Lark Brand Les Paul Copy

This is a Japanese copy of a Gibson Les Paul made sometime I believe in the 1970's, not certain of exact date. I have not been able to locate any identifying model #'s yet, although I have not taken it apart completely. I will start with what I do know from  examining the instrument.

Body
The body is a multi-ply wood single cut away style painted black with what appears to be mahogany face and back veneers. The top is arched and the back is flat. The total weight of the guitar is approximately 8 pounds. The width at the lower bout is 12-7/8", and at the upper bout 9". Overall length of guitar including neck and headstock is 38-3/4". The body length is approximately 17-1/4". The front, back, fretboard, and headstock have a 1/4" cream binding with black/white/black/white purfling on the front, back, and headstock

Fretboard/Headstock/Neck
The fretboard is rosewood with ten (10) MOP square and rectangle fretboard marker inlays.The fretboard length is 18-1/4" with a 25-1/4" scale length. There are twenty two frets and the fretboard bind appears to be drilled at seven (7) locations for side markers with no inlay. The headstock has the "Gibson" rectangle and diamond logo on the face in MOP inlay with the "Lark" logo painted in gold script above. The truss rod cover is two layer white/black plastic with a flower and leaf painted design on it. The tuners are concealed in a chrome finish. The nut appears to be bone and is 1-5/8" wide. The neck is a bolt on style with a chrome square bolt plate with four (4) screws. There is a sticker on the bolt plate that reads "KE-15".

 

 

Electric
There are two (2) humbucker style pick ups. The neck pickup is a 12 pole pick up with a chrome cover and six (6) adjusting screws. The bridge pick up is a cream color 22 pole pickup without a cover. The bezels are black plastic.There is a 3 way switch on the upper left bass side bout with a white switch cover. There art two volume and two tone control "speed style" plastic push on numbered control knobs.

 

Misc.

The pickguard is black/white/black/white multi layer with chrome pickguard bracket. The bridge is a "tune-o-matic" style with a stop tail piece.

Condition
The body has it share of use scratches and nicks, but no major  structural defects or flaws that are visible. The neck and headstock are in good condition with no cracks or breaks, and the fretboard is flat with the frets and fretboard being in good condition but in need of a cleaning and dressing. The tuners work and the metal is in good condition

The back cover plate is missing and will need a replacement. It was also missing a control knob and pickguard bracket that have been replaced.

The binding is in fair condition with some cracking of the fretboard binding. There is no missing binding or purfling.

The electrics work with a little crackling in the three way switch that may just need cleaning. The pick ups work fine and sound good with a lot of sustain. The volume and tone controls are operable and the instrument is loud when plugged in. The input jack tightening ring was loose and needed to be tightened but now is fine and holds well. The pots are a little rusty and may need some cleaning. Wiring seems to be intact. I am not certain if all parts are original at this time, but they appear to be.

It is my understanding from the person the guitar was acquired from that this particular brand was manufactured by the Matsumoku factory in Japan in the 1970's. This remains to be confirmed. Overall this appears to be a good workable and playable instrument. The body, paint and overall structural condition is good for a thirty or forty year old guitar.