Anybody Remember Bradley Guitars?

[Heather Anne Peel]

My first serious electric guitar was a cherry red Bradley ES-335 copy, MIJ, which my dad bought for me on 8/25/78 at Veneman Music in Springfield, VA. It was an awesome guitar, and I wish I still had it. This was in the era of the "lawsuit copies", so the detail was incredible. It was actually better than some Gibsons that I played around that time. I remember my dad paid around $350 for it new, with a hardshell case. I had it until late 1981, when I foolishly traded it for an inferior Strat copy (big mistake!). I really, really miss that guitar! Bradley made excellent copies of Fenders, Gibsons and others, and I believe they were made in the same plant in Japan where Ibanez copies were made at that time, as well. As soon as I scan some old pics of my guitar, I'll post them. Does anyone here remember Bradley guitars or have one? The other guitarist in my band back then had a white Bradley Strat copy that was equally great. He still has it!

 

[Paul in Colorado]

I had a hardtail Strat copy. I used it for a while as a test bed for pickups. Then I sent it to a friend. I had a sticker over the Bradley inlay. I took it off before I shipped it. My friend's pickin' buddy, whose name is Bradley, saw it and went nuts. He had to have it and paid me some serious cash for it.

It was a pretty good Strat copy. It wasn't as nice as the Silver Series Ibanez "lawsuit" guitars. Those were the best Strat copies ever.