The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

I came to learn of Matsumoku guitars when I was in a little guitar shop a couple years ago, looking for a Strat or something similar (single coil, tremolo) and I found this 1985 Yamaha SE612a (fat strat type) that just played amazing, felt amazing, better than the USA made strats in the store that were 3 times as much. After buying it, I started reading up on these high quality / high "back for the buck" Yamaha guitars, acquired another SE612, as well as an SJ550hr, an SG1500, an SA2100, and a couple high end Pacificas (712 and 912). I also have a classical 1980 Yamaha G255S and I recently sold a hand-made classical 1972 Yamaha GC-6D (did not need two classicals, I decided). I have recently got mid-70s Yamaha FG260 (12 string acoustic made in Japan).

So I am very much a Yamaholic. However, in reading about these older Japanese Yamahas, I could not help but read about other Japanese brands from Matsumoku and/or Fugi-Gen. Honestly, I'm not sure what Fugi-Gen means as it is used..whether it's synonymous with Matsumoku or what.

I have been particularly taken, in looking at Matsumoku guitars, with their neck-through models with all the little switches and stuff. So I'm basically expanding my "Yamaha" obsession to Matsumoku guitars.

What I'd appreciate, apart from a clear understanding of Fugi-Gen versus Matsumoku, is where these makers stand in reputation. A lot of people on the internet speak reverently of Matsumoku made guitars. But the same goes for "golden era" Yamahas, like from late 70s through mid to late 80s (and some of their earlier models, like SA-30T semi-hollow or some of their earlier acoustic and classical guitars).

Are they kind of in the same league, does one sort of stand over the other, or what? Was there a friendly rivalry, did they each push each other to build better guitars, or were they kind of operating independently? It seems odd to me there were these two such well-regarded Japanese guitar manufacturers, and I'm curious as to whether they had any relationship, or how they compare. any info like that.

Thanks,

Ken
krm27@yahoo.com

p.s. I realized there could be other well-regarded Japanese guitar makers / factories from this era that I left out...I know Ibanez made some great guitars during the invasion period, but not sure if they were Matsumoku or had their own factory, so maybe an overall understanding who the players were in this invasion would help... Now that I think of it, i'll try to google that, read a Wikipedia page on the Japanese guitar invasion or something, but I'd still be interested hearing opinions from people on ere about the different qualities of these different guitar makers' contributions.

Matsumoku and Fujigen were probably the two biggest guitar manufacturers in the early Eighties.

Quality wise there is nothing to choose between them...

While Matsumoku closed down in 1987, Fujigen is still making nice guitars. Lots of guitar brands are using Fujigen to build their high end guitars... so lots of the Fujigen guitars will carry brand names like Ibanez, Yamaha, Epiphone, etc.

Agree with Wutz.

The blue book of guitars states:



I never found evidence for that last claim elsewhere however, and consider it arbitrary. Most production in the late 80's seems to have been moved to South Korea. There is evidence for that.

No mention of a Taiwanese fascility in wikipedia either. Notice btw what it says about obtaining a CNC Router! Matsumoku also did, maybe earlier! Other than that, the mention of being contracted by Fender, (certainly MIJ!) and, in general, the innovations of, at least, the big Japanese factories at the time, is telling. And that's not just about stiffer neck construction.

BTW
Yamaha seemed to have outsourced different manufacturers during the 70s & 80s, among them, for solid body's, both the Matsumoko and Fujigen factories are cited, but... exclusively? Not. Did Yamaha have an 'own', it's own factory? There seem to have been so many guitar factories active in the Matsumoto, Nagoya area at that timeframe it is almost mindblowing, and that's just one district of Japan!
As far as my research could tell. I agree with Claes largely for what is known about: Japanese guitar brands *credited to, and largely copied from: Torch Harrison in the first place, which he later realised (see 'his about' comment section).
From the same source, this other article by his hand, which might shed some first hand insights on MIJ guitars made during that period: "Are all Japanese guitars good"

Here's some background info written by forum member Tad from Japan, keep in mind 'fuji' means Fujigen and Google Translate does a lousy job translating Japanese!
The article focuses on Fujigen's foundation and yamaha is not even literally mentioned. Still worth a read: Locus of Fujigen '70s He probably is much better informed on Yamaha's produced in the eighties than we are!
And don't skip his 2008 Fujigen factory tour.
For comparison, in 2013 this guy (whoever he is) visited the Fujigen factory in Hamamatsu(?), close to Nagoya, Matsumotu prefecture.

(On a somewhat hilarious sidenote, Google's inability to properly translate is not restricted to asian languages at all really, given: German translations are inaccurate as well, like when results counter unintentional as... I mean seriously...)

This article from Michael Wright (specialised in vintage MIJ guitars) that discusses vintage Yamaha's might be interesting.
And this, as mentioned in the wikipedia footnote, article from: 1986/1987 tour of Fujigen factory, Rainer Daeschler. But you've probably already stumbled upon it before.

That said, I for one never played a solidbody Yamaha from the 70s-80s, but that's because they don't surface that often. If ever I'dd come across one, without a doubt in my mind, I certainly would check 'm out imediately!

As a last comment:
Since every answer just provokes a new question (part of the fun of trying to get to the bottom of things) and it might sound arrogant... I'm nowhere near an expert, so correct me if I'm wrong about Yamaha or... whatever, in my 'maybe biased' searches that almost have become a quest for finding answers on the golden period of Japanese guitar building myself. Soon the Japanese generations, involved in producing instruments that still appeal so much to such a wide western audience of aficionados, will have left this earth. Some of those amazing guitars, made in Japan, will remain and might speak to us at length, entertain and enjoy us. In this spirit and to all dedicated forum members that are much more knowledgeable than I am, cherish these guitars and shared their insights. This community and it's subsidiary's, for making it possible all these years, the contributors, admins and ghostbusters, a big thanks! (there, I said it)

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Politics is the entertainment branch of industry - Frank Zappa

Yamaha has a factory (for guitars) or at least a bigger workshop in Japan. They also have factories in Taiwan and in China. But Yamaha also subcontracts guitar building to other companies (e.g. Fujigen).

Btw. the Fujigen factory is located close to Matsumoto in Yamanashi. They have three factories around Matsumoto, but currently only one of them produces guitars.