# Garnet Guitars



## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

I was wondering when the last time anyone saw a Garnet guitar for sale was. I've been looking for one for awhile but no luck. I can remember them being around fairly regularly back in the early 80s.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I seem to remember a guy with a Garnet Tele Deluxe-like copy. Weren't there Les Paul copies too?
Were they imported? Domestic? Marketed with Garnet amps as I remember. 

Who's got one?

Peace, Mooh.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

My gawd!! I didn't know Garnet Guitars even existed. The rare vintage hunt begins.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

There were indeed Garnet Les Paul copies.
Garnet Guitars

Lots of neat stuff on that site about Garnet.
My first guitar map & first bass amp were Garnet stencils with "United" as the name. That was the name of the music school I got them from for some of the time I spent taking lessons.

We sometimes used an amp head like this in lessons and band practices.
United amp

Lots of interesting stuff from Garnet--whether stuff they made or stuff they sold.


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

They made strat, tele, les paul copies etc. From what I have been told years ago, they were made in japan out of the same factory as the other 'lawsuit' guitars of the time. I'm a huge Garnet fan and own a fair amount of Garnet and the stencil amps. I too am now on the hunt!


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## biggreen (Mar 23, 2008)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320252729700&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=011


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## myipad (Oct 29, 2010)

I just picked up a Garnet acoustic, small form dreadnought, with Garnet on the headstock in MOP, fully bound body front and back, paper tag inside Model # F303, and Serial number 702483 on the back of the head, and inside the body, number 280278.

I have never even heard of another one, there's no mention online of one. 

And I can't see why anyone would try faking one. The age seems right for early to mid 70s.

The tuners are cheap, like the old Aria Japanese tuners. 

I'm going to try some new ones, and put new strings on it, and we'll see how it plays....I'll post pictures later. If this is right, this could be the only one in the world. That's exciting.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

I've known about them for about 6 years, but have never seen one for sale. I'd try before i bought one, but I'd sure like to try one...


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## Fiveway (Mar 21, 2010)

Sorry to bump a two year old thread, but I wanted to see if anyone ever ran into any more Garnet guitars since this thread started. The reason I ask is that I have one that I've had since the mid 80's and I'm thinking of restoring or modifying it. It's a sunburst Les Paul copy with gold hardware. It's in pretty rough shape, but it's got lots of character. Would love to chat with anyone who owns one of these or knows anything about them.


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## JHarasym (Mar 27, 2007)

I recently picked up one of the sunburst LP's in a trade.


























Someone on the Garnet Yahoo group posted they had heard these were made in Japan by Moridaira guitars, a well respected builder, which later became Morris Guitars (based on the owner's nickname, Mori). According to the Garnet web-site they stopped making these due to the usual lawsuit.


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## Fiveway (Mar 21, 2010)

JHarasym
That looks like it's in excellent condition! Looks exactly like mine, but in way better condition. Any chance you'd be able to post more close-up pics? Do you think yours is all original?

I'm thinking of modifying mine. Considering getting rid of all the gold hardware and putting hotter pickups in it.


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## JHarasym (Mar 27, 2007)

Mine appears all original. It seems this may be the only finish the LP version was available in. It's not staying in tune well, so I'm considering new tuners, and potentially pickups. Otherwise the workmanship looks very good.
John


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## Garnetboy (Nov 7, 2011)

*Garnet LP for sale*

Check out Kijiji.ca , Lethbridge AB.There is a Garnet LP burst for sale over there for 800 cad.Looks to be complete and original.Rare find, I would check it out but already have one.Seriously, the price is a bit high. But if you want one? ..... What to do....


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## jimo (Aug 15, 2014)

ripper, you had an old thread, on guitars canada, re- garnet. i have a winnipeg-made garnet acoustic, with hardcase, for sale. phone jim, 204-667-0510, or, email @ [email protected]


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## manet (May 14, 2017)

Hi, this is Philippe of Paris, France.
I've an acoustic guitar with the name PAX-003, and "Action" on the headstock.
I guess if it's a Garnet one.
It's very similar to this one
GARNET ACOUSTIC GUITAR IN CASE
but natural color.
It's here
Guitare folk pour débutant Instruments de musique Paris - leboncoin.fr


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Wow! A 9 year old thread. Amazing.


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## Inevergrowup (May 26, 2018)

Double wow... now a ten year thread. I happen to have a very nice all original solid body electric Garnet (black with maple neck) sitting under my bed. Not really sure if I'm ready to let her go ... but they are still around... even though they seem few and far between.


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## DProppe (Nov 22, 2018)

10 year thread ... awesome !!!! 

Hello from Boston. I have a Garnet acoustic and I love it. Easy setup to get nice low action without vibes, and it has a warm yet slight ring sound to it that I simply love and can’t find anywhere else. They might be knockoffs ( or maybe not, I don't know ) but they are damn good IMO

Not for sale, but very interested in what something like this would sell for just out of curiosity. Nothing out here for Garnet acoustics and literally nobody around here has ever seen or heard of a Garnet  Couple pic's for y'all. 

Happy Thanksgiving


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

DProppe said:


> 10 year thread ... awesome !!!!
> 
> Hello from Boston. I have a Garnet acoustic and I love it. Easy setup to get nice low action without vibes, and it has a warm yet slight ring sound to it that I simply love and can’t find anywhere else. They might be knockoffs ( or maybe not, I don't know ) but they are damn good IMO
> 
> ...


Hi and welcome to the forum. Can't see the pics. Easy way is to buy a yearly membership: $15 cdn, or about $7.60 US


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## DProppe (Nov 22, 2018)

That's odd. I can right click on the IMG and view images .... I'll try posting them as links. Nothing out of the ordinary here, I just really love it's sound. With the very low action I'll just consider myself lucky. I don't see any like this one so I have no comparisons.




http://imgur.com/0Cn2Zqv




http://imgur.com/k1o6FTH


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Yep. I can see them now. Cool, never seen one before. Any "Made in Canada" anywhere?


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## DProppe (Nov 22, 2018)

No mention of Canada anywhere. The label inside says G69-N I see it’s not very clear in the picture. 

If it’s a Canadian Tire, or Zellers, special I’m pretty impressed. Probably an actual less than $100 guitar that plays like it’s $1000 counterparts


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

All garnet instruments were made in Japan and part of the White Label era... Any Co could buy several models and put whatever name on them. Most of theses were made by Matsomoku (Aria) or Fugijen ( Ibanez) back in the 70s... in the 80s, the instruments came from Korea...


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## Jeff Poirier (Sep 13, 2019)

I got my hands on a beautiful black garnet acoustic a few years back.. Always wondered how much interest there was in them.. I bought it because i had a garnet bass amp that i foolishly sold when i was young and didn't know his guitars existed until i layed my eyes on this one.. I'd sure like to meet someone who has a good bit of info on them..


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## Jeff Poirier (Sep 13, 2019)

Frenchy99 said:


> All garnet instruments were made in Japan and part of the White Label era... Any Co could buy several models and put whatever name on them. Most of theses were made by Matsomoku (Aria) or Fugijen ( Ibanez) back in the 70s... in the 80s, the instruments came from Korea...





Frenchy99 said:


> All garnet instruments were made in Japan and part of the White Label era... Any Co could buy several models and put whatever name on them. Most of theses were made by Matsomoku (Aria) or Fugijen ( Ibanez) back in the 70s... in the 80s, the instruments came from Korea...


Im from the winnipeg manitoba area and from what ive heard.. Garnet himself made them here for a short while.. This coming from some older musicians that ive had the pleasure of conversing with..


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Jeff Poirier said:


> Im from the winnipeg manitoba area and from what ive heard.. Garnet himself made them here for a short while.. This coming from some older musicians that ive had the pleasure of conversing with..


Jeff, i`m also part of a facebook group that is run by Gar`s daughter and both Gar`s son`s follow it. I can guarantee you that no guitar was ever built by Garnet. His son that was in charge of all production confirmed this. 

Garnet was an amp Co, they made a couple of pedal`s but that is it. All Garnet guitars are white label guitars that they put the Garnet name on them like tons of Co back then.


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