The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Hi Guys, Thankyou very much for the imput so far on finding the history of my guitar! I have found a faint number stamped on the inside neck support. It Reads: 0 0 2 0 7 5 with a capital "R" under it in the centre. It appears to be done in a light blue ink with a stamp. Ill get a picture of it next time I change the strings. Still can't find a MADE IN ?? anywhere
on it. When I purchased this guitar the retail price was $859.00 without a case. At first they wouldn't sell it because the strings buzzed (warped neck). . I was on tour for 8 months at the time and really wanted a cutaway acoustic for beach and park rehersals I played bass on it lots!
I scored it for 500 bucks and got them to throw in a cheap hardshell case. Sandpaper Hot lemon oil & rags overnight on about 6" x1.5" of the neck, then refinish the clearcoat fixed the warp.
The price seems like it was high by some of the information I've seen.
Was this a special model or maybe custom made for someone? The materials & workmanship are pretty muchas good as it gets. Its handmade stem to stern and tougher than a pigs nose! Also I forgot to mention that it seems very light in weight as if it was designed that way. It weighs exactly 2.16kg.
Ill take better pics and post them soon.
Still wonderin', Brian

The VW-150 is also extremely lightweight, compared to other, similar dreadnaughts I have (and had): 2.1 Kg. I have never heared of a 'Vantage custom shop', so I doubt yours was specially build for one customer. 'As good as it gets' in terms of quality and finishing is exacly why this forum is alive and kicking, 21 years after the Matsumoku factory closed down

Inuvik? Darn ... you live about right next door to Santa!

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http://www.GuitarDir.com has been hacked by some mindless fool, destroying years
of gathering info on guitars by non-commercial guitar lovers. Why?

Actually...

At the very least, they were often inconsistent with specs, even within a model & year.

I lived right near the headquarters for Vantage in the US (Floral Park & Garden City, NY), and the folks there DID get some one-offs made...no proof or documentation here, but I've seen some & didn't really care enough at the time (mid-80s) to make notes. The old owners of Murphy's Music in Melville, NY would know more, they were my main source for Vantage parts & info at the time. I do remember some X-series with complex active electronics, but can't remember other details. Might have been prototypes for them to check out rather than custom-orders, not sure.

Closest thing I have to proof is an Avenger that I ended up giving away to a friend, it had a mirrored/bevelled pickguard, black Schaller tuners and Duncan pickups...pretty sure that was all original (maybe not the pickups), but I have no way to prove it at this point. I'll have to go check out the guitar some day & take better notes & pics, it's a couple hours away from me now, living quietly in its case behind a couch.

je