Super Rare Asbury acoustic Guitar

[Jasongs101]

Does anyone have any details on Asbury Acoustic guitars from japan .. guitar from mid 60s .. model number F65

Cannot find ANYTHING about this guitar on the internet.. not even pics

Here's the guitar
https://youtu.be/I0Eif36ukr4

Looks like mahogany front back sides.. gibson headstock..00015 martin body ..

Very strange

ANY info appreciated

[zztush]

I've found only one web site about Asbury guitar in Japanese auction site.
It is Asbury No.40125.

https://aucview.aucfan.com/yahoo/d156175166/

[Jasongs101]

Thank you.. at least we know it has a brother out there..lol

Odd that there is literally no history about Asbury guitars online

[Wade Hampton]

Not that odd, really. The times I was in Asian music stores I often saw identical plywood acoustic guitars, all clearly made at the same factory, each with a different "brand name" on the headstock.

At one store I saw "Airport," "Pink Lady," "Lily," "Sportster," "Hello" and "Young Change" guitars all in a rack, among others. All of them were plywood dreadnoughts with identical appointments. I got the impression that there was at least one guy at that particular guitar factory whose job it was to look through magazines and come up with different-sounding Western brand names.

Now that was thirty years ago, so I don't know if it's still a common practice. But back when that "Asbury" guitar you're looking at was built, it was the rule at that price point, not the exception.

Personally, I wouldn't get too excited about it, if I was you. It's not as though you're going to get the equivalent of a Gibson at a tenth the price. It's only been in the past fifteen years or so that inexpensive Asian-made guitars began to approach the quality of the American guitars they were based on. This Asbury is very unlikely to be anywhere nearly as good as a modern Eastman or Recording King.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

PS: Have you asked yourself why the seller has the capo clamped down at the second fret? I have. My guess is that the guitar has a pretty bad action and the capo is on there to disguise that to an extent.

[Jasongs101]

Hey ..thanks for the swift reply..

Just wondering why u think its plywood?

Also if the action is high couldnt it be adjusted?

[Wade Hampton]

I suspect it's plywood based on the era when it was most likely built. As for the action being fixable, yeah, well maybe, but maybe not. If the neck is twisted or if there's a dip in it that can't be corrected with a truss rod, theoretically it might be fixable, but at what cost? Fixing warped or twisted necks can get very costly, very fast.

Send an email to the sender asking if he can take a picture from the side showing all of the neck and the height of the action with the capo removed. Having that capo clamped on there immediately aroused my suspicions, but if he's got nothing to hide he should be happy to provide the photo.

But, truthfully, this guitar doesn't pass the smell test, so far as I'm concerned. If I was Peter Parker, my spidey sense would be tingling....

Hope that makes more sense.


whm

[Jasongs101]

Side by side comparison with a Martin 00015 Mahogany, the grain looks the same..

And ill probably be shot for saying this but i usually play with a capo anyway so if there is a problem with the action, it might be ok..

Trying to stat positive here..lol

But thanks for the insight

[Wade Hampton]

Well, sure the grain looks the same, but if it’s laminated all you’re seeing in those photos is the outer layer. Plywood is made of real wood.

One way to tell is if the top is laminated is when you can see a closeup photo that shows the soundhole from a slight angle. If the wood of the top is solid, then grain lines will go all the way through. But if it’s laminated, there’ll be a different core wood that will be visible if the resolution of the photo is adequate.

When the top is solid but the back and sides are laminated, it’s a bit more complicated to spot from photos.


whm

[Osage]

I'm going to have to agree with Wade here. That looks like one of many entry level Japanese acoustics from the 60's-70's. There were literally hundreds of names put on the headstocks. It is almost certainly plywood and will not have an adjustable truss rod. These guitars were hard to play when new and typically haven't aged well. When I see them, they usually have bellied tops, bowed/twisted necks, bad intonation and poor fretwork. It certainly is possible to find one that is playable but even then, they don't typically sound all that good. You mention that it looks like a Martin 00015 and I guess that maybe it does but unfortunately, the similarities end there. If it's cheap enough and you don't mind taking a gamble, go for it but I personally wouldn't spend any serious amount of money on that guitar.

[zombywoof]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Not that odd, really. The times I was in Asian music stores I often saw identical plywood acoustic guitars, all clearly made at the same factory, each with a different "brand name" on the headstock.

Agree. While info on Chicago-made Harmonys is pretty extensive that on the Asian-made versions after the company went belly up is almost non-existent.

[Jasongs101]

You all mention on the headstock .. not sure if you noticed but theres no name on this headstock.. only on the inside of the guitar..

Paid $180 for it.. will have to wait and see i guess.. will let u know

Originally Posted by Osage

I'm going to have to agree with Wade here. That looks like one of many entry level Japanese acoustics from the 60's-70's. There were literally hundreds of names put on the headstocks. It is almost certainly plywood and will not have an adjustable truss rod. These guitars were hard to play when new and typically haven't aged well. When I see them, they usually have bellied tops, bowed/twisted necks, bad intonation and poor fretwork. It certainly is possible to find one that is playable but even then, they don't typically sound all that good. You mention that it looks like a Martin 00015 and I guess that maybe it does but unfortunately, the similarities end there. If it's cheap enough and you don't mind taking a gamble, go for it but I personally wouldn't spend any serious amount of money on that guitar.

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

It's only been in the past fifteen years or so that inexpensive Asian-made guitars began to approach the quality of the American guitars they were based on.
Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

I agree with Wade, with a slight exception.
Some of the Japanese guitars from the late 70's rivaled the American guitars they copied. There was a period then where the Japanese guitars were improving steadily and the quality of most American guitars was dropping.
I'm pretty sure Wade wasn't including Japan as a maker of inexpensive Asian guitars.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Jasongs101

You all mention on the headstock .. not sure if you noticed but theres no name on this headstock.. only on the inside of the guitar..

Paid $180 for it.. will have to wait and see i guess.. will let u know

So basically what you wanted us to tell you was that this is a great guitar and you should buy it. You pretended to be asking for information, but you’d already made your mind up and what you really wanted was validation and encouragement.

Sorry that we made the mistake of telling you what we actually thought.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Jasongs101]

No ..that was exactly what i wanted.. ur thoughts on it and any information anyone had to offer.. ebay auctions dont last forever so i had to buy it or let it go.. ill let u know the verdict once it arrives.. i appreciate all your help!