Antoria 2386 Les Paul Custom copy

If this is a bit too long, I apologise, but this information has been so difficult to track down that I would like to take this opportunity to put it all together for the record. This is not the definitive description, just what I have been able to piece together from sources way more informed than myself.

This is a (probably) 1973 Les Paul custom copy, Ibanez catalogue number 2386, as far as I can tell. MIJ, Fujigen Gakki plant, imported under the Antoria name into the UK, elsewhere known as Ibanez, amongst others, as my research tells me. Set neck, red sunburst, two Super 70 zebra (black and cream) open humbucking pickups, 2Vx2T. Tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece. Bears the black star-backed Ibanez tuners. The front of the open-book (thus pre-lawsuit) headstock is black, with the split diamond logo, and it is this logo which is the only thing that suggests it may differ from the 2386 photogrphed in the 1973/4 catalogue. 'Custom' is printed on the truss-rod cover. The body is made of what appears to be a number of mahogany blocks, with an arched top glued on top, with a nice flame effect. It has a distinctly incongruous 'comfort cut' round the back, and is further distinguished by a hollow chamber underneath the bridge, by the sound of it. Not a light guitar. Bound body and neck. The neck is three-piece, rosewood fingerboard, very slim, very low action indeed. MoP block inlays. No S/N. 10/10 like any 'just' a Les Paul features.

The sound is a little bit thin on the back pickup in some situations, something I have heard before about the Super 70s, but that might be my cheapo set-up with crappy amps and no-mark speakers. I pushed it through my valve rig for much better results. The neck pickup is gorgeous, very easy to find a Thin Lizzy, Slash or Kossoff sound off it. Also well within 70's ZZ Top range. Pickups are not noisy, I would say medium-hot. I reversed the polarity for a Peter Green type of sound, when I changed the back pickup, and it was spot-on. I wouldn't say this guitar will give the thickest Gibson sound you could imagine, but at the same time, it responds pretty well. I used to play it through a budget Roland Cube thing with Boss effects on the front, and it was a bit too indistinct, without character. When I put it through an old Selmer valve head, it was late 70's AC/DC all the way. End of story. Rocks.

When I got it, in 1982, the action was really very low, with 9's on. It is still the same, as 10's buzz on it. The construction of the guitar is beautiful, the binding and inlays are faultless. The bookmatched top is extremely attractive. This is a n extremely well-made guitar, a particularly nice example of a sunburst flame-top in my opinion.

I gigged this guitar pretty thoroughly for a few years without the slighest problem. The hardware is all original apart from the tune-o-matic bridge, which I replaced because a saddle was missing when I bought it. The finish is chipped in one or two places on the lower rim, and the veneer seems a tad thin, but overall, the condition of the finish suggets it's pretty tough. Strap buttons solid.

Hmm. Not exactly applicable.

Been playing 26 years. I have owned all sorts of stuff, like anyone else. This is one of the nicest pieces I have ever seen, let alone had. I swapped it part-ex for an Antoria SG special, the one with two P90s, which was pretty sweet in its own way. This guitar is comparable to an early Tokai Gold top although the Tokai was heavier, of course. It feels very comfortable, and is always a joy to play. No f8=ker is stealing this one if he wants to live.

My impression is that this model is fairly rare, very under-rated, and a deffo keeper. Among the most convincing LP copies.