The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Kinda seems a little like they are cashing in on the name.

https://www.matsumoku.rocks/

Hmm...

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Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday

Just found this thread.
This appears to be a legitimate enterprise but I kinda cringe at the use of the Mats name and it's various labels for that matter.

In the case of the "Westone" Paduak for instance, the reproduction looks very good. Maybe too good, right down to the Matsumoku neck plate. Except for the fact that it looks brand new, it could easily be mistaken for the real thing. Dunno 'bout that. Same for using the other brand names.

Great to see the interest and apparent quality (judging by the pricing anyway). Wouldn't mind a few of 'em myself!

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These look to be re-vamped Mats. Lots of aftermarket parts. The empty screw holes on the back of the headstocks is an indicator it is a re-vamped Matt.



The use of the Matsumoku name turns my stomach. About the only thing Matsumoku about the ones I've looked at are the body and neck.

Just some guys trying to cash in on a fad we inadvertently created. Too many sellers have changed the name from Matsumoku to Mat$umoku.

I'm a little on the fence. I don't believe they're presenting these as new. It looks to me that they find Mat guitars (or parts) and either restore or modify based on what they're feeling about it or what a customer wants.
Kinda like what we would do?
Not that they have my FULL support but I see where they're coming from.

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Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday

What I'm choking on are the price tags. I've done some pretty hefty restorations and re-vamps and was NEVER paid that much for it. A PE-NS or PE-GC might pull down that much but these are production guitars. A mint PE-R80 might command $2K or a little better but a bolt neck production model?

With that much modification it is no longer an Uncle Matt. The wood is, but that is as far as it goes so in my eyes it is not a Matsumoku. It may have started out as such but now it is a conglomeration of aftermarket parts.

Bottom line is they are NOT Matsumoku. They may be using the name but they are not the real McCoy. They've taken someone else's guitar and slapped their name on it. I'd have a little less issue with them if they presented the guitars for what they once were, Concord, Thunder and so on.

All good points and exactly why I'm not fully on board. I've seen some of your amazing work my friend.
I'd be interested in knowing how much business they're actually doing.

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Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday

Nope. Just… nope!

FFS, the business may be genuine, and the owner a true fan but trading under someone elses’ name gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies.

What’s wrong with his own name, or at least something new and original??

Some years ago the German maker Framus patented a bolt-in neck joint... one look and you know that this is just a copy of what Matsumoku did at least 25-30 years earlier... but they claim it's their invention... simply annoying.

Just like the Greedson (Gibson) Axcess. They act like they thought up the heel-less cutaway when Uncle Matt was doing it back in the 70s.