EKO Guitars started in Italy in 1959 by Oliviero Pigini. EKO Guitars became the largest guitar manufacturer in Europe producing half million a year.

Although better known for their monster SVT amps from the late 1960's, Ampeg made a family of electric basses that were quite unusual and advanced for the time from 1966 through 1969. There were four basic models, each of which was available in fretted and fretless versions.

It wasn't long after we moved back to Toronto from California that I acquired this guitar. You have to understand - I've bought and sold more guitars in the past 20 years than there are Beatles fans in Liverpool. When you are in the business of buying/selling guitars, you simply cannot afford to get attached to them. Yes, it is hard some times, but in the end this is what pays the bills, so you have to let them go.

In the 1960′s Maurice Lipsky Music Co., a prominent importer and distributor in New York City, developed the Domino brand of guitars. In 1967 Lipsky introduced a line proto-copies carrying the Domino brand name. Most were inspired by European models such as the EKO Violin guitar. Here is the original flyer announcing the lineup from 1967, claiming "DOMINO IMAGINATION LEADS THE ROCK GENERATION!". The California Rebel, recently reissued by Eastwood Guitars, is front and center here in 1967.

There is not much information available out there on these fabulous late 60's guitars. The Coral Hornet is certainly in my top ten all time favorite guitars. Why? The body was ultra thin. So thin in fact that the control cavity was mounted on a raised metal enclosure because the body was too thin to hold the pots and switches. The pickguard was completely unique, I'll try to explain...

As much as I would like to, I can't really shed a lot of light on this brand. What we do know, is they were from Japan, mid 60's to early 70's. All the typical copy-era models that you would see from Teisco and a handful of other brands. Slightly better than average quality, similar to the Domino guitars. So, likely an American importer that found a niche and filled it for as long as he/she could. Rather than ramble on about it, I'll simply offer up a bunch of photos so you can let your imagination run wild!

Here are two examples of the Japanese made EPI Crestwood from the early 1970's. The Epiphone ET Series guitars were solidbody guitars produced from 1970-1978 at the Matsumoku plant in Japan. In 1970, the decision was made to close down Kalamazoo production of Epiphones in favor of building them overseas in Japan. Epiphone decided to offer a new line of Japanese-built Epiphones that had more in common with other Japanese copies than previous Epiphone products.

Not to be confused with the recently re-issued California Rebel by Eastwood Guitars, the Domino Californian came out a few years earlier. Imported to New York by Maurice Lipsky Music Co., these Japanese guitars were part of a series of models branded “Domino” throughout the 1960’s.

In the 1960's Maurice Lipsky Music Co., a prominent importer and distributor in New York City, developed the Domino brand of guitars. One of my favorites from them was the Californian Rebel. Lipsky was also the company that offered the Orpheum brand of guitars from the 1950s on. Many Orpheum’s were made by United Guitars of Jersey City, NJ, the successor to the Oscar Schmidt Company. There is some evidence that Lipsky’s Orpheum name was used on some Italian Wandré guitars, as well.

Website: Vintage Catalogs www.wishbookweb.com/

1998 JCPenney Christmas Book, Page 603

1971 Sears Christmas Book, Page 351

Vintage Simpsons Sears and Eaton's Christmas catalogs with photos and information from 1963 to 1978 for Canadian catalogue collectors.

Close to My Heart CTMH Cricut Artiste Art Philosophy Cards boxes 3d My Acrylix stamps Craft Room CCR Workshop on Go WOTG Artbooking

Honeybee's Stamping Hive: a blog about paper crafting. It is where I share my creative works using the Stampin' Up! products that I sale.

The gift guides of yesteryear - Wish Books from Sears, Montgomery Ward, and other mail order companies, trigger a childlike sense of wonder and excitement.

Back in “the day,” American consumers window-shopped by mail with the Sears catalog. From 1888-1993, the Sears catalog stocked millions of American households…

1970 Sears Christmas Book, Page 87

1973 JCPenney Christmas Book, Page 447