What is "Orville" by Gibson........

[onewilyfool]

Check this out.......

 

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/msg/2704476047.html

[stein]

It was a brand that was licensed by Gibby to make Japanese versions of Gibby's.

 

Ad is not entirely true, as there are others.

[Red 333]

Check this out.......

 

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/msg/2704476047.html

 

Orville by Gibson were high-quality licensed Gibson copies made in Japan for the Japanese market by the Fuji-Gen and Tedera factories. They were made from the early 80's to early 90's, and featured Gibson USA pickups, nitro finishes, and careful craftsmanship and build quality. There was also and Orville brand that, while also high quality, did not feature Gibson USA pick ups or nitro.

 

The same two factories were later commissioned to build the similar (and sadly mostly discontinued) Epiphone Elitist line for export to the USA throughout much of the 90's.

 

I have the Elitist version of the J-200, and it's a great guitar. In fact, I have several Elitists, and can say they are very close to if not equal or surpassing of their Gibson counterparts made at the same time. This is very true of the electrics, especially.

 

Red 333

[BigKahune]

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Here's some info - http://www.guitarsjapan.com/orvillegibsoninfopage.html

 

Gibson also has a value based brand - Maestro by Gibson -

 

[E-minor7]

I never heard of this branch, but as stated in the ad, it must have been named after no one else than the founder of the brand – Mister Orville Gibson, who started up with mandolins in Kalamazoo,1884.

Wonder what he would have thought of the concept.

 

We see him here down in a near lotus position playing, , , could it be a 12-fret. It's clear the man is on to something cool.

 

Was he really a lefty ?

 

Btw. Isn't there something cosmically right about Gibson turning the troubled ship in 1984 – 100 years after the very start.

[Spot]

As Red stated above,...these are great guitars. Would love to get my hands on that j-200!!!

 

[onewilyfool]

Are the acoustics all solid wood, or laminate? How can you tell which ones have the nitro finish??? Is it by year?

[slimt]

.Im not sure about all the off brands .. are these actually Gibson endorsed Guitars?

 

The picture above looks like hes playing a Martin.. or is it a Gibson?

[bobouz]

.Im not sure about all the off brands .. are these actually Gibson endorsed Guitars?

 

The "Orville" was a legit Gibson approved line. As mentioned above, think Epiphone Elitist, and you're in the right ballpark. Of the Elitist acoustic models, the specs appear to indicate that the sides were laminated on the Texan, J45, and L00, while the top & back were solid - except for the J-200, which lists all solid woods. The Orville instruments might be follow a similar pattern.