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Mickf
Username: Mickf

Registered: 9-2005
Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 - 7:02 pm:   

Do you think this SG copy could be made in one of the factories where Ibanez or affiliated brands were produced?
[IMG]http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e324/mickf2903/A rbiter%20SG/Arbiterheadstock-1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e324/mickf2903/A rbiter%20SG/bodyrouting.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e324/mickf2903/A rbiter%20SG/Arbiterbodyback.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e324/mickf2903/A rbiter%20SG/ArbiterSGcopy.jpg[/IMG]
Gemberbier
Username: Gemberbier

Registered: 5-2006
Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 8:10 am:   

Like Fender, Arbiter UK was owned by CBS.
Arbiter was the official UK and Holland distributor for Fender. Taking over Arbiter meant total control over the total sales channel from factory to dealer.
Ordering private label guitars was done by several distributors. So CBS earned money through Arbiter on the distribution of "lawsuit" copies. Hmmm interesting. Perhaps this was the reason they never sued Fuji Gen Gakki. It looks like Fender/CBS was very busy trying to strangle Gibson by means of distributing lawsuit Gibson copies. And which factory was approached by Fender to start the JV production, right: Fuji Gen Gakki.
It looks like CBS was interested in taking over a weakened Gibson/Norlin and played a dirty game.

There are also some indications that other Japanese manufacturers were involved in the production of private label Arbiter guitars. There are also seen some similarities with Aria guitars, so perhaps Matsumoku was involved too. This would depend on the model they needed.

Try a Search in ICW on "Arbiter".

Ginger
Mickf
Username: Mickf

Registered: 9-2005
Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2007 - 6:42 pm:   

Thanks, Ginger

I'll make some close up photos of the body construction as well. The body consists of several pieces of wood (looks like mahogany), it's a kind of sandwich-construction, with a veneer front and back and a veneer-like layer in the middle, between two layers of solid wood, which reminded me of Ibanez copies in the first place. Also the neck, which is two pieces of wood (grain looks like maple), again a very thin layer in the middle, looks similar to the neck of my old Artist.

Hopefully the experts here at ICW can shed some light to the history of my Arbiter SG copy. By the way, I also tried EverythingSG.com, but nobody could tell me anything about this guitar.

Mick

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