__731633__hl__orville__fromsearch__1&do=findComment&comment=731633

 

and: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/50497-orville-eo-1/page__p__683736__hl__orville__fromsearch__1&do=findComment&comment=683736

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I have an Orville EO-1SB acoustic with a headstock that looks like this:

 

EpiOrvilleE01.jpg

 

 

I dare say that the symbol on top of that headstock

has in today's parlance... 'religious significance'... [scared]

 

CHEEKS

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I have an Orville EO-1SB acoustic with a headstock that looks like this:

 

EpiOrvilleE01.jpg

 

It's an OK guitar, I only paid $200 for it thinking my daughter would pick it up. She hasn't so far, so I wil probably sell it.

 

Here's a link to a litttle bit more about them: http://forum.gibson....__1#entry731633

 

and: http://forum.gibson....__1#entry683736

 

 

Just a point of clarification, your acoustic is an Epiphone, the Orville by Gibson is not. Orville by Gibson was a separate brand (LPs & SGs AFAIK) made in Japan for the Japanese market.

 

The Epiphone Orville Series acoustics had the crescent moon & star on the headstock, which Orville Gibson used on his pre-Gibson models like this:

 

10855Gibsonguitarportrait.jpg

 

 

They were all made in Korea AFAIK.

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Just a point of clarification, your acoustic is an Epiphone, the Orville by Gibson is not. Orville by Gibson was a separate brand (LPs & SGs AFAIK) made in Japan for the Japanese market.

Thanks House, I should have pointed that out.

 

Orville was Mr. Gibson's first name BTW...

 

Orville-with-guitar.jpg

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<...>

The Epiphone Orville Series acoustics had the crescent moon & star on the headstock, which Orville Gibson used on his pre-Gibson models like this:

 

10855Gibsonguitarportrait.jpg

<....>

 

I've seen this one in person when I visited "America's Shrine To Music Museum" now called the "National Music Museum". If you ever get near Vermilion SD, plan to spend a day in the museum. It's worth it.

 

Notes ♫

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I have had a few Orville LPs, they are excellent. The Orville by Gibsons have long tennons, USA pickups and hardware and nitro finish.

 

interesting! i bet there are some real bargains to be had. I'm off to have a wee scour on "the auction site" to see if there are any.

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There are 2 lines: Orville and Orville By Gibson. The ladder being the high end version. Or so I've been told.

 

I have an Orville LP Custom. It's an oddball. A regular Orville should have rosewood fretboard, mine has ebony which is an Orville By Gibson feature. The original hardware matched Orville and not Orville By Gibson.

Regardless, it is one heck of a guitar. Heavy, chunky, solid - massive sustain. Not as resonant as others (like the early '70s Gibson LP Custom I tried) but I'll never voluntary part with it.

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There are 2 lines: Orville and Orville By Gibson. The ladder being the high end version. Or so I've been told.

 

I have an Orville LP Custom. It's an oddball. A regular Orville should have rosewood fretboard, mine has ebony which is an Orville By Gibson feature. The original hardware matched Orville and not Orville By Gibson.

Regardless, it is one heck of a guitar. Heavy, chunky, solid - massive sustain. Not as resonant as others (like the early '70s Gibson LP Custom I tried) but I'll never voluntary part with it.

This Wikipedia entry supposedly explains the whole Japanese Orville/Gibson history including an analysis of serial numbers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orville_by_Gibson

 

Cheers, Brian

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They stooped the production because they started noticing that the MIJ guitar were better then the current Gibson ones!

 

They stopped production because Gibson managed to get a deal in place to sell their USA made products in Japan. Orville became 'Epiphone Japan' and Orville by Gibson was never replaced as Gibson USA filled that gap.

 

This was my 'ObG' LP Custom...

 

vdf.jpg

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Stu I just had a search on Oz Evilbay and theres 4 Orville LP's available.

 

Man wheres the lotto god when you need him.

 

Hey Darren,

 

Yep, & I did my pocket money on 'Baby'... but as all 80's afficienados know...

 

"NOBODY... puts Baby in the corner" [thumbup]

 

63383244.jpg

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They stopped production because Gibson managed to get a deal in place to sell their USA made products in Japan. Orville became 'Epiphone Japan' and Orville by Gibson was never replaced as Gibson USA filled that gap.

 

This was my 'ObG' LP Custom...

 

vdf.jpg

 

beautiful custom, do you regret letting it go?

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