The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Hi All,

This is my first post so take it easy on me...

I thought it was about time I got to know my MIJ LP Custom a little better as I already have two MIJ guitars and I want to know more about this one.

My basic knowledge has been formed from google, etc so it may not be 100% spot on but I think its a pre 74' as it has no serial, bolt on neck with only 'made in japan' stamped on neck plate.

The picture's I have taken are of things I thought stood out and may help in working this one out....

• First is the two triangle pearl inlays on the h'stock, it looks like a basic version of the aria double triangle logo??..

• The volume and tone pots have the vintage markers on them made from plastic.

• The saddles are plastic, and quite worn so Im going to replace them.

• triple binding.

• The body is chambered and the finish feels really dense plasticy.

• Neck sits quite high in the pocket.

• Open book h'stock

• Construction looks like sheets built up, sort of glue - wood - glue - wood.

• Pots are very small and stamped with something I cant read.

• The h'stock has 2 holes at the very top (see pic) looks as if a Plastic/metal badge was fixed in this area.

I (hopefully) have attached some pictures and any ideas/knowledge would be very much helpful to as what this is.

If we all get stumped I'll just leave it to being an aria 5522 Custom copy as it shares the same looks and plastic saddles.

Many thanks for reading!..

[img][img]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/lousy_hero/13122008250.jpg[/img]

[/img][img][img]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/lousy_hero/13122008242.jpg[/img]












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Hi - first of all, what country are you in? If you're in the UK, I'll bet you a quid that the missing badge said "Avon, Rose-Morris".

I'm 99.99999% sure your guitar's not connected to Aria/Matsumoku - the headstock inlay & neckplate style pretty much confirm that for me.

Quite a lot of guitars like yours - in fact identical - turn up with a variety of importer brands on them, but they're also seen badged as Rokkomann & Maya. Have a look at the second page of this thread in the ICW board:

http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/o ... a-hoshino/

It appears that Rokkomann was a Japanese trading company with its own factory, it owned the Maya brand, sold guitars under the Rokkomann brand and seemingly under various 3rd party importer names, as all the Japanese factories did.

I think your LP's probably one of these. None of these ever have serial numbers, earlier ones appear to be distinguishable by having a round-cornered fretboard, with position markers stopping at the 17th fret actually quite common from many Japanese factories.

The plastic saddles also seem to be an early feature too, so maybe yours is from a "transitional period" as far as components & construction are concerned.

Are the pickups proper humbuckers, or single coils in humbucker cases? I would expect they're the latter.

Jon.

I'll try to put in the missing 0.00001 percent although Jon pretty much covered it all.
Here's some more pics of the Rokkomann DeLuxe LP I had: http://www.guitardir.com/specs.php?Node ... &Context=3
Yours must have been made at the Maya Kobe factory around 1980, too.

Kees.

_________________
http://www.GuitarDir.com has been hacked by some mindless fool, destroying years
of gathering info on guitars by non-commercial guitar lovers. Why?

Many thanks guys!..

I am based in devon UK so looks like you won a quid!..

Yeah I have been told a few times about the rose moss, they are based in london and imported these guitars in. Never contacted them even though I was recommended to. I do fancy getting my mits on the badge though but I think I'll never find one....

I think jon you are very right about the single coils as This guitar sounds very bluesy and fender like. I was thinking it had a certain single coil quality but wasn't sure if the chambering was showing its tone.

Im putting my warpigs in this soon and 500k just like my other MIJ which I dont think I'll ever show on here as people may cry.. haha.

Thanks very much guys!..

looks to be made by maya as others already told you, it's except the knobs a perfect match to my maya lp.
complete with fake humbuckers.
even the slightly misaligned diamond shaped inlay on the headstock is the same, this off center inlay was a normal thing to see on early 80's maya les paul models.

_________________
http://www.wietsesguitars.nl

Nice tube amp beside the door Naomihadapony:yeah: What other goodey are you hiding?

Many thanks everyone for the info!..

anyone have any links to maya?!..

Ha, yeah that Tube head really sings it's a jap copy of a JCM but really out does a JCM which is odd!.. But you must replace the preamps to get the full potential of the head. I purchased mine just before the line ended so its pretty rare and I'd cry it it went. Although I have seen the same head rebranded much like what happens with the guitars. That goes into my orange straight 4x12 which used to be mat's from the band MUSE. I don't care much for MUSE but I got it on the cheap dues to tour scars.

Is there a gallery just to put up pic's of guitars you own?.. I could put my other up and watch you guys cry. Its a sight but plays like a dream.

We can post pics of our guitars in the:

Member's Treasures (Formerly "Visitor's Axes")
http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewforum.php?f=36

for all to turn green with envy

Just keep it Matsumoku.

So happens I've got two of them leading a solitary & pointless existence in my spares drawer. Probably got the little tacks to hold it on with, too... Not much use to me, tbh. PM me your address & I'll bung one in an envelope.

Rose-Morris is a massive great shop in Denmark Street, in the 70s they also had the Shaftesbury brand too. Quite a lot of the British brands from the 70s were music shops' own, & because there were so many of these, that's why there aren't too many "proper" branded 70s copies here.

Jon.