Robin Guitars

[data187]

i played a robin savoy and it had a huge neck; way bigger than a 50s lp neck.

[84sups]

Robin USA's are awesome. I liked the 2 I played.

[MountainDog]

Agreed, awesome guitars, I have 12 of them.

[rstites]

A little history for Robin:

The first Robins where built to spec by Tokai and only for a year or two. They have the reverse head stock, but it's more rounded than the later ones. They had a few pickup configurations and came with a traditional Fender-style trem. I owned one that'd been modified from a 1H to HSS configuration and had an original Floyd added. It was a nice guitar. However, it was a 9" radius fretboard so the Floyd's fit was a little strange on the outside strings.

After that Robins were built for most of the remainder of the 80's to spec by ESP. The styles were generally similar to what you saw on the US built versions later. I had one of the Medley's set up HSS with a Kahler. It was a very nice instrument. You mostly see the metal-esque guitars from this era just due to timing. I've played several other of these. I wouldn't put them up there with my San Dimas Charvels, but I'd easily put them beyond most US instruments of the day. The only really downside is that you find almost strictly Kahlers on them (though the good ones).

Starting around 1990, Robin started building in the US in Texas. (These have a stamp on the back of the headstock so there's no mistaking them.) These are very good. They tend to have nicer woods, fancier stain jobs, real Floyds, Rio Grande pickups, etc. so are better instruments than the ESP-era ones, but I don't know that the actual construction is any better. I'd still put my classic C/J's a bit about them, but not by much. I've also owned one of these and played several others.

For years, Robins sailed under the radar so you could pick them up second hand dirty cheap. I bought my Tokai-era one for something like $150 and my USA one for about $300 when it was only a couple of years old. They had no resell. Since the company shut down guitar production, prices have gone up quite a bit. Also, I wouldn't shy away from the Japanese built instruments. They're fine instruments. They're a lot like the early Jackson Pro's in that regard.

[Hosedawg]

I have a Robin Medley, ash body (blue see thru) with s, s, h pick ups. I believe there PJ Marks. Bought it back in the early 90's. USA MADE... top quality build. I love 'em...always lookin out for them...lol!

[msaint65]

Here's my old Medley (traded for a.....Jackson ). Import - Great guitar and one of the best I've played under a 1000 bux.

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