# Raven? what is it



## Pepper_Roni

My friend has a guitar he found in his house... its pretty old and a little beat up but I think it might be playable (haven't tried it in an amp yet) At the top of the stock it says Raven. It looks like a Less Paul but I've never heard of them. Is it any good? ill get pics later sorry.

All research I have done has led to nothin I cant find anything out about this guitar


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## guitaristgibson

http://www.ravenwestguitar.com/elguit.html

i believe that is it, they have LP lookin guitars
they look like nice guitars
ill be checking later to see if i was right,

thanks,


nick


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## snacker

made in japan i think in the 70s - i've played a few that were pretty cool and others that were pretty raunchy - my first bass was a raven (that was one of the raunchy ones


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## Fajah

Raven was brand of guitars made for a Canadian importer in the 60's. They were manufactured by the Matsumoku Factory in Japan which made all sorts of guitars under license. Because they were imported into Canada only, there's little information about them. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsumoku

I recently finished reconditioning my Raven. You can see it here:

http://www.guitarscanada.com/Board/showthread.php?t=19513


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## Accept2

Raven West or Uncle Matt had nothing to do with the Raven I used to have, which was an SG. It was made from a plywood body, and had what looked like a compressed sawdust neck. It never said where it was made, but they used to sell them at Pascal's Hardware for $99 in the late 70s/early 80s..........


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## cknowles

I've got a Raven SG.
Multi piece body made of mahogany and a 3 piece mahogany bolt on neck.

Plays really well, nice low action.


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## zontar

They're like most Japanese made guitars of that era. You'll find good, bad & ugly. Some are quite good, especially if you upgrade a few parts. Others aren't
worth upgrades.

I seriously doubt it's a Ravenwest, as mentioned above. It could be a Matsumoku.

You can check for info here.

It's hard to say with the info given if it's one of the good ones or not.
Pictures will help some. You might be able to get an idea if it's plywood by taking off any covers on the guitar. That will probably reveal more info about the guitar.


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## Hublocker

*Basses*

I have two Raven basses.

Awesome necks, laminated bodies, and so so electronics. Funny little humbucker pickups in J-Bass style bodies and on both of mine, the bridge pickup died.

But the pickups that work put out an amazingly round full bass tone.

But one, my first electric bass has a lovely rosewood fingerboard fretless neck the only one I've ever seen in that era of Japanese import.


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## marcos

*Raven*

Used to own a Raven bass,same as a Sg model.It was O.k. but like a lot of guitars in the 70's,the electronics where poor.Nice looking axe and if you like it who cares.


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## mhammer

Growing up in Montreal, in the late 60's when we would go to Miracle Mart or similar low-cost department store, the guitars we would tend to see in the display case, or in the sort of small local music store that would carry Washburn, Samick and Danelectro stuff these days, were Raven, Pan, Apollo, Pyramid, and sometimes Teisco and Silvertone.


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## Spikezone

I used to own a Raven guitar just like this one, and I WANT IT BACK LOL!:










I talked to the guy I traded it with last summer, and he has no idea what ever happened to it, but I'm in a nostalgic state of mind and would love to find it or one like it again. I read these Ravens were made in the same factory as the old Univox guitars that looked the same.
-Mikey


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## allthumbs56

My first electric (1967 or so) was a 335-style with the Aria logo. Black-to-red burst, 3 single coils (just like the ones on that lovely rebuilt Raven), a big tremolo arm, and bolt-on neck. My friend had one with two humbuckers but identical in every other way with the Raven Logo in black. We both still have them - perhaps I should snap some pics of the two together this weekend when I see him.


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## bill tower

I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION A RAVEN ACOUSTIC GUITAR THAT WAS MADE IN JAPAN. IT IS A MODEL A202 AND IT HAS A 3 DIGIT SERIAL#WHICH IS 832--GUITAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION AND IS FOR SALE. I HAVE NO IDEA IF IT IS WORTH ANYTHING SO I WAS HOPING THIS SITE MIGHT HELP. I HAVE PHOTOS BUT DONT KNOW HOW TO INCLUDE THEM


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## vadsy

hopefully someone can help you out, in the meantime


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## greco

Hi Bill...Welcome to the forum. 

This thread is 10 years old and might nor attract all that much attention.
I would suggest you start a new thread in the acoustic guitars section with all of the information you provided. 

If you pay to join the forum (about $20.00 for a membership), you can post pictures directly from your computer.

You can try to sell the guitar in the forum once you know the value. 
Use this this area to sell it:







Cheers

Dave


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## Dorian2

One of those cheap Ravens was my first guitar. Guitar teacher called it "The Cheese Cutter". Terrible guitar.


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