Japanese SG copy - any info?

[tdu]

Hey guys. People seem to know a lot about old MIJ guitars on here, so I thought I would post this one. It's a no-name so I am curious what people think it might be. I got some details from other forums, but when searching around I see people have a ton of knowledge on these, so I thought I would post it. There are some old threads mentioning no-name SG copies, but all the photo links are dead in them.

The body is mahogany, but pancake construction (2 chunks glued). Neck appears to be mahogany as well.

I didn't take photos of the control cavity, but everything in it looks great and original.

Pickups are marked with what I think are model numbers "34604" and "4604". Pretty cool sounding pickups.

Bridge saddles are made of the same material the pickguard is made of.

http://www.ic-designs.ca/sg_01.jpg

http://www.ic-designs.ca/sg_02.jpg
http://www.ic-designs.ca/sg_03.jpg

[guitarglynn]

How do you know it is MIJ??

[scuzzo]

looks like an SG

[tdu]

How do you know it is MIJ??

Markings around the hardware and the pots.

[tdu]

looks like an SG

That would be correct lol. I mistyped the thread title. Fixed it now.

[tim gueguen]

Whatever make it is its from '74 or earlier, as it has the rounded body end of the fretboard all the early copies had. I'd guess it probably was ordered by one of the regional distribution outfits and had their sticker stuck on the headstock.

[billy budapest]

Below are some pics of a pre-1975 Fuji-gen SG Copy that you can compare to your guitar. Note the marking in the body cavity. The pickups are Maxon. My impression is that yours comes from elsewhere. There were quite a few factories turning them out at the time.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii65/williambudapest/Fujigen%20Gakki%20SG/BodyClose-Outdoors.jpghttp://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii65/williambudapest/Fujigen%20Gakki%20SG/Headstock-Outdoors.jpghttp://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii65/williambudapest/Fujigen%20Gakki%20SG/BodyRouting.jpghttp://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii65/williambudapest/Fujigen%20Gakki%20SG/BackofPickups.jpg

More shots, including the control panel and the back of the tailpiece, can be found here:

http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii65/williambudapest/Fujigen%20Gakki%20SG/

bb

[musicofanatic5]

looks like an SG

Uh, a little bit, but not much. Cheeso, in terms of SG-ness.

[Singin' Dave]

I'd hold out for one with a set neck

[tdu]

I'd hold out for one with a set neck

What's with all the negative posts? It's a guitar I picked up for $100 and am just looking for some general info on. Who cares what your opinion on the neck is? If you don't like it, just don't post in the thread. Why do you some of you feel the need to be rude about it?

billy budapest, thanks a ton for all the information. Definitely some similarities, but some differences.

-The pickups look very similar on mine, and mine have the same style stamp... but not a date like that.

-The tuners on mine are definitely the originals, but a different style from yours as well. Looking at the BACK of them, they are the same design... but the heads on mine aren't steel.

-The Pots and wiring look identical.

-The Markings on the bridge are the exact same. It has a similar marking on the stoptail piece as well.

It's hard for me to tell in the photos, but does you one with the trem have the white 'plastic' saddles?

Man, I wish this one came with a Bigsby (or copy?) like that. I want to install one, but will be left with marks from the old posts I assume. Then again, it was only $100 I guess ....

I will snap a few more photos of parts and post them. Unfortunately, I just had it all setup so I don't want to take the strings off to photo the control cavity. I'll have to do that next time I am working on it. Bottom line, for the price it's a pretty cool guitar and plays/sounds great. I was just curious to know a little more about it.