memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

F

Frostypeak

New member
hi guys

i searched the web for quite some time and didn't find any informations about the guitar i recently got.
i hope one of you guys can enlighten me a little bit.

a few month ago i bought a memphis les paul for like 100 bucks. it has the original open book headstock, set in neck and it's in bad shape.
the frets are down, pick ups are super muddy and it really took a beating over the decades. though there are no cracks, and the neck is acutally quite ok..

now the question is do i own a total piece of crap or would it be worth it to get the guitar refretted and throw a throw a sweet set of pick ups in it?
i added a few pictures. hope you guys can help me out and thanks in advance

IMG_6904.jpgIMG_6905.jpgIMG_6906.jpgIMG_6907.jpgIMG_6910.jpg
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

I had one- it was my first guitar- back in 1987 I bought it for $120. Sorry to tell you, but it is a piece of junk. Body made of low grade plywood, bolt on neck. The pickups are low quality single coils under a humbucker housing. Very muddy. But it was the only guitar I could afford at the time, and it was all my local music store had since I had no transportation to get to a real music store like Sam Ash- and my family wouldn't buy me a guitar lol

Mine sure was pretty- I bought it after seeing Jimmy Page and Slash on TV. But I eventually saved up, got lucky and got a real used Les Paul, and literally made firewood out of the Memphis.

I believe they used to sell them at Sears in the 80's

I utterly can't believe Ebay sellers are asking around $250-$350 for them all because they're "vintage"
 
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Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

THey made "real" wood, set-neck Memphis-es, too. If that's what yours is (which I'm guessing from the photos it is) it isn't a "total piece" like others will tell you. My first guitar was a plywood, bolt-neck Hondo LP and it stunk. I also have, an Ash body/ Maple set-neck Hondo and it sounds pretty good. Yours at least has decent looking electronics inside, full size pots and a "real" 3-way (as opposed to mini-pots and a "box-style" switch). As long as the neck isn't bowed, and you like how it plays, it can be a nice guitar. Of course people who can afford to buy a "real" Gibson LP won't agree... These are pretty much the same as a modern Epi LP, other than they seemed to use thinner Poly finishes back then.
So yeah, get one of these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/191571816556?lpid=82&chn=ps (upgrade wiring harness) and as long as your 3-way isn't broken that may "open up" the pups you have. My Hondo had Dimarzios in it, but cheap mini-pots. It sounded really muddy until I changed out the wiring (and the broken box-switch), then it sounded really good.
If you really want to change the pickups too, there are literally hundreds of choices- do you want vintage, modern "hot", super hi-gain "shredder", the sky's the limit! (Personally I like "Dimarzio 36th Anniversary" pups, sort of low-output vintage style humbuckers. Or, "P-94" humbucker-shaped P90's. But there's waaaay too many choices to just tell you what to get...)
Really, try changing the wiring first to see if that helps the stock pups you already have. If you're changing pups later, you'd change the wiring anyway.
Oh yeah, MORE PIX PLEASE!
 
memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

daan said:
Of course people who can afford to buy a "real" Gibson LP won't agree... !
Click to expand...

Actually, back in 1989, I was able to score a factory second 1986 Gibson Les Paul Custom for $400.... Back then when everyone wanted shredsticks like Kramer and Ibanez it was quite easy to get Norlin era Les Pauls for $600... New Les Paul Standards were $1200
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

I love how the mythical "pre lawsuit" era gives some kind of credibility to crappy guitars when people try to sell them on ebay.
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

Beginner level setneck in my opinion. I wouldn't spend $150 or more for a fret job on a $100 guitar. That said, a good cleaning and a lil steel wool and you might get enough out of the remaining fret life to get you to a better guitar. Try new wiring as mentioned first and then new pickups if you must.

Good luck with your project. :headbang:
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

thank you guys... i really hoped this one is special, since all the other super crappy memphis les pauls people are talking about have a different headstock.
it cost me like 500 bucks to switch electronics, pick ups and get it refretted, so i think i just buy another guitar.
man... i wish i didn't sell my gibson ten years ago 😫
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

Wiki ninja got to work...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Guitars

Originally, Memphis was a private label of C. (for Charles) Bruno & Sons, an late 19th/early 20th century musical instrument distributor. One of his early partners was the C.F. Martin.

Like so many others during the 60s and 70s, they imported Asian copies of popular American brands.
This continued until they were served papers (cease & desist letters, rather than "lawsuits" or "injunctions" as such).

A really sad backstory... in the early 1910's dad died, and left it to his son. Junior got sick, and was so torn up he shot himself in the head.

The grandsons were running things for a while, but eventually (can't determine the date), Bruno & Sons was bought out by Kaman.
This means that your Asian copy guitar has some Martin and Ovation/Fender DNA in its' profile.

http://www.guitar-list.com/brands/bruno-and-sons
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

jmh151 said:
Actually, back in 1989, I was able to score a factory second 1986 Gibson Les Paul Custom for $400.... Back then when everyone wanted shredsticks like Kramer and Ibanez it was quite easy to get Norlin era Les Pauls for $600... New Les Paul Standards were $1200
Click to expand...


i bought a a 1979 black LP for 350 back in the early 90's.. My 1st guitar was a DAION Mark XX .. has a neck-thru body.. NEVER new how good that guitar was .. seriously.. i traded it for a kramer striker i believe .. {MASSIVE FACEPALM}
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

That's not plywood. Looks like a potentially allright guitar to me.
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

gibson175 said:
I love how the mythical "pre lawsuit" era gives some kind of credibility to crappy guitars when people try to sell them on ebay.
Click to expand...


No kidding. I've seen more old crap guitars being pushed at inflated prices, with the magical term 'lawsuit' used, that's somehow supposed to justify it. Crap then, crap now.
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

FWIW I am somewhat familiar with that model. Not an utter POS but for what it needs you'd be far better off selling to someone who is into them (they do have fans) and getting an Epi Trad Pro LP. If it only needed a little TLC it would be a consideration,
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

IMHO, that's the guitar you learn to refret on. Cost you $50-60 in tools, a lifetime of ability.


Larry
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

Ive had a couple of lawsuits filed against me. financially I was better pre lawsuit, but Im smarter now. So, ill start referring to my life as pre or post lawsuit.. haha

I concur with what Brother Wattage says. looks like a decent set neck, but.. I think its all in what its worth to you. If it plays good, sustains well and YOU think its worth sinking the cash into... I dont know you and maybe you dont have the money to buy something else. If not, fix it up as you go. But again if you think its worth the money. You arent going to be able to sell it and recoup all you put into it if you do fix it up
 
Re: memphis les paul copy, pre lawsuit?

I am interest in buyin this guitar if it's forsale.....or if anybody knows of a Memphis like this one ....set neck open book .....thanks
 
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