The Gibson style is for the Japanese domestic market only and not for export,the 'Tombstone' style is for the export market. ![]() The Japanese Epiphones' have 2 different head stocks one like the Gibson 'Open Book' or 'Lyre' and the other like the US Epiphone 'Tombstone' style. Interestingly in Japan Gibson isn't allowed to manufacture and sell Gibson branded Guitars because someone else owns the rights to the name, however Gibson owns Epiphone and can produce under that name. There was a period when Gibson quality was pretty "Iffy" and the Japanese companies thought there was an opening. In the '70s a lot of Japanese guitar companies were making copies of popular US guitars to try to break into the US market, a lot were pretty high quality but success was limited and many fell by the way. ![]() Orlando LPs I believe were made at some stage in the Matsumoku factory where Aria guitars were produced at one time, and it's thought that some were made in the Teisco factory.
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