Anyone have a Lori brand guitar?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Mark42

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
9,334
Took out my old Les Paul copy by Lori. I forgot what a fantastic guitar this is! I hadn't touched this guitar since the late 1980's. It plays like a dream. I see that I did a little fret work, but the rest of the guitar is in like-new condition. What sustain this baby has! I was so impressed I decided to do some research on it. If I recall right, I paid about $175 for it and got my friends employee discount at the local Sam Goody music store. <br /><br />I probably bought it sometime between 1976 and 1980. So far all I found was a reference that Lori was made in Japan by the Matsumoku or Ibanez factory. Other than a really nice "Lori" inlay in mother-of-pearl in the head stock, here is no other identification or numbers on the guitar. <br /><br />I would really appreciate any info on Lori brand guitars. <br /><br />Thanks, <br /><br />Mark.
 

mikeandronda

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 13, 2003
Messages
1,888
Re: Anyone have a Lori brand guitar?

Sorry Mark I never heard of that brand.......is it an Ibanez? I do know that some off name brands have been some of the finest guitars I have played.
 

Mark42

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
9,334
Re: Anyone have a Lori brand guitar?

I have no solid info at all. Been searching the net by brand, location and style but no results. I don't even have any of the tags that came with it. Started searching on collectables and found that some Japanese made guitars from the 80's were high quality pieces. <br /><br />I'm going to pick up some new strings and a can of electronics spray cleaner for the pots. They seem to have developed a lot of crackle and drop outs over the years from non use.<br /><br />Now that the basement is finished off nice, I have a place to play. Got out the amp and guitar cases, started cleaning everything up. Man, old electronics don't like being stored in a basement! <br /><br />One nice part of spending the extra $$ on insulating the ceiling of the basement is that my little amp doesn't bother anyone when I have it cranked. <br /><br />Bought my son a Rogue brand dreadnaught style acustic for Christmas. Ordered it over the net sight unseen and sound unheard. It got good reviews as a beginner guitar and I didn't want to spend a lot to find out it was a passing phase he is in. Anyway, I tuned it up and what a beautiful sound it has. My chin hit the floor. Kicks the butt of my Yamaha acustic that is now "aged" at 30 years old. Not a fancy guitar, but high quality build with all the right high grade hardware. Low easy action. Just a great all around guitar.<br /><br />I would really like to have a nice vintage American made ax from the 50's or 60's, but I'm not going to spend the bucks for a collectable (and they all are from that era).<br /><br />So for me it's just no-names that play well, keep tune, good pickups, and adjustable bridges. A quality built guitar is a great playing piece no matter if its a big brand name or not. <br /><br />Maybe I'll post a pic of the Lori Les Paul later this week.<br /><br />G'night. <br /><br />Careful with that ax, Eugine....
 

mikeandronda

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 13, 2003
Messages
1,888
Re: Anyone have a Lori brand guitar?

I hear ya Mark.....My Favorite guitar I own is a Charvel 375 deluxe.......payed ajust 300 bucks for it about 15 years ago. Charvel is Jacksons lesser brand and in truth Im not impressed with anything they have made in the last 10 years. My guitar is the only guitar I have owned that I about think of as irreplacable. About 3 years ago I did a show about 100 miles from home and some how during break down and loading up of the vans my guitar got stolen. We were using some of my teens from a youth group I and my wife used to run and well one of them somehow let it out of their sight. I was heart broken......I had about $500.00 bucks at the time and I started looking around and for even a grand couldnt find one that played like my guitar.......I was so distraught I thought about quitin the band.....I know that seems a bit dramatic. Well theres a happy ending to the story. The police called and a couple of days later they found somebody with it. Funny thing is as they let the person go and when I asked did they arrest him or charge him with anything there only response was " do want your guitar back or not" needless to say I got my guitar and didnt ask any more questions......Probably the police chiefs kid or something.
 

snapperbait

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2002
Messages
5,754
Re: Anyone have a Lori brand guitar?

Sorry, Mark... I got no info on Lori either...
 

aspeck

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
May 29, 2003
Messages
18,579
Re: Anyone have a Lori brand guitar?

Many, many years ago I used to date a Lori - actually my first love. Does that count? She was pretty high maintenance, as I recall, but quite a beauty. Nothing compared to the current love of my life, though.<br /><br />Does that help any?
 

Limited-Time

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
5,820
Re: Anyone have a Lori brand guitar?

Originally posted by aspeck:<br /> Many, many years ago I used to date a Lori - actually my first love. Does that count? She was pretty high maintenance, as I recall, but quite a beauty. Nothing compared to the current love of my life, though.<br /><br />Does that help any?
So aspeck fess up, how'd she play???? ;) ;)
 

Dave Abrahamson

Lieutenant
Joined
May 8, 2003
Messages
1,497
Re: Anyone have a Lori brand guitar?

Here is a Harmony Central review on the Lori Strat copy http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Lori/Strat_Copy-1.html Look around...google...check forums...sombody's got another one somewhere. I felt the same way about an ole Yamaha Strat I had years ago. Played like butta'. Gotta admit though, my '64 (Strat)is my baby. Out of all of my guitars...that's the go-to guitar. And no...it's not for sale ;)
 

Mark42

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
9,334
Re: Anyone have a Lori brand guitar?

Originally posted by aspeck:<br /> Many, many years ago I used to date a Lori - actually my first love. Does that count? She was pretty high maintenance, as I recall, but quite a beauty. Nothing compared to the current love of my life, though.<br /><br />Does that help any?
Aspeck, did you play her or did she play you?<br /><br /> :D <br /><br />Back to guitars, I got a "Bud Light True Music Electric Guitar" off e-bay cheap. A strat copy. Spent about an hour lowering the action and setting the intonation (wish I had an oscilloscope). Took a chance that it might actually be a Squire model, but now I don't think it is, because the head stock is not the correct shape (it has a small notch in the end ball shape). Anyway, it plays very well, sounds great, noisless 5 pos switch and knobs, and has the 22 fret neck like the Afinity Delux model. Now I'm trying to figure out who made it.<br /><br />
c7_3.JPG
<br /><br />Wrote to Anhauser Busch and will see what they have to say. Guitar came new in box, with wrapping, all accessories sealed in bags, but no paperwork at all. No model number on guitar or on box. I may remove the face plate when I put new strings on it to see if there is any label indicating if it's a Japan, Korea, or Indonesia made guitar.<br /><br />On the box it does say:<br /><br />Customer order #6234509<br />ITEM:SO1029242<br />BUD LIGHT True Music Electric Guitar<br />P.O#734637<br />QTY:1<br /><br />Any ideas how to figure out what company made this? So far the net has yielded nothing.
 

Wizinit

Recruit
Joined
Feb 12, 2019
Messages
1
Here is my take on Lori Les Paul electric guitars:
Even serious vintage Japanese collectors have no info on these guitars. But they were definitely made at one of the factories that made high quality copies bearing more familiar brands.

This past year I have personally seen two Les Paul copies at auction and one on eBay. All three had the “lawsuit” Gibson open book headstock.

The first sold in Upstate NY had two Gibson gold humbuckers and Gibson tuners. It was in very nice dark brown condition with the double binding.The second was a natural blond maple body LP also double bound that was in very good condition and modified with upgrades. I purchased it from a CT auction house. It had highly prized Guild humbuckers, but wore a nasty 12-string neck. However, it came with the original maple neck with Schaller tuners, which I had my tech restore. Although the body had been routed to accommodate the wider 12 string neck, I believe an unintended effect was to heighten the resonance. This guitar is not only beautiful, but has magnificent sound and sustain.

The third LP sold on eBay did not have upgrades and showed serious corrosion of the pup covers and other metal parts.

My my instinct tells me that Lori was a private branding for a NY based importer, and two separate online reports that they were bought from Sam Goody, and the fact that the three I’ve seen were all on the East coast, support this thesis.

I love my Lori, which I think is as good or better than an early 70s Gibson LP custom
I recently acquired. Hope this info helps.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top