A Rather Nice Acoustic-Electric Guitar

This guitar has me stumped. Right off the bat, the spelling error on the label raises a red flag. An exhaustive online check on the model name has turned up loads of acoustic-electrics with Zebrawood tops, backs and sides; but none that resemble this. Then, there's the matter of the serial number drawing a blank on the usual sites I rely on for verification. A well-made knockoff? Your guess is as good as mine. It came in for an electronics check after a fall. Turned out to be a disconnected ground. Fixed that.

The top appears to be spruce. The neck, back and sides could be some species of mahogany. The fretboard and bridge look like rosewood. Frets are nicely crowned and the ends smoothly dressed. In terms of looks, there's black body binding and faux tortoiseshell purfling, a black heel cap; and Florentine cutaway to boot! Long story short, it looks good, feels good, plays good, intonation is spot-on; and the preamp works as it should. What's not to like?

2000 Epiphone Les Paul Custom

Specs
Built at the Samick Plant in Korea in June 2000
Ebony (EB) finish
Gold hardware
Modern "clipped ear" headstock
Five-ply binding on headstock and body
Vintage-style tuners
Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece
Mahogany set neck
Bound rosewood fingerboard
22 medium-jumbo frets
Mother-of-pearl block inlays
Epiphone 57CH neck humbucker
Epiphone HOTCH(G) bridge humbucker

Non-stock Features
Gavitt black/white wire
Full-sized Alpha A500K pots

Work Done
Replaced toggle switch, output jack and bridge tone pot
Fret dressing
String change, action/intonation

Pics

Ibanez York 628/12 Restoration | Part One

Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Just found out today that all the pics from my July 31 post on this Ibanez York 628/12 are missing. Serves me right for hotlinking. That post has already been deleted. And so, here is a repost with all the details and pics; for those of you (like me) who are into this sort of thing. The guitar has been partially stripped and refinished. It is currently undergoing the last leg of clear-coating (see last 3 pics), after which it will be hung to dry for as long as possible before final wet-sanding and polishing.

Details
Name / Model No: Ibanez York 628/12
Category: Dreadnought / 12-String Acoustic
Serial No: 75 328
Production Notes: Crafted in Japan circa 1975

Specs
Full Length: 43"
Body Dimensions: 19.75" x 16"
Body Depth: 4.5"
Neck Width: 1.75"
Top: Spruce
Back and Sides: Mahogany
Soundhole Rosette: Wood Marquetry
Body Binding: White
Fingerboard: Rosewood / Bound / Abalone-like Block Inlays
Bridge: Rosewood
Tuners: Chrome / Unsealed

Front view.

Back view.

Front of headstock.

Back of headstock. Tuners still working okay.

Nut is falling apart. Owner wants it rebuilt.

Serial Number.

Seems like a previous owner had this refinished.

Shrunken pickguard. Needs to be replaced.

Extensive damage to the back.

Neck heel/neck seam has come apart.

Damaged mahogany back.

Binding has not been scraped clean.

Finish damage near the end pin.

Nice bridge.

Fixing the split in the neck heel / neck seam.

Inlays at 1st and 3rd frets actually came loose.

Regluing the back to the sides.

Baking soda/CA glue nut rebuild attempt.

Spruce top stripped, sanded and restained. 

One pesky bottom brace reglued.

Clear coating in progress.

Hung to dry in between clear coats.

Part One | Part Two | Part Three