Dusted off my old ventura the other night to play with friends. Ventura 12-string Bruno- B669 Model V-17 serial #36193. I purchased thisnone in summar of 1969 as I clearly remember that $85.00 was a BIG amount for me back then. Re-strung it ans it stillsounbds great. I has not played it for about 25 years- had witched to Martin D-28. But for an $85 guitar it sure sounds sweet still....also still a pain in the butt to tune!!!!! but worth the effort.
Anyone else out there with similar model?????

I purchased a V-29 new in 1977 for less than $200. Serial # 40229. After all these years it still looks and sounds great. It now needs refretted up 5 frets and takes a little more "work" to play. I was planning on getting another guitar instead of putting the money in the fret job, but after reading through the posts I`m reconsidering. Probably have a Corian nut and saddle installed at the same time. I use D`addario EXP strings, they really make this low end guitar sing.

wow skip, Benny Goodman and you in the smae sentence. How cool is that!!! Awesome. Just awesome

I was in the Army in 1975 at Ft. Hood TX. One of the guys in my unit was going to go AWOL and needed some money. I bought his V-6 (SN 84628) for $25. I now have 3 Strats, A Hagstrom Swede, an Ovation double neck and a few Ibanez guitars. But when I just want to play or if I`m trying to figure out a song I always go back to the Ventura. Very easy action and a sweet full sound.

I have a Ventura v-14 which I purchased on ebay a couple of months back. My v-14 has inlays and plays very nicely. I am looking for a v-35 to compare the sound to.

Hey. Ventura is not out of buisiness! Go to www.venturasoundideas.com

This company is not the same Ventura of which we speak. It is true that this company goes by the same name, but they were just recently formed and the Ventura we are talking about went out of business in the early 80`s. They were known for the very good knock offs of Martin and Gibson guitars.

The "new" Ventura guy bought the name and rights to the Ventura name after a snafu in someones legal dept. The same, but yet diffrent guitars. You are both right!

I recently found this sweet little guitar at an estate sale, where the grandpa left this Ventura classical guitar upstairs and I offered them $5 and they took it. It`s almost perfect. One spool? is cracked where the string wraps around it, but it still works fine.

Instruments previously produced in Japan circa 1970s.
Ventura guitars were distributed in the U.S. market by C. Bruno & Company of New York, New York. Ventura models were both full body and thinline hollow body electric archtop guitars, and generally medium to good quality versions of popular American models (source: Michael Wright, Guitar Stories, Volume One; and Sam Maggio).
During the 1970s, a "Barney Kessel Custom"-style copy (the model is a V-1400, by the way) had a suggested retail price of $199.50. If one of these guitars gets sold at a big guitar show for $250 to $300, does this mean that the guitar "has appreciated in value" or the retail price of today´s Korean semi-hollow body guitars has risen over the past twenty five years? Traditionally, there is a ceiling to how high a price can raise on imported laminate wood semi-hollowbody guitars - but who can put a price tag on that intangible "funkiness" factor?

I have them up on ebay as a lot of two.

Here is a link to the listing.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2385&item=7331826178&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

i have a ventura 12 string acoustic that i bought used in 1973.the only thing i did was add grover heads.i too know nothing about it.i know it was sold by cronens music center in montebello ca. under a sonora badge.it just happens to be a great guitar and i won`t part with it until i leave this earth.

I own a Ventura V-3 Accoustic/Electric that I am trying to get info on. It is the thin body with a 3 band EQ built in. I have tried doing some research only to find dead ends. Seems to me that these guitars are Japanese made by Ibanez. Info leading me to the right direction would be most appreciated. Unfortunately my guitar was damaged beyond repair by an unnamed airline on a recent visit to family and I need to research a fair market value to present to the company in my complaint letter to customer relations. Thanks again!

I got one exactely CAY`s , I bought 15 years ago from a friend for $200, which had been unprofessionally repaired at the broke-off neck but the sound still gorgeous .

Wonder if anyone knows when was the year of its model and who made it ?

Please let me know with THANKS IN ADVANCE

I found info on my guitar...anyone looking for info on a new Ventura go here: http://www.venturasoundideas.com