VINTAGE Late ’60’s VENTURA V-1400 (SOLD)
VINTAGE Late ’60’s VENTURA V-1400
“Barney Kessel“ MADE IN JAPAN.
1968 Ventura V-1400 archtop electric guitar in excellent condition and in good working order. A faithful recreation of the Gibson Barney Kessel Custom, this guitar was made in Japan's famed MATSUMOKU factory (the same factory that produced Ibanez , Univox , Aria and more! ) . The V-1400 features a full 17" body with laminate maple top, back and sides. This was Ventura's top of the line offering in the 1960s and the quality and craftsmanship really shows! Commonly referred to as a "lawsuit" Japanese guitar, these particular Venturas were never the center of any controversy, although they do borrow generously from their Gibson cousins.
The three-piece maple neck has a slim C profile with a 1 9/16" nut width (again closely matching its Gibson counterpart) and original fretwire that shows only the lightest wear down near the nut and virtually no wear further up the neck. This Ventura V-1400 plays very well with low action and solid intonation. (Recent professional overhaul and setup with nickel wound 10-46 strings). The headstock sports the original gold tuning machines that still work well and the music note pearl inlay is also found on this instrument's Gibson Barney Kessel counterpart. The back of the headstock is factory painted black with a classy "stinger" that meets the cherry sunburst finish on the neck.
This particular V-1400 features a few hardware upgrades; New strap buttons , and a Tune-o-Matic bridge with arched rosewood base. The upgraded bridge really helps the playability of the guitar, as well as giving it a more authentic look . All of the electronics have been recently gone through and work as they should, with a new period perfect gold 3 way switch, and long-thread #11 Switchcraft jack . The pickups sound great for warm jazz tones , or can be pushed to bark and snarl with the best! The stock V and T labeled metal Volume and Tone knobs are intact, as well as the original pickguard that matches the curve of the treble side cutaway. This 55 year old guitar has seen minimal usage in it’s lifetime, and it shows. The original cherry sunburst finish is practically perfect - vibrant and unfaded. It has barely any signs of wear , aside from a few minute scuffs here and there. There is some fading to the gold plating on the pickup covers, and the tuners , and signs of finish/age stress near the neck heel, (the neck joint has been checked as stable) . Overall, this guitar is a great example of Japanese craftsmanship in the later 1960s and one of the more ornate "lawsuit" guitars offered over the decades.
Don't miss out on this classic ’60’s Ventura V-1400, the top of the line instrument offered by this company and a faithful ode to the Gibson Barney Kessel!
VINTAGE Late ’60’s VENTURA V-1400
“Barney Kessel“ MADE IN JAPAN.
1968 Ventura V-1400 archtop electric guitar in excellent condition and in good working order. A faithful recreation of the Gibson Barney Kessel Custom, this guitar was made in Japan's famed MATSUMOKU factory (the same factory that produced Ibanez , Univox , Aria and more! ) . The V-1400 features a full 17" body with laminate maple top, back and sides. This was Ventura's top of the line offering in the 1960s and the quality and craftsmanship really shows! Commonly referred to as a "lawsuit" Japanese guitar, these particular Venturas were never the center of any controversy, although they do borrow generously from their Gibson cousins.
The three-piece maple neck has a slim C profile with a 1 9/16" nut width (again closely matching its Gibson counterpart) and original fretwire that shows only the lightest wear down near the nut and virtually no wear further up the neck. This Ventura V-1400 plays very well with low action and solid intonation. (Recent professional overhaul and setup with nickel wound 10-46 strings). The headstock sports the original gold tuning machines that still work well and the music note pearl inlay is also found on this instrument's Gibson Barney Kessel counterpart. The back of the headstock is factory painted black with a classy "stinger" that meets the cherry sunburst finish on the neck.
This particular V-1400 features a few hardware upgrades; New strap buttons , and a Tune-o-Matic bridge with arched rosewood base. The upgraded bridge really helps the playability of the guitar, as well as giving it a more authentic look . All of the electronics have been recently gone through and work as they should, with a new period perfect gold 3 way switch, and long-thread #11 Switchcraft jack . The pickups sound great for warm jazz tones , or can be pushed to bark and snarl with the best! The stock V and T labeled metal Volume and Tone knobs are intact, as well as the original pickguard that matches the curve of the treble side cutaway. This 55 year old guitar has seen minimal usage in it’s lifetime, and it shows. The original cherry sunburst finish is practically perfect - vibrant and unfaded. It has barely any signs of wear , aside from a few minute scuffs here and there. There is some fading to the gold plating on the pickup covers, and the tuners , and signs of finish/age stress near the neck heel, (the neck joint has been checked as stable) . Overall, this guitar is a great example of Japanese craftsmanship in the later 1960s and one of the more ornate "lawsuit" guitars offered over the decades.
Don't miss out on this classic ’60’s Ventura V-1400, the top of the line instrument offered by this company and a faithful ode to the Gibson Barney Kessel!
VINTAGE Late ’60’s VENTURA V-1400
“Barney Kessel“ MADE IN JAPAN.
1968 Ventura V-1400 archtop electric guitar in excellent condition and in good working order. A faithful recreation of the Gibson Barney Kessel Custom, this guitar was made in Japan's famed MATSUMOKU factory (the same factory that produced Ibanez , Univox , Aria and more! ) . The V-1400 features a full 17" body with laminate maple top, back and sides. This was Ventura's top of the line offering in the 1960s and the quality and craftsmanship really shows! Commonly referred to as a "lawsuit" Japanese guitar, these particular Venturas were never the center of any controversy, although they do borrow generously from their Gibson cousins.
The three-piece maple neck has a slim C profile with a 1 9/16" nut width (again closely matching its Gibson counterpart) and original fretwire that shows only the lightest wear down near the nut and virtually no wear further up the neck. This Ventura V-1400 plays very well with low action and solid intonation. (Recent professional overhaul and setup with nickel wound 10-46 strings). The headstock sports the original gold tuning machines that still work well and the music note pearl inlay is also found on this instrument's Gibson Barney Kessel counterpart. The back of the headstock is factory painted black with a classy "stinger" that meets the cherry sunburst finish on the neck.
This particular V-1400 features a few hardware upgrades; New strap buttons , and a Tune-o-Matic bridge with arched rosewood base. The upgraded bridge really helps the playability of the guitar, as well as giving it a more authentic look . All of the electronics have been recently gone through and work as they should, with a new period perfect gold 3 way switch, and long-thread #11 Switchcraft jack . The pickups sound great for warm jazz tones , or can be pushed to bark and snarl with the best! The stock V and T labeled metal Volume and Tone knobs are intact, as well as the original pickguard that matches the curve of the treble side cutaway. This 55 year old guitar has seen minimal usage in it’s lifetime, and it shows. The original cherry sunburst finish is practically perfect - vibrant and unfaded. It has barely any signs of wear , aside from a few minute scuffs here and there. There is some fading to the gold plating on the pickup covers, and the tuners , and signs of finish/age stress near the neck heel, (the neck joint has been checked as stable) . Overall, this guitar is a great example of Japanese craftsmanship in the later 1960s and one of the more ornate "lawsuit" guitars offered over the decades.
Don't miss out on this classic ’60’s Ventura V-1400, the top of the line instrument offered by this company and a faithful ode to the Gibson Barney Kessel!