Home Forums Guitar Discussion Guitar CMI e200 guitar information?

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  • #21647
    Brad
    Participant

    I just aquired a CMI E200 electric guitar, Plays great. Thin body, very light. uncovered tuning pegs,all strung together with a stamped(scroll type) metal plate,two single pickups I am trying to find out it’s age. And history, I could not find any serial numbers.Do I need to disassemble it? Any help would be nice. Thank you Brad

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    • #127704
      Anonymous
      Guest

      I picked up a CMI E200 (SER NO. 8610XXX) in perfect condition from a pawn shop; although all posts I read say “Japan”, mine has a sticker on the back of the headstock that says “MADE IN KOREA”. Its fun to play and sound pretty good, BUT… its made in Korea- not Japan.

    • #57558
      mumble0
      Participant

      I happen to have the same guitar as you…

    • #57581
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Good to hear from you, Huskey 🙂

      I’ve updated the CMI thread recently. Any new nuggets of info always gratefully received… 😀

    • #57543
      Huskey
      Participant

      Hej 1baseleft.

      Thanks for your reply.
      It’s been ages since I last logged in so therefor the late reply.

      My CMI has a bolt neck.

      Thank’s for the links for uploading pics, I will get back to you and send some but right now I am on my way to work.

      Catch you later! 😀
      Huskey.

    • #57562
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Hi Huskey,

      I have a sticky “How to post pics on guitarsite” that’ll instruct you how to put pics up, and there is another sticky, “understanding CMI guitars and amps” that would be a great place for your post and I’d welcome your info and pics. Is it a bolt-neck or glued in? I have recently seen some “Marshall” CMI Les Pauls with set necks. I must update the thread. Set-neck Les Paul copies were not all that common in the 1970s and it’s the strongest evidence I have yet that CMI might have used Fuji- Gen Gakki.

    • #57542
      Huskey
      Participant

      Hows it going 1bassleft?

      In reply to your attempt to uncover the true story behind CMI guitars and amps, I would like to tell you briefly about my CMI.

      Les Paul in natural finish neck and main body. The main body is comprised of 2 sorts of wood with the upper layer surface made of what could possibly be beach and the back side possibly ash.
      The neck is quite possibly made of beach and made of 3 pieces. The finger board possibly ash and has black suuare inlays at 1,3,5,7,9 frets and so on.

      Both body and neck are banded in ivory and black (plastic I should think?), though the neck is just ivory. Black scratch plate.

      All the bit n pieces had a guilded finish (gold look) that started to show signs of wear.

      It was bought in Birmingham, England around 1976 for around GBP 120.00

      I have just had it revamped with new Grover machine heads and Jeff Beck (Seymore Duncan) pick ups, new toggle switch and wireing.

      I dont know if it is possible to upload a picture og it, will check that out in a minuet if not, I would gladly send you a phote to your mail address.

      Regarding the logo, it seems to me almost identical to the one one the first picture you have of the CMI amp with the exception of the’ C ‘is adjoined to the ‘I’ on the bottom edge and is in gold with a mother of pearl diamond like pattern on the head.

      Hope this info has been usefull and please do get back and let me know what you find out.

      All the best

      Huskey

    • #57554
      1bassleft
      Participant

      epi, this used to be the bane of my life. If you don’t mind, I’ll post this up as a new thread, so others can catch it. Sorry to do it this way, but it may be of use in the “how do I do this?” scheme of things. Thread to be called “posting your pics on guitarsite”

    • #57556
      Epiphoneman
      Participant

      how can i put my picture on here from my camera

    • #57569
      Epiphoneman
      Participant

      [quote=”lee_UK”]#tokai-medhead.jpg_http//uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/[/quote]Hey whats up my computer was down for a while but i will try to get a picture of my CMI on here but remember it is in the proccess of being restored

    • #57572
      lee_UK
      Participant

      Just for you Bass, this is top shelf centre spread tongue out stuff…

      http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/THD2Dsc00654-med.jpg

      http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/THD653-med.jpg

      note where the ‘hotplate’ attenuator knob is??

    • #57552
      lee_UK
      Participant
    • #57560
      lee_UK
      Participant
    • #57586
      lee_UK
      Participant

      #tokai-medhead.jpg_http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/

    • #57584
      lee_UK
      Participant

      Tokai attention to detail, like you say, is top shelf stuff, here are a couple of pics, first ones ive uploaded so if it all goes ‘Hondo II’ (down the loo) then you can blame me. 2 pics:
      http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/Tokai-Dsc00651-med.jpg#

      the headstock all original:

      http://uk.geocities.com/[email protected]/tokai-medhead.jpg#

    • #57545
      1bassleft
      Participant

      You choose well with your Bi-Valves and Love-Rocks, Grasshopper. Now you can walk over hot coals making melodious noises… 🙂

      The late 70s Tokais are DEF a step up from these CMI (Bletchley or Standel) Japanese imports. I won’t bore everyone with why (for once 😉 ) but they are sooo great. My own Andy Marshall has a Tok Strat, and he treated it “so what” because the lucky git accepted it in lieu of £100 owed him. I showed him the attention to detail, the quality of woods, the QC which beat the pants off a Fender from the late ’70s. He’s got the idea now.

    • #57563
      lee_UK
      Participant

      I’ll have to take a picture of my Tokai love rock, the 1979 lawsuit model, its a double take of a Les Paul, Cherry burst with a apir of recently upgraded Duncan Pearly gates pups. Plays, looks and feels just like the real thing.

    • #57573
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Sure enough, the Standel CMI was snapped up at its BIN of £100 ($200ish). If I weren’t such a lousy guitarist, I’d’ve grabbed it.

    • #57565
      1bassleft
      Participant

      And, to tidy things up, here’s a Japanese CMI made for Jim Marshall’s Cleartone Musical Instruments in Bletchley, England:
      http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2384&item=7321020993&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
      and another headstock-logo-shot. Again the pic only lasts as long as Fleeb keeps it:
      #http://i6.ebayimg.com/03/i/04/05/38/94_1.JPG

      BTW, the lefty US CMI has a good BIN of £100. The contemporaneous Ibanez was also a bolt-on, so not to be dismissed. Fair bit of fretboard wear, though.

    • #57557
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Brad et al, there is a CMI guitar on Fleeb attributed to the Gibson parent:
      http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2384&item=7320645109&rd=1

      FWIW, this is also what I consider to be the Standel amp-maker cum Japanese-guitar-importer later taken over by Gibson. Here is the headstock logo, but this image will only hold here as long as Fleeb holds it in their records:

      #http://i20.ebayimg.com/01/i/04/02/3d/9f_12_sb.JPG

      IMO, if you have this logo, you have a Standel CA guitar, imported from Japan sometime in the late 70s/early 80s.

    • #57571
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Bit titchy, though.

    • #57537
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Hello Epi,
      I’ve never uploaded a pic on this particular forum. I’m doing my usual method, and maybe Michael can look in if it doesn’t work out here. Here’s a pic of my Marshallesque CMI:
      #http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid130/pd440c4856ba94661cf53b4abdeb7d338/f7bdf2a1.jpg.thumb.jpg

      Hope this helps.

      Post preview. Hey, it worked! Jolly.

    • #57490
      Epiphoneman
      Participant

      [quote=”Brad”]I just aquired a CMI E200 electric guitar, Plays great. Thin body, very light. uncovered tuning pegs,all strung together with a stamped(scroll type) metal plate,two single pickups I am trying to find out it’s age. And history, I could not find any serial numbers.Do I need to disassemble it? Any help would be nice. Thank you Brad[/quote]Brad did your guitar kinda look like a small strat in the shape.

    • #57526
      Epiphoneman
      Participant

      [quote=”Epiphoneman”][quote=”1bassleft”]Hello John, and welcome aboard. I don’t have a Bletchley CMI guitar; I have one of their (Marshall) amps.

      Here’s the logo of a Bletchley-Marshall CMI guitar imported from Japan
      http//cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2384&item=7316995468&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

      The logo on the headstock is identical to my amp’s. If yours is similar, it will be a Japanese made guitar, late 70s, imported by Terry Marshall and sold in the UK between 76 and 81.[/quote] Can I get a picture of your amp and brads guitar so i can compare to mine cause i repainted and costomized it and if i showed you you probly wouldnt recognize the type of guitar it is.[/quote]

    • #57522
      Epiphoneman
      Participant

      [quote=”1bassleft”]Hello John, and welcome aboard. I don’t have a Bletchley CMI guitar; I have one of their (Marshall) amps.

      Here’s the logo of a Bletchley-Marshall CMI guitar imported from Japan
      http//cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2384&item=7316995468&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

      The logo on the headstock is identical to my amp’s. If yours is similar, it will be a Japanese made guitar, late 70s, imported by Terry Marshall and sold in the UK between 76 and 81.[/quote] Can I get a picture of your amp and brads guitar so i can compare to mine cause i repainted and costomized it and if i showed you you probly wouldnt recognize the type of guitar it is.

    • #57524
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Hello John, and welcome aboard. I don’t have a Bletchley CMI guitar; I have one of their (Marshall) amps.

      Here’s the logo of a Bletchley-Marshall CMI guitar imported from Japan:
      http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2384&item=7316995468&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

      The logo on the headstock is identical to my amp’s. If yours is similar, it will be a Japanese made guitar, late 70s, imported by Terry Marshall and sold in the UK between 76 and 81.

    • #57531
      Epiphoneman
      Participant

      [quote=”Brad”][quote=”1bassleft”]Brad, take a look at this Wah-wah pedal
      http//cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22669&item=7304423862&rd=1

      This is the CMI logo for Jim Marshall’s offshoot company Cleartone Musical Instruments. If your logo is the same, then your guitar was imported from Japan (Terry Marshall handled this side) from 1976 to 1981 at the very latest. By then, Marshall was free of the Rose-Morris deal and all those alernate-Marshall brands died.

      Unlike Gibson, the Marshall website airbrushes Park, Narb and CMI out of its history. Doyle’s “History of Marshall” may help you. Sad, really.

      Hey My name is john and i was wonderingif you could send me some pictures of you Cmi guitar cause i got one and it sounds alot like your discription my Email is [email protected]. thanx
      [/quote]

    • #57485
      1bassleft
      Participant

      It’s likely to be the Standel CMI, then. I think (for obvious reasons) http://www.harmony-central.com has more reviews of Standel CMI than Bletchley. Last time I looked, mine was the only English (and had to be titled “Cleartone blahblahblah).

      Have a check of HC, Brad. I’d be amazed, and even more confused, if another CMI is out there.

    • #57489
      Brad
      Participant

      [quote=”1bassleft”]Brad, take a look at this Wah-wah pedal:
      http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22669&item=7304423862&rd=1

      This is the CMI logo for Jim Marshall’s offshoot company Cleartone Musical Instruments. If your logo is the same, then your guitar was imported from Japan (Terry Marshall handled this side) from 1976 to 1981 at the very latest. By then, Marshall was free of the Rose-Morris deal and all those alernate-Marshall brands died.

      Unlike Gibson, the Marshall website airbrushes Park, Narb and CMI out of its history. Doyle’s “History of Marshall” may help you. Sad, really.

      Thanks, Not even close. CMI Electric guitar E200, Any one else??

    • #57527
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Brad, take a look at this Wah-wah pedal:
      http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=22669&item=7304423862&rd=1

      This is the CMI logo for Jim Marshall’s offshoot company Cleartone Musical Instruments. If your logo is the same, then your guitar was imported from Japan (Terry Marshall handled this side) from 1976 to 1981 at the very latest. By then, Marshall was free of the Rose-Morris deal and all those alernate-Marshall brands died.

      Unlike Gibson, the Marshall website airbrushes Park, Narb and CMI out of its history. Doyle’s “History of Marshall” may help you. Sad, really.

    • #57498
      Brad
      Participant

      mine has CMI (LARGE LETTERS)ELECTRIC GUITAR E 200(SMALLERLETTERS)all in one line. any more info? Thank you.

    • #57511
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Hello Brad, I can actually help you out here. I own a CMI amp, but there are two CMIs, and both imported guitars from Japan, so it can be confusing:

      CMI #1 is “Cleartone Musical Instruments” of Bletchley, England. Another name that Jim Marshall used (he also used Park and Narb) to get around an exclusive deal Marshall was tied into with Rose-Morris. If your headstock logo is a bit rectangular, and the “C” stretches over the “MI”, then it’s one of these.

      CMI #2 is Chicago Musical Industries of Standel, California. They were taken over by Gibson, and Gibson people will still answer Qs about Standel products. Their logo uses a curvy font and, IIRC, the “MI” is lower case and the “i” has a star rather than dot over it.

      Both were primarily amp-makers. CMI England were slight variations on the Marshall products and were made around 75-76. CMI USA made solid-state amps, also in the mid-seventies. Both companies went to Japanese makers and had guitars made for import under their brand names. From what I’ve seen, they’re not up to the standards of the Fuji-Gen-Gakki classics like the Tokai-Ibanez-Greco models. They are quite decent, though, and the few I’ve seen on Fleeb fetch even more than I think they’re worth.

      If you have any more info, post it up and I’ll see if I can come up with more.

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