hey there, I noticed that everyone keeps mentioning Raven Guitars. I have a old Raven guitar, and am wondering about it`s history. It sat in a basement for at least 20 years, and is in great shape. Does anyone know of any web sites or info on old Ravens?

WOW!! Never knew they were that old! You probably have another type of Raven guitar since I know about the guy who used to sell them. They`re not that old.

I had a Raven electric that was from the mid-60`s. Make that almost 40 years old. It matched my Pan guitar, but the Pan had 3 pickups and the Raven had 2. By the way, it looked alot like my Kent as well. I think they came from the same place. I haven`t found any definitive history on Raven, just Kent, made by Teisco, and later Guyatone. Strat man Dwight

true some folks say Paul red Smith is the best guitar and i like them there unreal, but how about Gretch was out first/ any good?

yup, this raven has two old pickups, similar to the pickups in the original gibsons..it sounds great, a true hollow body with no main stock of wood up the middle at all. One shop I went to told me that the guitar is almost 40 years old, and that it was built in the mid 60`s, but that`s all they knew about it....

Jeez, if you cant afford it dont buy it but dont whine cuz I dont complain or say my stuff is better than whatever. If I had the money I would sure get a Paul Reed Smith or a Gibson Les Paul. Respecfully Jim

I play guitar too but would like to try a Paul Reed Smith bass. its so cool that they make them too. hey i don`t know what if i could buy one but the guitar is gotta be the best and coolest with Fender and Gibson. Let me make a point. i have cheap stuff already and i know the differnce betweem what crappy and whats good. we got hands, we got ears, we got eyes right. Paul Reed smith does everything good to these senses.

Winston, my man, I couldn`t agree with you more. Many times I`ve played my PRS Custom in public and some bubble gum chewing (but older of course) person comes up to me and says "what did you buy that thing for?". They say for example "I have a Dillion, or an El Degas" and it is just as good. Okay, life is life, but i don`t go to a Dillion player and say what a stupid choice or WTF you playing a Dillion for? There`s different guitars for different people. And one last thing - read earlier postings on this thread - I wouldn`t drive a Cadillac or a Yugo. Something inbetween. If you drive a Cadillac around here, it gets scratched. People can`t handle somebody else having something they don`t have. Are people still getting mugged for their Nike`s? I don`t know, probably not anymore.

All the bloke who started this thread wanted was a bit of help, and its turned into a big argument over people and there big guitars with big balls. Ok you can have your lady guitar who cant do anything, or you can have your mans guitar and grip its balls all you like at the end of the day its wat you like. I cant help the guy at the top as i know nothing about the topic, but ffs help the man dont argue over your ego`s!

so i guess that as an innocent bystander to this thread, I am narrowing it down to a Les Paul or PRS for the money and quality. Does that sum it up?? Ya`ll are hysterical (well, AND informative). thanks, i really did need advice on the PRS......lori

Yes, Lori, we stand amused - personally I thought the first posting was a bit of a lark - who buys either one as a gift and a first guitar? Well, through it all, I believe that you have drawn the right conclusion. All the best. Strat man Dwight

Here is my 2 cents on PRS. I have two Gibson SG`s and one Strat. I have been playing for about 25 years and I have played with professionals. I started looking for either a Les Paul or a PRS, probably the Custom 22. I was playing many different Les Pauls the other day, some Custom Shop. I also played a bunch of the Custom 22`s and 24`s. Hands down, I think the PRS is a better guitar. Maybe they just feel better to me or they fit my style better, but that is comming from a long time Gibson player that was really looking for a Les Paul to begin with. I am saving up for a PRS, no question.

To all you people who now own a PRS, Gibson, whatever.....,
please treat your music like your axe!!! Again, I own a Raven and I love it. Another company named Dillion was mentioned here in this string and I`m glad it was mentioned. These hand crafted guitars are made by top Korean luthiers. I`d like to see U.S. manufacturers try and make a guitar like a Raven or Dillion at half the PRS price!!! Gee...I guess they can`t!!! Go ahead and put the guitar down all you want. Go ahead and spend $1500-2500 for a PRS. If Les Paul, Tommy Tadesco, George Benson, Lee Ritenour, (just to name a few Jazz greats Etc..etc...)could`ve heard what you young guys (or girls) play today, they would all PUKE (I think of the ones who are still around... are at that!)I know they all played Gibson, Ibanez,etc..etc....but they played MUSIC!! I don`t put down these guitars. All I`m saying is ....please play MUSIC and not U2!! If your guitar was made by a LUTHIER GENIOUS.... then play like one! Just because a guitar was made in the U.S., doesn`t mean it`s the best thing since apple pie. Oh....and another thing...what today defines good music?????

Well, clearly the BEST PRS copies on the market (actually they have been sued OFF the market and will be gone soon) are the Tokai ones from Japan. These come from the factory with better dressed frets than any Les Paul, have screaming pickups and play incredible. They are, for all intent a PRS!

As for guitar value truth is unless you want to hang onto your PRS 20 odd years you aren`t holding any inventment! That`s a joke. As for upgrading, if I buy a guitar for under $400 I enjoy I don`t worry about it if I lose 1/2 the money after a few years. If I bought a PRS for $2500+ and lost 1/2 that after a few years I`d be more than a little upset!

I`m a player not a collector. I`ve owned some nice Les Paul`s and have to say that my personal favoite year would be a 1978 Custom. I also owned a very nice 1983 Standard and presently own a beautiful 1974 Deluxe with the upgrade to DiMarzio Mini`s because I just think the stock bridge mini is gutless.

That being said let me also say I bought a 2003 Les Paul 1960 reissue Standard and sold it 6 weeks later. Why? Because the quality of the new USA Gibsons (Fenders as well since I had a 2003 USA Strat I sold 3 weeks later!) are just horrible!!!! I`ve recently discovered that in Japan many manufacturers have been making dead on quality Les Paul`s since the mid-70`s and started getting it right about the early 80s. Everyone has heard about the Ibanez Lawsuit guitars only because Ibanez dared export to the US and compete head on with Gibson and they did hit them in the sales delivering the same quality at 1/2 the cost. But most aren`t aware Yamaha has one called a "Studio Lord" that is AMAZING and Burny makes equally amazing Les Paul copies. They avoid lawsuits because they don`t export to the US market. You can expect to pay $500-$900 for these on ebay because the word is out and the early 80s models were the best! Tokai also makes a nice one called a "Love Rock". The weight, feel and even the pickups are just great! Gibson saw this market and opened a plant in Japan and was making Les Paul`s under the Orville name till about 1996. Gibson couldn`t gain the right to use the name "Gibson" in Japan. My friend bought the last year model of this for $800 and it is better than any new US Les Paul you will find on the racks! Gibson no longer makes the Orvilles and since uses the plant for a supposedly elite Epiphone model. I`ve yet to play any Epiphone that made me happy but that is what I am told.