Vintage Falcon archtop or just a toy knock off?

vegeta · #1 03-30-2013, 02:00 PM

I've had this guitar for over 10 years now thinking it was a modern guitar. I only recently put it up on craigslist because I felt bad letting it catch dust when someone else could be playing it. A potential buyer informed me that it's actually a vintage guitar and seemed surprised at what good condition it's in...but what brand is it? The decal says Encore and it looks very similar to a Falcon guitar that was sold here http://bit.ly/YRRxff
but has no Falcon sticker on the inside. This guitar is the only one I've come across so far that looks anything like mine.

I have no intentions of trying to sell this guitar again (I know it's not worth much anyway) but now I'm intrigued about it's origins and I'd like to be able to tell people what it is when they ask. Can anyone tell me what company it may have been made by and what year it's from? Thanks for your help.

Jim Owen · #2 03-30-2013, 05:22 PM

Welcome to the forum, Vegeta.

I can't help much--except to say I don't see an arch top--it looked to be a flat top with a trapeze bridge and there were lots of imported starter guitars like that in the 70s.

Does the top truly arch?

vegeta · #3 03-30-2013, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Owen

Welcome to the forum, Vegeta.

I can't help much--except to say I don't see an arch top--it looked to be a flat top with a trapeze bridge and there were lots of imported starter guitars like that in the 70s.

Does the top truly arch?

Thanks for the welcome.

I don't know much about guitars to be honest. I got this one with the intention of learning to play all those years ago. Maybe it is a flat top...I'm sort of unclear on the definition of that still.

Dan Carey · #4 03-30-2013, 07:12 PM

Welcome to the asylum! That's definitely not an archtop, it's a flat top.
Are there any markings on the interior? Maybe on the neck block? Looks to be a low dollar guitar from the 40's or 50's but could very well be older.

CicadaKiller · #5 03-31-2013, 03:42 AM

Well there is an Encore guitar company. They seem to be british and sell inexpensive guitars. The rosettes on some of the pictures seem to look like yours.

http://www.jhs.co.uk/encoreacoustic.html

Westy · #6 03-31-2013, 10:08 AM

Does it sound any good ?

vegeta · #7 04-01-2013, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Carey

Welcome to the asylum! That's definitely not an archtop, it's a flat top.
Are there any markings on the interior? Maybe on the neck block? Looks to be a low dollar guitar from the 40's or 50's but could very well be older.

No, there's nothing on the inside but a few pencil marks from when it was made. The only stickers are the two on the front and a half destroyed "made in" sticker on the back of the neck. What makes you think it might be older?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westy

Does it sound any good ?

According to the guy who looked at it it sounded decent.