Who makes the best Gibson L-5 copy?

**Scotto** · 04-19-2016, 10:07 AM

If you can find one, the Greco L100s is a very nice guitar.

**abelljo** · 04-19-2016, 10:35 AM

I think Greco is one of the closest copies there were:

1979 Greco L-100S | Sharpened Flat - Vintage Japan Guitar

**plasticpigeon** · 04-19-2016, 11:25 AM

Superficially, that Greco is amazingly close. It really looks like my 1972 L-5. The only real big cosmetic differences are the tuning machines and the truss rod cover. Every other little detail down to the thicker strip of binding on the neck is correct. It is the only copy I have seen that has got the correct cutaway shape too, all the rest are too round making it look like a mickey mouse ear.

**lawson-stone** · 04-19-2016, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by abelljo

I think Greco is one of the closest copies there were:

1979 Greco L-100S | Sharpened Flat - Vintage Japan Guitar

Was the Greco made from solid wood or laminate? Some of these MIJ "lawsuit" era guitars were solids.

**wintermoon** · 04-19-2016, 04:53 PM

they did make a couple models w/carved tops, but they were acoustic models.
the twin pickup built in guitars are plywood including the Greco, Aria, etc.

**jzucker** · 04-19-2016, 05:58 PM

not an exact copy but IMO, a good heritage eagle classic captures the L5 vibe better than anything out there with the possible exception of some of the luthier-made boutique pieces.

**icr** · 04-19-2016, 08:45 PM

The Ibanez 2470 is the one to get (solid carved top). I was looking but got a Gibson L7 for much less.

**Archie** · 04-19-2016, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by travisty

ATH, but the FA800 and the GB-20 are floaters... and if I know which 'second FA800' you are talking about, it doesn't sound that CES-ish to me... though it does sound nice.

Yeh I think judging by the previous posts this is just an opportunity to dump nice vintage japanese archtops ;-)

I Agree with you. My point was that your Fa-800 is more L5CES'ish than the other one. More focused tone, deeper etc. I think you would agree, if the back were solid it would probably sound quite close?

My more accurate suggestions were the 2740 and Fa-700, even the Fa-700 will still sound brighter and have less presence without the solid back.

In the end the best L5CES copy imo is the 2470

Who makes the best Gibson L-5 copy?-nnz6bgontolckuwnztce-jpg

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**wintermoon** · 04-19-2016, 11:52 PM

agree that the Ibanez models are excellent guitars and had forgotten about the 2470 w/carved top.
but the problem w/those guitars [for me] is the short scale length.

the Aria's, Greco's, etc are 25 1/2" like a real L-5. I can really feel the difference.
but ymmv....

**Archie** · 04-20-2016, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

agree that the Ibanez models are excellent guitars and had forgotten about the 2470 w/carved top.
but the problem w/those guitars [for me] is the short scale length.

the Aria's, Greco's, etc are 25 1/2" like a real L-5. I can really feel the difference.
but ymmv....

I would have thought they were 25'5. If you are going by the Ibanez cats they are often wrong. The FA-800 has a 25'5 but is advertised as 24'3/4

**2bornot2bop** · 04-20-2016, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven

I would have thought they were 25'5. If you are going by the Ibanez cats they are often wrong. The FA-800 has a 25'5 but is advertised as 24'3/4

the 2460 I owned and sold was a 25.5" scale too. it's tone was far fatter and more preferred over a L5Wesmo I owned.

REgarding the Aria PE190...excellent guitar. If I could only afford that price point I'd have no problem owning that archtop

**travisty** · 04-20-2016, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven

Yeh I think judging by the previous posts this is just an opportunity to dump nice vintage japanese archtops ;-)

I Agree with you. My point was that your Fa-800 is more L5CES'ish than the other one. More focused tone, deeper etc. I think you would agree, if the back were solid it would probably sound quite close?

My more accurate suggestions were the 2740 and Fa-700, even the Fa-700 will still sound brighter and have less presence without the solid back.

In the end the best L5CES copy imo is the 2470

Who makes the best Gibson L-5 copy?-nnz6bgontolckuwnztce-jpg

Archie, when I think about it I would agree with you on the FA-800 actually. It does a beautiful job of being an L5 acoustic, and from that point getting to L5CES is really a matter of getting the pickup right. The laminate back might even help it be L5CES-ish with the appropriate pickup.

It has been my practice machine for the last couple of weeks and I love the tone. Very, very nice.

**lawson-stone** · 05-02-2016, 10:59 PM

So... a 1977 Aria Pro II PE 180 has found a home... with me... This is becoming a disturbing pattern in my life...

**h1pst3r88** · 05-29-2016, 02:11 PM

I have two grand Japanese examples that are simply wonderful.

1. 1988 Yamaha AE1200S
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Attachment 31742

2. 1988 Washburn J-6
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They are similar and different in their own ways (like my two sons ;-)

The Yamaha is an ebony fretboard to the J-6's rosewood. The J-6 has the slightly larger neck, but the Yamaha is quite wonderful, too. The Yamaha is a spruce top compare to the maple of the J-6.

They are heavy and incredibly well constructed. If you can find either of these guitars on your hunt for an L-5 type guitar, you would do very well to try them out.

Please feel free to ask any questions about either guitar ;-)

-Chris

**lawson-stone** · 05-29-2016, 02:51 PM

Aria Pro II PE180 is pretty amazing.

-Lawson
"Behavior that's admired is the path to power among peoples everywhere."-Beowulf

**h1pst3r88** · 05-29-2016, 03:00 PM

Lawson, I love that guitar! I followed your NGD thread. She's a beauty, congrats! *I also loved seeing a pic of the guitar in front of your own published work.

To Guido: at one point I was going to buy a FatBoy (I remember researching that they are great guitars). It was an ebay deal and I backed out because there wasn't a ton of info on them.

Those Aria's, like Lawson's, are fantastic. I have a 1980 Aria Pro II Strat (Matsumoku) that is the absolute bee's knees! I am an ardent fan of pretty much all the late 70's-80's Japanese guitars (Matsumoku, Fujigen, Terada, Yamaki, etc, etc).

My Seventy Seven Stork Jazz, made by more contemporary Japanese hands, is also just a great guitar.

-Chris

**lawson-stone** · 05-29-2016, 03:05 PM

With the Arias you want to check the headstock inlay. I thought I was getting the split diamonds a la Super 400 but the seller had one that was a bit better overall and so I said, sure, but forgot to double check the inlay, which is not very Gibsonian...

-Lawson
"Behavior that's admired is the path to power among peoples everywhere."-Beowulf

**Bluedawg** · 05-29-2016, 10:53 PM

Now if I could find a reasonably priced Super 400 clone to satisfy at least for a little while

**Guido_59** · 06-06-2016, 08:14 AM

Cause money , waiting L5 clone at reasonable price for me , i have change pick up to my Ibanez AF155 with a hand mare pick up mare by italian artisan I-SPIRA named soffio think for hollow body guitar
It is similar to PAF of good age and
it's wornderful ! Now I must verify if my old Roland Super Cube 60 is right to play.

Inviato dal mio SM-J500FN utilizzando Tapatalk

**Greentone** · 06-06-2016, 09:28 AM

That Yamaha is your huckleberry. It is a great guitar and is a wonderful copy of the L-5. It is less expensive than the Aria, but is very high quality. I own the Aria myself, but I would be very happy with the Yamaha--which is more widely available.

**pingu** · 06-06-2016, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by h1pst3r88

That's mine... I am playing it right now through a Neve 1073 and an AKG BX-20 spring reverb (thank you Universal Audio Apollo Twin). I am almost certain this is what the waiting room to heaven plays ;-)

-Chris

man i'm so old i used to mix on a neve desk
with those !
neve=the best

**Greentone** · 06-06-2016, 03:41 PM

You STILL cannot beat a NEVE console. That circuit has not been improved upon. I imagine that every studio that was dismantled--that had a NEVE--was pilfered and its NEVE desk was parted out. (Sorry to get off topic.)

**2bornot2bop** · 06-06-2016, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by Bluedawg

Now if I could find a reasonably priced Super 400 clone to satisfy at least for a little while

It's called a Super Eagle. And you could have had the rare single humbucker SE at a much more affordable price...but you didn't know what a great guitar it was, I get it...still you missed out.

**Greentone** · 06-07-2016, 02:29 PM

The Heritage Super Eagles are wonderful guitars. The ones I have played have been excellent. The one I own is a keeper.

**Greentone** · 06-08-2016, 02:16 PM

There is a superb condition 1978 Memphis EL 300 for sale on Reverb. It is the same guitar as the Aria Pro II PE-180. As far as I can see only the tuning machines (they look like Schallers) and the bridge top (looks like a gold Gibson ABR-1) have been swapped out. Everything else looks like original, 1978 vintage. The guitar appears to be in almost mint condition from the photos.

I know from personal experience that the EL 300 and the PE-180 are superb guitars. Someone looking for a clone, who doesn't want to spend $6K, could do worse.

https://reverb.com/item/2319311-memp...burst-new-pics