What kind of guitar do you use?

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   "One of my friends has a 1967 Pan Trini Lopez copy hollow body guitar. So far, he's been unable to find out much about the company and their guitars. He did find that they became part of Norlin Industries at some point in the 70s. 

For those of you who ever stumble upon one, try it out. His was picked up from an older gentleman who hadn't played in years. The strings were rusty, there was some dirt on the fretsboard, but it only needed a new set of strings & a basic set up. Plays like a dream, too. 

So apart from listings on some guitar review sites (Harmony Central, for example) there isn't much to find. 

Mind you, it took me a while to stumble on the info that Vantage guitars were originally made by a Japanese company named Matsomuko. 

The Trini Lopez (Dallas Texas-based jazz guitarist for those who don't know)  guitars were made  and marketed by Gibson (Norlin was The parent company for Gibson in the 70's and 80's, but most "Trini's" pre-date the Norlin Years (1969 - 1985).  The two Trini Lopez models (deluxe & Standard) were in production from 1964- 1971.  Since Lopez was under contract with Gibson in 1967, since Norlin did not yet own Gibson, and since Norlin had nothing to do with Vantage the date of your friend's instrument is very questionable.  If it is a Norlin instrument but does not have the Gibson name on it, is more likely to be mid 1970's.  If it is a Vantage instrument from 1967, it cannot be a real Trini Lopez model.

The Gibson guitar was loosely based on the ES335 but with sharp points on the cutaway horns and a thicker body (3" rather than the 1 3/4" depth of the 335).  The instrument also had a "Fender-Like" headstock with six on a side tuners (unheard of for Gibson at that time).  It was most commonly seen in a cherry finish, but models have been reported in Sparkling Burgundy and Pelham Blue Metallic. which, again, were colors more reminicent of Fender than Gibson at the time.

If the Trini you're seeing doesn't say Gibson on it, it was probably manufactured AFTER the Norlin takeover of Gibson in 1969.  in order for the guitar to have any real colloector's value it would have to predate the Norlin years.  No Gibson guitar manufatured in that time period is worth much to the colloectors as the quality of Gibson instruments in general was pretty atrocious durng the Norlin years.

Edited by Trademark - October 21 2007 at 14:41