The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Hi--new to this forum.
I recently acquired a late 60s (as best as I can determine from the design of the pickup) Lyle hollowbody bass. It has some similarity to the Aria 1202 hollowbody shape of that time, but this one has a single, not double cutaway--and I have not been able to find any other example of this body style. It is missing the bridge cover, mute and pickguard, but it plays and sounds great. Has anyone here seen this body style before, or have any additional info on it? The only hollowbody design I have ever seen on Lyles from anywhere near that time period have been the 335 body style--but I'm guessing that this one is from before they started making those.

Welcome.
She is a beauty! Sorry but I have no expertise in this area. Well, I have no expertise in any area but that's another story. . .
Very nice bass. Someone here may be able to help.

Hi ajn22 and welcome.
Man, she's a beauty! But sorry, I can't help much either.
It's interesting to note the position markers are on the edge; I usually equate that with MIK.
Gorgeous instrument. How's she play/sound?

_________________
"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
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Actually, the fret marker position was pretty common among the Matsumoku made basses in the 60s and 70s. If you check out the earlier topic on a Lyle 335 hollowbody (about a dozen topics down) you'll see the same thing. What is unusual about this particular one is the single cutaway and pointed horn.

As to how she plays/sounds, I am really impressed with it. I have now (and have owned over the last 40 plus years) a fair number of basses, including some pretty expensive boutique models, and this bass has nothing to be ashamed of. I have been on the hunt for a long while now for a short scale hollowbody that wasn't too terribly costly, and that "spoke" to me. I have tried a lot of what is currently available under about $700 these days, and I think this Lyle puts them to shame. After 45 years or so, the neck is straight and perfect, the pots are fine, it sounds rich and thumpy, it looks pretty cool--what more can you ask for? I found it on my local Craigslist just last week, and I can't put it down. It had actually been posted for a couple of weeks before that, but the listing was vague and unwelcoming and absolutely no one responded. Lucky for me--I ended up with it for an embarrassingly low price.

Love it when you make a score like that!
Kinda makes up for all the crud in yer life eh?

_________________
"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

I think I have the 12 string equivalent to your bass. ..I Apologize for the shoddy photo quality, my good digital camera got stolen a week ago.

I bought this at I think a pawn shop many years ago, great sounding guitar, and was looking up info, just thought it neat that it looked similar to yours.

WOW I have the exact same bass guitar same color also missing the pick guard. I got this guitar from my dad he didn't know much about it and didn't care about it to much. He's more of a guitar man than a bass. It was stuffed in his linen closet for years so I took it and have had it on display ever since "I love the look of it". I like to look up history on things but unfortunately I haven't found out much about lyle guitars except that they were imported from Japan (Matsumoku) in the 60's and 70's by the L. D. Heater Co. of Portland Oregon and were 'licensed' copies of Gibson, they weren't seconds. The acoustic guitars were built in Japan, with laminated tops and sides. I don't know much about guitars I just stole this info off the site http://www.jedistar.com/jedistar_vintag ... ing_l2.htm. I also saw a lye guitar on ebay for $500 but also read on a forum lyles can go for $100 so who knows. I have read a lot about how they really have good sound and there worth holding on to so congratulations on your craigslist buy. you have good taste

ok I didn't post these pics on my last reply but I found them online and think there so cool. so here's what the red bass looks like with the pick guard and also a pic of this bass in a really sweet orange color.

Heidi--thanks for posting the pictures. I knew there had to be at least a few other of these still floating around, although it looks from the headstock that the sunburst one has a different branding.What's also interesting is that the red one has the control knobs in a slightly different location on the body, and the pickup set in the opposite direction from mine. (I guess they just made it up at the factory as they went along!)