Fender Gemini II Acoustic

Built 1987 Korea Purchased 1992 $150 This has to be rosewood on the back. The sound is just too good.

I was prompted to write this review because I had not played this guitar in 4 or 5 years and yesterday, I put down my Gibson J45 and pulled this out of it's case. And Wow. Just Wow. This guitar sounded better than the Gibson (which is brand new). I was stunned and so was my wife. Incredible sound. This has to be aged rosewood as a back. I am still stunned. The aging of the wood inspite of the thick laquer, is just tops. Yup better than the Gibson.

Needs a well deserved tune up. Slight buzz on two strings. Other than that the nato neck is great and the fingerboard although showing grooves and wear, is still very nice.

It is 22 years old and still looks and plays good. No cracks or loose parts

If you ever comes across one these 80's Korean guitar, buy it. I came to appreciate this great guitar after comparing it to a several thousand dollar Gibson. I will now take care of it.......maybe even get it a humidifier and decent case.

Standard Gemini II. Bought in 1994 for me as a 1st Wedding Anv present. Has been all over the place. And still sounds great. I'm not the best player in the world, and dont read too much into the diffrent types of wood in the make up, its sounds good, that'll do me.

Nice rich sound, agree with one of the posters, Martins sound lovley, will be trying Elixir's soon, just for the comparision. Have played the Fender with people who have had more upmarket guitars, and the little baby more then held it's own, so much i've had cash offers for it, there and then. I play anything and everything on it, and its all good.

Never a problem.

Its still 100%, finnish is lovley. It will be going for some TLC as it has devoloped a slight crack in the nut, while its in, new strings and a clean up.

Not needed.

For christmas the good lady bought me another guitar, A Sheridan BF501EQ, Jumbo guitar, but I cant see the Fender being retired, rather both will now have pride of place.

The Fender was bought to replace an old ARIA which had a fight with a staircase and lost, badly. I'll never sell it. Its like a good wine, getting better with age, like its player, ;-)

I have a Fender Gemini IIE (Electric). It was made in Korea and has a laminated body. It has 20 frets. When I got it, the bridge pickup did not work and I had to have it fixed. Other than that this guitar has stood up to 17 years of my abuse. Still to this day, it stays in tune and sounds great. I have had a friend borrow it, and return it with broken strings but I still blame this on him rather than the guitar. Speaking of strings, they tend to die of old age rather than break. Unlike my Ibanez and Fender electric guitars and aucoustic which strings have to get changed because they break so often, the Gemini IIE tend to be the oposite. I change the strings because they are so old that they sound dead. This is by far the longest lasting guitar I have ever owned.

I can play anything on this guitar. Blues, Rock, Country, Jazz, you name and this guitar can do it. If there was any guitar that could be used for any style of music, this is it. Of course it doesn't sound nearly as good to the player as it does to the crowd, but that is simply because of the sound hole. It's not the fault of the guitar, and besides it's the audience that counts anyways.

I have nothing to complain about. I have never had to change anything on this guitar other than the strings and getting the pickup repaired once. It is very durable and has latested 17 years of playing.

Other than getting the pickup replaced, (because the bridge pickup needs to be strung carefully), this guitar is amazing. Strap button is very solid, and the guitar overall is very dependable.

I have never had to deal with customer support. When I needed the pickup fixed, I took it to a local guitar tech who said that he got everything he needed from Fender without any hassle. The pickup was fixed, and to this day still functions properly.

I have owned this guitar for 17 years. Other than what was mentioned, this guitar has lasted longer than any other guitar I have ever owned electric or aucoustic. I know that I will play this guitar until the day I die. It has been a friend, and a companion that will never leave my side. People think that because of it's age it cannot hold it's own against current models, but time and time again it has won every battle I have placed it against. If you are lucky enough to find a Fender Gemini II, or Gemini IIE, don't think twice about buying it. It will be one of the best guitar you have ever owned.

I have a Gemini II that was made in Korea. I'm 16 and I've had it my entire life. It was my dad's and he's had his for a while. It has a laminate top that it could do without in my opinion. It is my only acoustic and i love it.

I play rock, blues, and a little heavier stuff on it and it can play them all. The sound is just spectacular(especially having a laminate top). The sound is just so full. I play with light Martin acoustics and they fit very well together.

I don't know anything about this besides the action is fairly low for an acoustic.

this guitar is a tank. I've beaten it up for as long as i have been playing it and it shows nearly no signs of wear and tear.

N/A

This is the only acoustic for me. I don't see the point in paying more for an acoustic guitar that i might like when i have a monster of a guitar sitting in my lap right now for free.

basic just what you need

can play with anybody

well enough, mine has never been in a case and feeling somewhat abusive to the axe this past weekend i took goo-be-gone to it to remove duct tape residue that held a pick up on it. it shined up great and i added a new pair of martin phos/bronze lites and it sounds great

it's passed the test, like i said it's never been cased. though due to it's sustained condition i am going to get a first rate case for it.

who needs it?

solid, playable, sounds good, better than a timex. with the take a lick'en kinda thang!

hi everyone been looking at your imputs to i just bougt my gemini at a garage sale found out most were built in the 80s i paid 50 usa dollars for mine needed new strings plays great

sounds great better than paying top buck for them all

cant beat it for the price i was amazed

yes u can depend on it

i fix my own guitars

been playing for 30 years own alot of gear to much but thats the rock and roll business

I purchased this guitar new in 1991. It has a pickup under the saddle and volume/tone knobs above the heel. I rarely use the pickup though because it sounds so beautiful naturally I always mic it! This is a solid instrument! Made in Korea but made flawlessly. I've owned it for 16 years and will own it for decades more. The only flaw I'd say is that it is very laminated. I would love to hear this model without the laminate! Still, the tone is absolutely gorgeous, especially with phosphor bronze strings (I use Martins and they sound like gold on this guitar). This is my #1 acoustic and it is aging quite well! The tone keeps getting better! I would give it a 10 if not for the laminate.

I play mostly folk and acoustic rock on it. I play classical as well, but save that for my Cordoba, but I do like to noodle with it on my Fender.

The sound is quite full! The high ends are not too biting, very smooth and the lows have plenty of growl but maintain just enough brightness! Basically, this guitar with the strings I mentioned has provided one of my two signature acoustic tones! The other being my Applause with Elixirs...

I have NEVER had to mess with the setup! The action is about as perfect as it gets and not a buzz to be found! Not a single flaw in construction other than a bit too much laminate.

16 years with nary a problem! Yep, it's durable! Haven't changed a bit of hardware other than having to replace the bridge pickup when it wouldn't grab the low "E."

I don't use it with a strap often, but when I have the button has held firm.

It's my #1 acoustic and I play it in a folk duo. The other member of the duo plays 2 Martins and a Taylor and they sound wonderful with my Gemini II!

Never needed customer support. The guitar shop I bought it at replaced the pickup.

I have been playing for 30 years and have a collection of about 20 low to mid priced guitars with a couple of higher end elecric gems thrown in. This is one of the finest instruments I've ever played. It gets better with age! Of course, it's been well cared for. Stays completely in tune and has become a part of my signature tone!

Korea made Gemini II. Not sure what the wood is, assuming Alaskan Spruce and Indian Rosewood. 20 frets.

I will play any kind of music that I want to play, from country to blues to jazz to folk to rock, and it rings out no matter what. I can take a punk song or Bob Dylan and it sounds perfect. Singing higher strings and wonderful low strings makes it a perfect balance. It sounds good with new or old strings, and I've never had a problem with it's sound.

One of the tuning keys broke off after a little more than a year of ownership, and the third fret is slightly raised - it has a tendency to catch my 1st E string under it and make my G string buzz on lower notes. Other than that, no problems.

This guitar was given to a 15 year old boy with no respect for it. It's fallen down, left in the rain, left in the sun, outside in the cold, and survived Greyhound buses (for the most part; a particularly bad bump cracked the neck). I play this guitar live all the time and will never tire of it. Occasionally the strap will slip off, but that's all.

n/a

I"ve only been playing for about a year and a half, but I've played a lot of guitars and thsi is number one by far. I also have a Squire Strat by Fender and a Marco Polo classical I picked up at a yard sale, but my baby Gem is number one. If it was stolen or lost, I'd probably, no, definitely, be broken-hearted.

My gemini 11 is 15 years old. Can't keep it in tune. Tried different gauge strings. Tuning it in the 5th fret is a disaster. When its hot it needs constant tuning. When its cold it needs constant tuning. It is in great shape except for fadeing under strings. I've played with other gemini 11 that are in perfect tune. Maybe mines a lemon.

Made in Korea - 20 fret dreadnought acoustic. Made in 1986 (20 Years old). Tuners are typical of Fender acoustics - had to repair one in seven years of ownership - not bad though.

I play a lot of Blues on the old girl. Also more modern tunes like Oasis, Coldplay. She will play virtully anything and make it sound pretty good. I recently played a gig at a club using a Ibanez Mid way through, got really sick of it, and picked up my baby...... I kid you not, she really turned the gig round. Bright deep sound from an acoustic.

After 20 years she is as beautiful as the day she was lovingly crafted by the hands of a thousand virgins. Very good all round.

This has outlasted my wife. Which is something at least.

My Gem has been beaten, thrown around, taken around Europe a few times - in the minus 20 of the Alps, and the blazing sun of St. Tropez. She couldnt be any sturdier.

Never dealt with Fender.

Goota say, I was gonna buy a new guitar this year.......Oh no. Not after chacking the rubbish that is pumped out today. I couldnt find one below #800 that would match my little gems characteristics.

From The Mad Manc in Manchester uk.
themadmanc@hotmail.com