1960s Lyle Trini Lopez Vintage Electric Guitar Matsumoku Japan Lawsuit Univox

Up for sale, a 1960s Lyle hollowbody electric guitar in exceptional condition and in good working order. 100% original and produced in Japan's Matsumoku factory (home of Univox and Ventura among other brands), this guitar clearly takes its cues from the Gibson Trini Lopez model, with diamond shaped F holes, a Firebird headstock and chrome Bigsby-esque vibrato tailpiece. The original single coil "staple" pickups are the same ones used in the popular Univox Coily model, and these pickups are highly regarded among lovers of vintage Japanese guitars for their smooth, clear tone and balanced, articulate sound. The pickups have great harmonic content with your favorite fuzz pedal and both have strong output. This Lyle has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, strung with 10-46 strings, and setup for low, comfortable action. 

As one of the many ES-335 style guitars to come out of Japan in the 1960s, this guitar matches Gibson specs for the era surprisingly well, with a 1 9/16" nut width and 24 3/4" scale length. The fairly slim C profile maple neck sports pearl block inlays and binding also in the spirit of an ES model, with a "firebird" style headstock. All Gibson similarities aside, this Lyle plays very well and the original frets are of the low, flat and wide variety, having been recently leveled and currently showing very little wear. The original sealed back tuners still turn smoothly and the Lyle logo on the face of the headstock is a clean gold silkscreen. 

All of the electronics work as they should and all of the original hardware is intact. The Univox roller bridge has a Brazilian rosewood base and nylon saddles, assuring that the vibrato unit works smoothly. The tailpiece is easily one of the most heavy duty and overtly chromed vibrato units we've ever seen on a vintage Japanese guitar, and the Bigsby style mechanism works quite well for quick surfy shimmies and subtle dives.  Cosmetically, this is a notably clean and well kept model, with nearly spotless chrome hardware and a deep burgundy finish on the body and neck.  Aside from a faint finish scratch or two on the back and a light scuff on the tip of the headstock, there's no wear of note on the guitar.

The original gray chipboard case is included.