ANTORIA COPY GIBSON J200

EVERLYFAN · August 2022

Hello everybody. I'm new to the site but wonder if anyone can help me .I'm a reasonable strummer but certainly not an accomplished guitar player .My inspiration has always been Don Everly's rhythm-lead style .Over the years I have acquired 4 guitars. Epiphone ( inspired by Gibson ) copies of the J200 and SQ 180 and two Antoria guitars viz .A copy of the Gibson 335 which I'll ask for info on later and another which I'd like some feedback on now. The guitar in questionr is a J200 copy model number 698 BK marketed by J.T. Coppock ( Leeds ) Ltd which I bought second hand in 1980 from a guitar shop in Crossgates Leeds .inside I can see a serial number K 771737 .It doesn't have the " moustache " bridge .It's a lovely sounding , stylish guitar and I'd like some feedback on its likely age .Is it one of the " law suit " models .where was it made etc .If anyone can help I'd be very grateful for pointers and advice...eg have I put this in the right section on here or are there any other sites which could help ?

thanks everybody....keep strummin'

clive : EVERLYFAN

Kittyfrisk · August 2022

Hi @EVERLYFAN and welcome aboard.
You might find a wider audience for your questions if you moved your posting to the 'Guitar' or even 'Acoustics' section.
Next to your thread title there is a 'cog' shaped icon on the right.
Click on it to edit the post & select Guitar or Acoustics from the drop down Topic list to move it, then click save.
Hope this helps

EVERLYFAN · August 2022

Thanks kitty..I'll try that

Tannin · August 2022

Hi @EVERLYFAN and welcome. (Especially welcome to the acoustic section - all the best people post here).

Not hard to see why someone would be inspired by the Everlys. I can't help you with any information about your Antoria J-200s. Indeed I know very little about the Gibson ones - I've never played one (not even an Epiphone or a copy) though I've long had a yen to. I love jumbos, they are their own world. I own one (a baritone) and have a second one on order (also a baritone) but one of these days I'll get a standard-tuned one. Who knows? Maybe even a J-200, if Gibson haven't priced themselves out of business by then.

Mellish · August 2022

@EVERLYFAN ; - can't help with the info you seek (others will) but welcome to TFB.

If you get stuck, Admins & Mods are listed in New Members, just pick one and send a PM

Cig35 · August 2022

A quick google turned up this:
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/wombarra/guitars-amps/ibanez-antoria-j-200-rare-gloss-black-1978-jumbo-acoustic/1289177502

Is that similar to yours? From the “sound hole label” it’s a good match. It looks like it’s the same guitar as an Ibanez Concord 698 and made after the lawsuit from this link and also other links, I am however not sure if the info is correct or if my search results have just copied the info between each other. The earlier Antoria 698 models had the open book headstock and the moustache bridge which probably had to be changed following Gibson’s demands.

Edit to add: If they used the same serial number structure as Ibanez then it was built in November 1977

thermionic · August 2022

I think an Antoria J200 copy appears in the Wonderwall video, dunno if it was played on the track though.

guitarjack66 · August 2022

I tried out a 1970s Antoria electric which was similar in style to the Epiphone Casino and really liked it. It was out of my budget at the time.

Zoonyboy · August 2022

I worked in a shop in the late 70s, we sold both Gibson and Antoria, plus Ibanez Fender and Aria. The Antoria was a quality guitar, sounded right, and had the 70s style bridge rather than the 50s/60s style as you describe. Gibson were just coming out of their heavily-built phase, and we never had an order for a Gibson J-200 while I was working there, as they were so expensive.
There was no lawsuit between Gibson and the Antoria brand that I can recall. They all copied Gibson and Fender through the 70s. Ibanez stopped first, making their original shapes like the Roadster, etc.
Slade used Chas Chandler's sunburst 1960s Gibson J-200 on recordings, and used their own Antoria in the video and TV work.
But, having said all that, if you want the Don Everly sound you need an early 50s Gibson Southern Jumbo (or J-45), which is what he mostly recorded with. And a capo. Brilliant. Actually the Epiphone J-45 isn't a million miles away from that sound. Don Everly though! When he played live, the Everly models sounded great, too. It must have been something in his touch and technique ;-)

mark123 · August 2022

Puts tin hat on ...but for the money a new epiphone ej200sce with e sonic 2 electronics will blow the antoria out the water ,don't get me wrong the antoria will be a ok guitar but 2020s guitars are just ripping the pages up.

Zoonyboy · August 2022

I agree. New guitars are fab in a lot of cases, especially Epiphone and Yamaha. But some folks prefer old stuff as they like the vibe. Even if they don't perform as well. I prefer new these days, especially with electrics fitted, as I won't be doing that to my old Southern Jumbo.

bugileman · August 2022

I had an old Antoria J200 copy, sounded really quite good. Slimmer neck than a genuine J200. I've played modern J200 that sounded like cardboard boxes, so horses for courses really! But obviously no comparison on the older J200.

The Antoria J200 came out mid 1970s and came in about 3 different finishes. Maple, dark tobacco burst and sunburst. They are solidly built guitars and as I've said sound good. Unfortunately though there are some sellers trying to pull the wool over some eyes and asking well over £700! which is ridiculous!!!
https://reverb.com/au/item/13805944-superb-vintage-antoria-698m-replica-gibson-j200-oasis-1974-maple

EVERLYFAN · August 2022

Thanks for that .Mine is black with serial no.K771737...marketed through Coppocks .I bought it second hand in August 1980

Cig35 · August 2022

So for a bit more history about this Antoria guitar:

It was built by Fujigen Gakki in Japan, and the same model was also sold under the Ibanez brand. Fujigen also made J200 copies for the company Kanda Shokai that were sold as Greco 404 and Canda 404. I'm however not sure if the Greco/Canda guitars were identical to the Ibanez/Antoria ones (except for cosmetic differences). Here's a picture from Greco's 1973 marketing material:

Image: http://vintagejapanguitars.narod.ru/73-0005.jpg

Soupman · August 2022

O-O Nope, even with binoculars I can't see the picture!

Cig35 · August 2022

Probably something about the site where it’s stored then. Here it is from imgur

EVERLYFAN · August 2022

Zoonyboy said:

I worked in a shop in the late 70s, we sold both Gibson and Antoria, plus Ibanez Fender and Aria. The Antoria was a quality guitar, sounded right, and had the 70s style bridge rather than the 50s/60s style as you describe. Gibson were just coming out of their heavily-built phase, and we never had an order for a Gibson J-200 while I was working there, as they were so expensive.
There was no lawsuit between Gibson and the Antoria brand that I can recall. They all copied Gibson and Fender through the 70s. Ibanez stopped first, making their original shapes like the Roadster, etc.
Slade used Chas Chandler's sunburst 1960s Gibson J-200 on recordings, and used their own Antoria in the video and TV work.
But, having said all that, if you want the Don Everly sound you need an early 50s Gibson Southern Jumbo (or J-45), which is what he mostly recorded with. And a capo. Brilliant. Actually the Epiphone J-45 isn't a million miles away from that sound. Don Everly though! When he played live, the Everly models sounded great, too. It must have been something in his touch and technique ;-)

EVERLYFAN · August 2022

Thanks Zoony..I've been really impressed by the welcome I've had and the helpful comments .I knew about Don Everly's use of the Gibson Sothern Jumbo but I've also seen pictures of him ( them ) in the studio for Cadence where Don is playing a cello style guitar and in one shot I think I can just make out " Gibson " on the headstock...anybody know anything about the model .Great technique....and Don was left-handed but his dad , Ike , made him play right-handed from the get go.

Caffeine_Vampire · August 2022

Nothing to add here apart from the following -
Phil and Don are gods.

guitarjack66 · August 2022

Caffeine_Vampire said:

Nothing to add here apart from the following -
Phil and Don are gods.

Unfortunately,they are now!

Caffeine_Vampire · August 2022

I got to see them around '94 and even then they sang like angels.

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ANTORIA COPY GIBSON J200

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