Ventura V-10

I bought this from a friend for $150, complete with case and sweet 70s strap (ACE style). I believe this guitar was made in the late 1960s, in Japan. I'm pretty sure it's a solid top, but the grain is so tight I can't tell! This guitar is small with a big sound and is very beautiful.

I'm a folk singer/songwriter, so this guitar is perfect for my style. It sounds soooo good when I fingerpick. My only complaint is that it can get a little bright when I strum lightly with a pick. I play both with a pick and with my fingers, and the warmth of the guitar is wonderful, as is the resonance. I have a vintage red label Yamaha that sounds muddy in comparison :)

This guitar has an adjustable bridge, which is nice. There is no truss rod (that I can see), and it has a set-in neck. I just bought mine, and it needs a set-up...the action is a little high. The nut and bridge are plastic, but it sounds great. The tuners are a bit fickle, so I might get those replaced. Finish is great~ well made guitars hold up nicely.

Once again, the tuners aren't great, but other than that, it's wonderful.

I've been playing guitar for 15 years and own several other acoustics including a Yamaha, Takamine, and an Epi. This guitar is my favorite for many reasons~ I'm a small female, so the shape and size of the body is perfect... it's small, yet sounds large :) I can't believe one of these fell into my arms~ this guitar was waiting for me. I can't find a lot about them and I've only seen one in my life~ but heard nothing but good about them! ***If you have a chance to buy one, do it!*** If I hadn't have bought it from a cool co-worker, I probably would have paid in the $250-$300 range for it. A V-10 owner knows that they have something special, unique, and have I mentioned they sound like heaven?! They are super easy to play, too.

The spec's of my V-10 are comparable to the second reviewers in all aspects.

Above all it is the best sounding acoustic I've played. Smashing the several gibson and martin model's created in the same era I've jammed on. It has incredible clear deep sounds.

Action is fine, I've played guitars with better but with everything else being damn near perfect I can't complain.

With it lasting as long as it has so far I'd have to argue with anyone if they said it's not a reliable guitar.

lol what customer support?

I've been playing for only a short time but do what I can to learn as much as possible, and I just love playing in general.
I love that this guitar is so reliable and sounds as amazing as it does, and I hate that I won't give anything else a chance because I love it so much. My favorite feature has to be the beautiful dark rosewood, it just looks so damn pretty.

If I were to have anything done to it I would probably get new tuners mine have rusted a bit and ones pretty loose.

To anyone who only plays name brands... you'll regret not giving this guitar a chance.

I have owned my Ventura v-10 since 1977. My dad took a chance on my 13th birthday that I might want to learn to play. This has been my favorite accoustic. I have a Yamaha also, but it doesn't sound or handle near what the v-10 does. It is a 1969 model. From my understanding they were law suit guitars. Martin sued them claiming the venturas were copied from them. I've played mine next to a Martin. I believe it was just as good if not better sounding. They resonate very loud and are very versatile.

My Ventura V10 is a mid-60's (65 or 66) "orchestra" sized acoustic guitar that was made in Japan. It is obviously what is known as a "lawsuit" guitar because it is identical to a Martin guitar in style and appearance. The ONLY difference I can find is the label on the (Martin style) headstock. It is almost identical in appearance to the John Mayer OMJM Martin that is currently offered for around $4,500. It has 20 frets (14 to body), a solid spruce top with grain so tight it's hard to find, sides and back are gorgeous dark rosewood (not sure where from), the neck appears to be mahogany, adjustable bridge, a gorgeous gloss finish, and has closed, chrome tuners of unknown maker (no markings).

The sound, tone, and sustain of this guitar are phenominal. I have buddies who will only play "name brand" guitars (Martin, Fender, Gibson, etc.) so I have, on occasion, picked up one of theirs and jammed with them. My honest feeling is that I have never played a guitar that sounds as nice as my V10. It is amazing how mellow and full the tone is. I will use it for pretty much everything I play from blues to rockabilly to classic rock, and I know it will stand out.

My V10 shows some small amount of fret wear, and you can tell it obviously has been played by the pickguard scratches, but otherwise is immaculate. I cannot believe this guitar is over 40 years old as I have yet to find a flaw of any kind. The action is low and easy, and the bridge allows for adjustment if needed. The solid spruce top is perfectly bookmatched. And, due to its age, the solid spruce top has mellowed to a deep golden color that makes this beauty look even classier against the dark rosewood back and sides.

I've only had this guitar a short time, but if it holds up as well under playing conditions for the next 40 years as it obviously has over the past 40+ years I can't imagine anyone having any doubts as to its quality.
Everything on it is solid, unmarked, and as perfect as the day it was made. However, it is now even better because of the aged mellowness of the woods.

The Bruno Co. (makers of Ventura and other Japanese guitars) went out of business, as such, a long time ago, so I am sure "customer support" is non-existant. However, if anything were to happen to this guitar I would have it fixed by a top flight luthier immediately...

I've been playing (?) for about 20 years now, and have owned several different kinds of guitars. Right now my main "gig" guitars are all recent Washburn models (the best you can get for the money spent), but I also enjoy playing the parlor sized and vintage tenors I own, as well. Altogether I probably have around 15 guitars of various sizes, shapes, and functions. The only thing I wish I'd asked before buying my V10 would have been if the guy I bought it from had another one I could buy.
The only thing I would add to all of this is that if you ever see a vintage Ventura V10 for sale, BUY IT immediately!! I promise you won't be sorry. If, however, you choose not to, please let me know where it is so I can buy it.

This guitar was made in the mid 1960's, I don't know the exact year, in Japan. 14 frets to the body, 20 total. I don't know what the woods are, but the top is a light wood and the sides and back are a darker wood. The guitar has a nice glossy finish. Black pick gaurd. Adjustable bridge. It isn't a fancy guitar, but it looks nice.

Of any acoustic guitar I have ever played, I love the sound of this one the most. It has a very rich and clear sound.

While this may not have been an expensive guitar in its day and still doesn't bring much, it is a very well-made guitar with no glaring obvious flaws. I couldn't tell you how it looked when first bought, the guitar belonged to my uncle, but for a 40-year old guitar it still looks nice. There are no real flaws that I have found.

This guitar has proved both reliable and durable. It is over 40 years old and lived in my uncle's attic for probably 30 years and was not played during that time. He gave me the guitar a little over a year ago, and it has stood up well to fairly constant playing, not to mention travel and airplane rides...

The bridge has a slight crack in it, but that happened before the guitar was given to me, so I couldn't tell you how or why that happened, but it hasn't gotten any worse.

Ventura hasn't existed for 30 years, so... customer support from the manufacturer is non-existant, but I've yet to have a problem that required it

I've been playing guitar for nearly two years. I also own a 1960's Yamaha acoustic and a 1960's Harmony Stratotone Electric. I have played quite a few guitars, and this one is by far my favorite. If anything ever happened to this guitar, I would do everything in my power to find another one. I think this is really a guitar worth having. I love its look and feel, and especially its sound. This guitar has been very good to me over the past year.