robin guitars - anyone have experience?

[markD]

i am looking to grab a new guitar and the robin medley has caught my attention. the new ones are USA made, though i don't mind getting a used ESP made model. anybody play one?

any info you can give would be cool.

http://www.robinguitars.com/medley_exotictop_max.html

i'd want one with a floyd....

[DonP]

I've not owned one, but the reviews have been mostly positive.

[TX-Joe]

I've owned several and at one time ( early to mid 90's ) had an endorsement deal with them. I had 8 at one point.

We were an up and coming local band and they were an up and coming local guitar manufacturer...great guys and excellent quality.

I've owned some of the actual catalog cover custom paint Medleys and know a few guys that still do.

I got out of music for a while and sold most of them and a couple were stolen from my apartment in early 2001.

Fantastic guitars but they have closed up shop recently from what I understand.

I know in the early days they were acually Tokai built but they eventually started building them here in Houston.

The best description I can give you is....um if Jackson, ESP and Ibanez had a 3 way and somehow a baby was made it would be a Robin Medley.
I could not get your link to work.

[markD]

TX-Joe, thanks. figures they went out of business!!! do they pop up used in your area?

[TX-Joe]

No, I don't see them on CL too often and rarely see used ones in the local shops, at least not the top of the line models.

If you do find a used one check the trem unit out and make sure that it is one you can either replace or find parts for.
Some used a Floyd type trem made by Kahler that I didn't care for.
They also sometimes used Gotoh and Takeuchi trems that were FR licensed.
I wouldn't hesitate to pickup a used one if I were in the market for a guitar.

[SixstringKing]

Here's one of a few on the bay, looks really nice! Wish I had the cash, heard nothing but good about them. Liked the look of them the first time I saw Tim Kelly from Slaughter using them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Robin-Medley-Electric-guitar-RARE-/320741310505?pt=Guitar&hash=item4aadac0029

[TX-Joe]

I had a Tedley just like that. It was stolen from me! Grrrr!
Swamp Ash body, 1H 1S, vol and 3 way strat switch.
A Tedley was half Tele and half Medley.
Identical except I put Duncans in it.

That is a nice guitar but he is asking way too much.

[SixstringKing]

What had they gone for new and what do they normally go for used?

[markD]

sixstring, i am actually contemplating that one on ebay....it's a matter of grabbing one right away, or waiting to see if a "prettier" one to show up.

[moku]

used, the usa medley goes for about $600-$800 on ebay; used esp medleys go for $350-400ish on ebay.
i have several usa and japan ones. they are great players.
neck profile is thin but not not like an ibanez. it's close to a "D" shaped profile.

the esp ones came with takeuchi trems; usa ones came with original floyd rose trems. it's true that some also came with kahlers.... not sure which year is that...
the real early ones from texas were hard tail.
hope this helps....

here are some pics:

[Nezgual]

I owned the white robin pictured. Guitar kicks ass, I kinda regret selling it. I look for robins online from time to time. Cant go wrong with the medley. The neck thrus are nice. mine had a Kahler trem. I think its either the first 2 numbers or the last 2 numbers indicate the year it was made.


GRRR I want it back haha

[moku]

i also like my white neck thru medley (above); it plays pretty well, but i think the neck profile on that one is more "C" shaped. :think:

can't remember. that one has been in the closet for a while.

[markD]

cool!! thanks for the extra info guys.

[TX-Joe]

What had they gone for new and what do they normally go for used?

I think I remember Medley Standards were selling around $800 -$1000 depending on finish and features.
We used to sell quite a few in the shop I worked in.
The Medley Customs with quilt/flame trans finish tops sold for right around $1200.
But that was back in the day....the early through late '90s.

Every guy that worked in the shop owned at least one.
We had the coolest guitar shop in town at the time, we'd get all the high profile star guitar clinics and autograph sessions.
We had GIT guitar instructors and Rusty Cooley used to teach there as well.
I think Rusty was the only guy who didn't have one.

[TX-Joe]

moku is correct about the neck profile.
The only MIJ Robin I ever played was the Wedge....I never cared for it. I also never tried the early neck through guitars like the white one.
But man the thin D neck profile On the Medley is great...this thread is giving me GAS.