Question about lawsuit era LPs

[Mr. Air]

I have been looking on a few lawsuit era LP copies and I have noticed that some of them, at least Ibanez ones, have a metal plate with screws at the back where the neck meets the body. Are these guitars bolt on?

[Philly Q]

Yes, they're bolt-ons.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking all old Japanese LP copies are top quality guitars.  They made loads of cheap ones too, including ones with bolt-on necks, bodies made from loads of pieces of unidentifiable wood, terrible quality tuners and weird single-coil pickups under humbucker covers.

The bolt-on doesn't mean it won't play well, of course, but don't pay a lot of money for it, because it will be one of the lower-end models.

[PhilKing]

My first decent guitar was a Vox Clubman but I didn't know much about guitars and got a Columbus Les Paul which was a much worse guitar really, but looked like a Les Paul Custom.  It had a bolt on neck, single coil pickups in humbucker covers and a arched plywood top!  The better early LP copies were Antoria and CSL.  We had an incredible CSL single cut LP Junior with set neck at the shop I worked at back in 1976.  I did some mods on it and fitted a set of humbuckers a la Terry Thomas double cut junior (bridge & middle position).

[Telerocker]

Yes, they're bolt-ons.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking all old Japanese LP copies are top quality guitars.  They made loads of cheap ones too, including ones with bolt-on necks, bodies made from loads of pieces of unidentifiable wood, terrible quality tuners and weird single-coil pickups under humbucker covers.

The bolt-on doesn't mean it won't play well, of course, but don't pay a lot of money for it, because it will be one of the lower-end models.

This! I had a Ibanez LP copy (cream) with a bolt-on neck in the eighties. Got it cheap, and it played and sounded cheap. No sustain or vibe. I think you're way better of with a new Chinese Tokai. If you want to go the vintage-route look at Tokai's, Greco's and Orvilles. Be careful: some are fab, some are dogs. Pay attention to neckpockets (cracks) and the neck/headstock (repaired, sprayed cracks).

[Philly Q]

If you want to go the vintage-route look at Tokai's, Greco's and Orvilles.

And Burnys!

All those brands made good guitars, and there's not much to choose between them in terms of build quality (in my experience).  But again be careful, they made a range of guitars at different price points so some are much more highly spec'd than others.  I'd say that applies especially to Greco, they seem to have had a bigger range and there are usually more of them on eBay than the other brands - some of them look great, some of them show obvious signs of being budget models (look out for bolt-on necks and cheap tuners!)

Aria and Yamaha also made some decent LP copies long ago (actual copies, as opposed to their own Les Paul influenced PE and SG designs)

[Telerocker]

If you want to go the vintage-route look at Tokai's, Greco's and Orvilles.

And Burnys!

All those brands made good guitars, and there's not much to choose between them in terms of build quality (in my experience).  But again be careful, they made a range of guitars at different price points so some are much more highly spec'd than others.  I'd say that applies especially to Greco, they seem to have had a bigger range and there are usually more of them on eBay than the other brands - some of them look great, some of them show obvious signs of being budget models (look out for bolt-on necks and cheap tuners!)

Aria and Yamaha also made some decent LP copies long ago (actual copies, as opposed to their own Les Paul influenced PE and SG designs)

And Burny's, yes, I forgot that one. As Philly says, Aria's and Yamaha's are to be looked at as well. A Yamaha SG700 is a very nice guitar, just quite heavy.

[Mr. Air]

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen. I will keep looking, even though I am not really looking to buy anything. But you never know what you find...

[Philly Q]

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen. I will keep looking, even though I am not really looking to buy anything. But you never know what you find...

Old Japanese guitars aren't the bargains they were a few years ago because the exchange rates are less favourable, but if you're not fussy about the weight of an LP and don't mind a ding or two (or twelve), they can still be great value for money.