The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Howdy folks! I'm Chip, a Nashville picker. I play in nightclubs and studios. I just bought a "big box" jazz electric guitar with Vantage on the headstock. The headstock looks exactly like Gibson's. Big fat body with a single cutaway. Binding everywhere, even on the F holes! The only thing that does not look like a Gibson are the pickup covers. It resembles a Byrdland more than anything. The tailpiece has a big piece of rosewood on it. There's no serial number or model number to be found. I handed her over to my tech a few minutes ago to see what we can do about the top sinking. The adjustable bridge is raised about an extra 3/4 inch but it still frets out pretty well. What can ya'll tell me about this big beast?

Welcome Chippsta, can you post some pics?

Hi Chip, and welcome! From your discription, my first reaction was "must be post-Mat Korean", since I never seen or heared about a Vantage jazz box that was made in Japan in the eighties. But the open book headstock (guess that is what you mean) puzzles me ... Likely candidates would be 1993 Korean 655 and 670 ( http://www.guitardir.com/img/15353-3-C4-03.jpg ), but they feature the usual 3L/3R vantage headstock. So please, do post some pictures of your guitar!

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

Set neck or bolt-on? Did Vantage mark the base of the neck or the neck cavity with codes or markings of any type?

I posted this in the eboink section awhile back. Look anything like the following?...

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/m ... 36069.html

_________________
....right. They always crack in the end.

That IS a 655 by Samick South Korea.

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

...doh!!!!

_________________
....right. They always crack in the end.

Ahh, that one. I've been watching it for a bit as it's price has been going down, it's 300 at this point and is tempting, but you are correct, I believe it is one of those Samicks that they make under various names. It may even be from China, depending on the year. Very similar to the Washburn Oscar Schmidt version, which I picked up for about 150 and so I'm not allowing myself to have a surplus, though we all have a number that triggers insane choices. They are solid (heavy) beasts and can be set up very nicely. One of those as a cheap knock around everyday guitar is kind of fun. Not sure, but from the location, it may be the same house where I bought an Epiphone Zephyr Regent a few years back.