OLP Guitars
OLP Guitars was a guitar building company that marketed licensed replicas of famous models by other makers. The company's name stands for "Officially Licensed Product". OLP has worked with Music Man, among other companies. OLP was a subsidiary of Hanser Holdings International.
The instruments were manufactured in China, with alleged good quality control and higher quality electronics and hardware supposedly sourced from Korea. In doing so, they aimed at making desirable instruments available at an affordable price.
The licensed OLP versions of the Ernie Ball Music Man 4 and 5 string basses were quite popular. They are seen quite frequently on the used instrument market since the company's demise. The OLP MM1FR model is a version of the Music Man Eddie Van Halen model, with the later version OLP's being of better quality as far as fret finishing and materials. Versions of Los Angeles luthier Stephen McSwain's artistic guitars [the Tin Top/Machine and Anarchy models] were produced. Also offered were a John Petrucci OLP guitar and an Orange County Choppers model, as well as a Tony Levin Signature MM Stingray model.
The disappearance of Hanser Holdings International's OLP guitar line was due to the creation of Music Man's own "Sterling by Music Man" line, which began in 2009, right at the end of OLP's licensing.
Sources
- http://www.vintageguitar.com/?s=OLP+Guitars&searchsubmit=Search
- http://www.mcswainguitars.com/
- http://www.sterlingbymusicman.com/reviews