Understanding CMI guitars and amps

1bassleft · Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 1:43 am Post subject:

By the 1980s, although plywood was commonly used for bodies, necks would by now be maple. The fretboard would either be maple (blonde wood) or, more commonly, the darker rosewood. Cheaper, more sustainable Indian Rosewood is more often used than Brazilian rosewood nowadays. Indian rosewood does not look as nice and, on lower-priced guitars, doesn't look great at all, but basically does the job. Early Korean hardware can be a bit lacking in inspiring confidence, too. The jack socket, in particular, is a bane to live with.

1bassleft · Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:28 am Post subject:

For sale on eBay UK is a "Satellite" Les Paul copy, with references to it coming from the "lawsuit" Ibanez/CMI factory. I really dislike this kind of puffing up the price of a rubbish guitar with unsubstantiated sales pitch.

Despite searching high and low, I have no positive information that 1970s CMI guitars were made at Nippon Gakki, Fuji-Gen Gakki or any other association with Ibanez, Greco, Tokai etc. I can tell you for sure that Satellite have nothing to do with Ibanez at all (nor CMI, AFAIK). I was around at the time and Satellite guitars were, and are, cheap rubbish and among the nastiest playing and sounding instruments a beginner could be unfortunate enough to own. The only "lawsuit" a Satellite ever got was from angry owners trying to get their money back from the guitar shop.

MicroSark · Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:56 am Post subject: CMI J200 12 String

Finally managed to take some pics of my CMI J200 12 string. An unusual guitar that I've had from new for about 27 years.

It plays really well, and has the sweetest action of any 12 string I've ever played.

It suffered a headstock break when it was about 2 years old when my then brother-in-law dropped it. This was reapired by a good luthier and apart from a few indentations from the clamps he used on the back of the headstock you can't see the repair.

I fitted a Dean Markely Sweet Spot pickup in it a few years back, and it records really well with it. The tone of the guitar, thanks to the huge body is amazing.

1bassleft · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:31 am Post subject:

As mentioned in the original post, I do like that acoustic. Now, here's a Chicago CMI amp that I've never seen before. Hard to tell if it's valve, but that does look like an impedance selector socket (missing the jumper plug) on the back panel so I'm assuming it's valve. Unusual for a combo, but (if it is a selector) then it's a provision for using external cabs.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CMI-Gibson-Full-Range-AMP_W0QQitemZ290045817567QQihZ019QQcategoryZ10171QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

myfoot · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:15 am Post subject:

looks lke a power outlet and fuse...could the bigger plug in the middle be for a footswitch?

1bassleft · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 2:07 am Post subject:

The big'un in the middle was what I thought might be an ohm-selector. Could be a footie, but that's a blimmin' big plug for it. I've just counted and realzed that the socket is a heptal, not octal. Hmmm. difficult to know for sure what everything does because of the distant pic.

myfoot · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 2:25 am Post subject:

I sent an email to the seller....I'm curious to what they are too Razz

myfoot · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:42 pm Post subject:

Here is what I received back so far

Quote:

The big plug says transicord. The 1/4 inch plug says external speaker.

I thanked him and asked if he knew if it was a SS or tube and if he could up a picture of it with the back off.

myfoot · Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 1:17 pm Post subject:

I wiish I could edit...could have gotten all of this in one post Smile

Anyway look at this 1bass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farfisa
Found this on a google search for transicord . I see I can edit while I am logged in for this session..No post whore here Laughing

mjet260 · Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 10:26 am Post subject:

1bassleft wrote:

Here's a very nice CMI 50W PA that sold on eBay today for £155, not very much compared with the prices Marshall valve PAs fetch. I bid myself, but couldn't keep up with the bids as money is a bit short right now. Ironically, this thread probably helped push its price up. If the winner looks in, say hello and let's have more pics, please Smile

NB, in common with other CMI valve amps, there's no standby switch. A bit of Marshall cost-cutting that's not great for valve life, unfortunately. Still, the Mullards in mine lasted a decade and so have the St Petersburg Svets. That's on a weekly rehearsal/monthlyish gig basis.

I also bid but didn't win. I wrote to the winner and will hopefully get some more photos soon - this will be key in my refurbishing of my own "Marshall-ized" CMI 100w head.

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