Antoria and Ibanez: The Missing Link????

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Author Message   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 2-2001 Posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 4:23 pm:    These are pictures that RockinBilly sent of his 2355M. Here's what he had to say about it: "Hi folks, about 20 years ago I bought my blonde Antoria ES175 looky likey semi. Its appearance and sound is perfect for my Rockabilly music. When I say its a Antoria that may not be quite right because when I look inside, the label says Ibanez 2355M. My question is; should I book a round the world cruise and order a '59 Cadillac because I've got a really rare, expensive one-off guitar or...er....not? The sticker/decal on the back of the headstock says Super 70's. Any info on my guitar will be very welcome. Thanks folks," I think this is the "missing link" that proves that Ibanez and Antoria were made side by side in the factory. What do you think?   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 3-2002 Posted on Friday, July 27, 2007 - 9:46 pm:    Never any doubt in my mind. six   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 2-2001 Posted on Saturday, July 28, 2007 - 1:38 pm:    Here's some background on Billy's guitar: "I think I may have said I bought my guitar about 20 years ago, to be honest, after having a good think about it, it may have been 30 years ago. I bought it from a shop in Manchester UK called Johnny Roadhouse. I am based in South Cheshire."   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Saturday, July 28, 2007 - 2:12 pm:    Neither in mine... These original 4-ply pickguards seem to be often missing. Did you ever found one for yours, Six? Nevertheless... "undressed" she's a beaut too! http://members.lycos.nl/ibanez2355site/index.htm Ginger   Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 3-2002 Posted on Wednesday, August 01, 2007 - 9:32 am:    No Ginger, I never bothered to look for one when I had the 2355. To be honest, the top was so nice I can understand it having been removed. six   Thesilentdawn Username: Thesilentdawn Registered: 2-2007 Posted on Thursday, August 09, 2007 - 3:49 pm:    No doubt in my mind that Ibanez and Antoria came from the same factory. The Antoria E-355 I recently sold to a man in Russia was identical in every single way to the Ibanez ES-355 I'm keeping. Ibanez ES-355 Photobucket folder: http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p137/thesilentd awn/1970s%20Ibanez%20355/ Antoria ES-355 Photobucket folder: http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p137/thesilentd awn/Antoria%20ES-355/ The pictures of the Antoria here show a trapeze tailpiece. This was non-original. Originally the Antoria had been fitted with a Maestro-style trem. The same is true for the Ibanez. Both had the trem removed. The Ibanez had had a Bigsby added and removed. I added the current Bigsby in place there. Both guitars have pickups with the five-digit code stamped on so I'm going with the popular opinion that these are Maxon pickups. Both have the Varitone control. The pickguards were identical, both having a white backing on the unseen side. The Antoria felt like it had been played more so the neck width was a little thinner than the Ibanez but the thickness was almost exactly the same when measred at the 1st, 3rd and 12th fret. If anyone wants the pictures for reference or just personal pleasue (!), feel free to take them from Photobucket. I'll leave them up there   Chipsotoole Username: Chipsotoole Registered: 2-2004 Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 12:41 am:    Antoria was the brand shipped into the Uk by a Leeds based insrument company called "Coppock" I think...there were some other dealings wiht JHS (john, Hornby Skewes) early on too. Anyway I'd say your ES175 is a pretty good indication of the missing link....I'd take a guess and say the neck was already being made for the Hummingbird or 335 copies and the archtop body (requiring a Master luthier) was made at a seperate department of the fuji Gen Gakki factory and the two them joined. Either way it's a rare beast...I'm an avid fan of early Antoria instruments, I have a early 70's 330 (1912)copy and a wonderful Thinline telecaster copy from 1972....One thing I noticed..when I first got the 330 it sounded Terrible..I took the humbucker pups apart and found MAXXON single coils fitten inside a humbucker cover...A month or two later and i'd won a pair of early ink stamped Super 70's on ebay (from Tasmania of all places!)and it became a totally different beast....Judging by the headstock it'sserial numberless butI'd put it at sometime around 1973-1975...and yes it is rare..lucky guy!   Rockinbilly Username: Rockinbilly Registered: 7-2007 Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 9:24 am:    Hi Chipsotoole, thanks for the info. Im not sure if I mentioned this on another post, but there is a serial number on the back of the headstock, it's;B775216. I have said I was thinking of selling it but whenever I play it I'm not sure if I want to because the sound is fantastic for the type of music I play. I am looking out for a Gretsch Electromatic and if I can find one for the right money, maybe I wont sell my "missing link", who knows! Anyway, thanks again for the feedback.   Chipsotoole Username: Chipsotoole Registered: 2-2004 Posted on Saturday, August 25, 2007 - 9:43 pm:    In that ccase I was 2 years out....February 1977..just about the last year of the old style script logo....If ity sounds that good and you sell it, you'll wake up in a cold sweat of regret for years...It'll be VERY hard to find a replacement...Don't say you weren't warned haha!

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