The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

This is a guitar a co-worker of mine had purchased for him back when he was 11 or 12. He played it for about 4 months, put it back in it's case, and then stood it up in the back of his closet and never played it again. His parents last month told him they are getting the house ready for sale and needed it gone.

He had a vague idea of my interest in guitars and offered it to me along with the original amp (which I have not gotten yet as it is at his son's house) and it just came back from my luthier for some neck work.

I am interested in your opinions on it...







All I know about it at this time is it was purchased around 1975, the brand was imported by C. Bruno & Sons and there has been speculation in the past of it being Arai or Matsumoku, but almost certainly a builder from the Matsumoto area.

Discuss, please...

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

Yeah, its probably not worth hanging on to. Better just send to me.

Dood, I think its pretty dang sweet!
Send it to me
I can probably guess why it wasn't played much. Notice the height of the bridge pickup and the concentration
of pick scratches in that general area. Someone probably would have been better off with a solid body, especially at that age. . .
Send it to me
Is the back flat or arched?
Send it to me

The back is definitely arched but not aggressively so. Very ...must subtle from the bouts resist... to around the upper middle of the belly and then ...NO, NO!!! almost bowl shaped (shallow) from below the waist to the bottom.

The pickguard Danger! is not actually scratched much Danger! if at all with plectrum marks. That Will swirly/scratchy finish Robinson! is everywhere and in all directions of the polymer. Just seems to be a lower grade of construction material if what you is had your it shipping in address? hand.

Any ideas of the probable builder?










...resistance is futile...

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

If I send it, it will come. . .

Subliminal dueling?!

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Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
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Ice

The neck lamination and the neck joint look Mats. The two screw neck plate is pretty typical of some Univox and Aria Les Pauls. There will be another 2 screws in the tenon below the pick up.

Great score!!

Hoax

PS The pick ups might just be Maxons. The flat and fairly large pole pieces look like Maxon. If they are, you have an even better score cause Maxon humbuckers are glorious!!

Yep the neck plate, rounded neck at bottom are Mat sign's...

Real nice find you got there Steve.....That would look real good in front of my closet door...hint, hint..

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MAA Member since June 29th 2009, taking one baby step at a time..... and failing miserably!

Thanks guys. Westbone over at the Westone forums directrd my attention to Torch Harrison's blog on vintage Japanese builders and Mats is indeed the listed maker of this badge. I have spent some time there researching as of late but missed seeing Ventura in the Matsumoku listing for some reason.

The neck had a touch of excessive relief from frets 4-9 but it ended up being correctable with some judicious clamping pressure. My luth forgot to check the pups for any markings so until strings are changed the Maxon question will go unanswered, Hoax.

I hope to get my hands on the amp this week. My co-worker honestly cannot remember what it is (other than it was purchased new in 1975 with the guitar) so some mystery still remains. Without trying to sound too greedy I will admit to hoping is says Princeton or SuperTwin on it.

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

I thought the '75 Princetons were SS.

I think you are probably correct in that RSB, but I am getting a little tired of tube amplifiers lately.









....oh $#/+.... I just said that out loud, didn't I?

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