The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Well, so far visually nothing of note Corsair, the pics you posted of the 696-12, the 695-12 is a Translucent Blue colour. I have discovered that the nut seems to be solid brass after cleaning up the grime and gunk. So maybe the answer lies in the pickups, I'll let you know what I discover in the morning. from what I have sourced today off the net on this guitar after a few hours wandering about the pickups should be Two Vantage OH-450 custom-engineered humbucking pickups. I did actually find another 695-12 referenced as being hired out for gigs somewhere in the world so I shot an email off to see what I can find out. The only conclusion I have at present is there aren't too many out there in the world of the internet.
On a brighter note, Don is calling in tomorrow to have a look at the guitar when he passes through town, this I am looking forward to. hopefully the pics are attached this time for you to have a little look at.

Remember everyday is a good day when you wake up!

Those would be the MMK45 pickups I referenced in my email Kris. A versatile general purpose high output pickup used in many of the Matsumoku built instruments. I think you'll like them.

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"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com

Yep; MMK 45s. At least that was what we found in Dons - my - 696, and as barry says; a very versatile pickup indeed; I've seen them discussed and compared favourably to the early DiMarzio SDs on other sites for what ever that's worth?!

All I know is that I got to play a 696-12 and a VA912 3 years ago and - as a gigging player - would have picked the 696 over the VA, which was a superb and utterly fabulous instrument in every sense of the word ....

The colour is an interesting wrinkle; Squidheads' 695-12 is also trans blue - I wonder if it could be that bloody simple?! Does yours have the saddles with 3 notches?

Ha! Don's visiting, eh?! He's a top bloke and knows lots about these things and I'm sure you'll get along famously; he has an amazing collection and you sgould get up there and have a play with it before he moves away!!

Remind the silly old fool to take a few pics for the diehards in here, too, eh?!

John

[quote="Corsair"] Does yours have the saddles with 3 notches? ]

Well Don arrived, had a great chat about this and other guitars, funny how small the world is! Don and I have run into each other during the middle 90's to middle 2000's with work when I was doing a bit of soil testing etc. Well back to the VS695-12, Neck and Bridge pick ups are MMK 45's. The saddles on the bridge do have 3 notches what I did discover where numbers in the bottom of the pick up pockets, I don't know what they reference hopefully someone will as I would be interested to know their reference etc.
Neck Pocket #: 45.010 Bridge pocket #: 45101198

I have tried to post the photos again so here's hoping. when I track east, I hope to catch up with don, either at his old digs or he's new relocated digs. It was a very useful and fascinating chat we had.

Congrats, that's a beautiful guitar!

From an old thread here:

"My VS-695-12 (1982, dual MMK53? humbuckers w/coil taps) reads 11.07K/5.61K & 10.57K/5.5K with the pickups still in the guitar. HOT for a 12-string! I generally play it with both single coils in phase for clean."

Not really examples of this guitar's versatility, but here are some guitar-isolated recordings made with mine many years ago (bass is a Westone Concord, as well):

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/573 ... itBass.mp3

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/573 ... itBass.mp3

je

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...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

Ohhh, that's bee-u-tee-ful Kris!
What a great score.

I think the consensus is that the markings in the neck and bridge pockets referred to the either the finish or hardware (or both). Nothing to do with the date of manufacture as far as I know. That is stamped on the neck plate.

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com

The pocket numbers were a little surprise but back to cleaning, have a quick check of the electrics and off to the shed to hear what it can do. If it plays half as good as she looks then there will be one very happy little vegemite down under.

Hey there kids:) dad is home from his big trip trip to the wild wild west.
Was great to catch up with you again Kris after all these years.
What a wonderful guitar you have there and an even better story on how you came about it.
I think you had better start a new topic and fill everyone in on how you got the guitar in the first place.
Cheers

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You can never have too many guitars

OK. Time to fess up....

.... Don has shifted his most salubrious Vantage 696-12 on to pastures new.

Which in this case means to Hervey Bay and into the hands of yours truly. I am looking at it now and am SO looking forward to having some 12 string lovin' happening!

More later....


.... Don; you're a bloody good bloke, mate!!

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
Music/Pix/Videos: https://getback.barryeames.com