Odd Westone labelled guitars -- NOTsumoku

I think I might have seen this odd logo before on a Mandolin offered at ebay. Obviously it is not a Matsumoku built and maybe this might be an Indian guitar brand since it is advertised as 'a brand new guitar' for sale in Bangalore as of now http://bangalore.olx.in/brand-new-westone-acoustic-guitar-new-bag-2-pellets-2-1-creative-speakers-sbs-a120-iid-489061959


Although I cannot enhance the poor pic it seems an eagle flies under the logo on the body !






Although I'm not completely sure, these seem to be different from the Italian and German guitar logos we know of, and as are shown in the 'Logo Clues' section on our site:
http://www.westoneguitars.net/guitars/unidentified-models/ The guitar above doesn't look like a German guitar for it has such an Indian design feel to it IMHO! The mandolin on the other hand... could it be of German origin? It has the same underlining and the extended last leg of the 'W' above the rest of the letters. It is also figured on the body. If anybody has pictures or other references to these other 'odd' Westone labelled guitars, please share them in this thread.

After a lot of searching I think I found a Givson which shows a lot of similarities with the above mandolin




More better pics & more

Same guitar different advertisement







Another Westone guitar for sale in India http://pune.olx.in/westone-guitar-iid-492373582





Many more and also different models for sale here: http://www.olx.in/q/westone/c-243
Think it's official, and enough proof to make my theory on an existing Indian Westone Brand valid.
The unidentified section might need an update with this info Barry...

Apparently they are mostly branded 'Givson' but sometimes wear other names like Fendar, Hobmer, Master, Tronad, Westone or other names. Most often the logo is positioned on the body too.
For sale at this shop for instance http://newdelhi.olx.in/guitar-world-startiong-1500-only-iid-507353669
And here's their official website: http://www.givson.com/home.html

According to Chirag Saraswati on a blog at therockfever.com he writes:

'Givsons are bengali guitars made with a vareity of indian woods. Although they sport a wide variety of models that come in shapes ranging from the popular strat shape to les paul style imitations, they rarely sound bearable.' Read on

Indian guitar player gathering, lots of Indian guitars:
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/pb-120603-guitar-cannon.photoblog900.jpg

Looks like a lot of rubbish. Nobody will be fooled by Givson but it's too bad the Westone name is being maligned so badly.

Barry wrote:Looks like a lot of rubbish. Nobody will be fooled by Givson but it's too bad the Westone name is being maligned so badly.

Hear Hear!

Geez, they look a load of old crap.

Use the Westone name in vain, indeed.

Got enough Indians over here don't need their crappy guitars as well...

Time to consider maintaining a Notsumoku or Notone thread to be stickied somewhere which details these known charlatans, hmmm?

Done.
And moved to Non-Westone Discussion forum.

See also this FAQ entry on NOTsumoku German made Westones:
http://forum.westoneguitars.net/t4302-german-westone-guitars-information

Just need to share this....

Saw an advert this week for a Westone 215, no picture but after speaking to the guy he described the guitar as an f hole, single cutaway, single pickup, natural wood westone 215 standard, dating back to the 1980's, probably very rare. He said the head stock had the numbers 215 on it, the truss cover had "westone adjustable" and the top uncut horn had the word westone on it. I asked about the label inside which he said read as "M Biswas & Sons, Westone 215 standard".

He said it was a great player, about 2"'s thick but he couldn't get his camera to work and was not good with the whole internet thing, posting pics etc.

I agreed to buy it, having searched the web, thinking maybe it could be rare and was going to send the cheque tomorrow.......NOT!!!!!!!!

Something has been bugging me since agreeing the purchase, nothing on the web apart from finding the Biswas company.....no 215, nahda...

So thank you for this thread, I have just saved myself a whole lot disappointment and more importantly gas cash. Glad I eventually found it, that was one near miss

Just realised I typed "India" not "Indian" into the site's search function....that's obviously why it didn't find anything....damn fool

Thanks to member Meadows who was able to see the label inside a guitar from India with a Westone name we know which factory produced them: The Biswas company.

Meadows wrote:made by the Biswas company in India

Thanks!

One more for the thread.....made in India flatback mandolin

Link....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Westone-Special-made-in-India-flatback-mandolin-8-string-acoustic-guitar/122925077942?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649