The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

I didn't get any responses to this in the "other Matsumoku" forum, so I'll try it here. This has the same body as the Aria TA-1500 Ike Isaacs model, which I guess was only sold in the UK. It's 14-3/4 across (like the Ibanez GB-10) and 2-3/4" deep, with a 24-3/4" scale length. The top is spruce - the f-holes are bound and I can't find my dentist's mirror, so I can't tell for certain if it's solid, but the Aria Ike Isaacs had a solid spruce top. The back and sides are solid flame maple. I've seen one other Hohner guitar of the same shape, but with a flame maple top, and years ago I saw a Polytone-branded guitar that looked like this. I've also seen a picture online of a Vesta Graham with the same body but a floating pickup. Anybody know anything? Were all the older Arias made by Matsumoku, and can I assume this one was also made there, or not? Help? Thanks!

(Yes, that's a lovely Electra "Maple Pro" - a natural finish Elvin Bishop model - behind the Hohner.)

The headstock looks very similar to a Univox HR-2 Gibson 335 copy(www.univox.org - click image 5) but there doesn't appear to be anything else in common. Might be a coincidence, but it's a very odd shape.

It's a lovely guitar - d'you know if the pickups are original?


Jon.

Similar shapes were also found on Encore, Pan, and some Hondo IIs IIRC. I think the earlier Aria Diamond also had a similar shape.

I've seen a few older Samicks (SG copies) with a similar shape.

I belive the points were not as rounded though.

Many people turned their noses up at a guitar sold by a harmonica company but most of the Hohners I've seen were well made guitars.

Yes, the headstocks are similar - mine's a little more rounded, though.

The pickups are Gotoh PAFs - original as far as I know. They sound pretty good - very clean, nicely rounded sound, a little thin in the middle, maybe, but that works for me. It's a very nice little jazz guitar.

Hi,

why don´t you try to ask Hohner directly?

http://www.hohner.eu/index.php?704