The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

I think you're going to drive yourself (and us) into an early grave!
I stand to be corrected, but from what I see the Blitz is a low end current offering from Aria Japan selling in the mid $200.

Hey Wutz, any info on Blitz?

I think you've already got about as much confirmation as you're likely to get that this is a Mats. The thunderbolt design is not going to define the guitar.

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"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

Current? With an open book headstock?

As I sayd before: these things all look alike on the outside. Go with the inside, like Barry said. The Blitz definately has a different TRC (one clue they're not 'the same').

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

Hmmm...perhaps not.
Still, me point is still that you will get nowhere trying to match the thunderbolt design. There are several variations of it, and as I said you'll see it on various "white label" brands. For example, El Degas in Canada ( http://www.eldegas.com/forum ) saw many such designs on their LP replicas, including ones that look exactly like the one on the right in your Blitz pic above.

_________________
"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

Indeed looks like ply.
Hmm....
Ply for an 80s era Mat is downright unusual.
That would date it rather late?
As in REALLY late.

Alpha pots are replacements alright.
Caps looks like the ones Mat used alright.
Output jack in most def not stock.
Blue wire connecting the volume and tone pot was also used by Mat.
Ground strap(tape) for shielding also looks Mat.
Pup switch-correct era japanese.
Colours and wiring for it-ditto.

"Indent" or whatever you wanna call it for the neck volume looks sloppy if Mat.

I´ll take some pics of my -85 PE deluxe kahler vibratios engine bay and post here for you to compare.
Solid as a rock..but for the sake of marked differences.

Now have in mind that this is not a copy,it´s a PE(pro electric)



Note the fit of the lid.
Note rounded edge.
Note that it´s a three bolt.


It´s all in the little details.
As can be seen even the jackplate is stamped Aria Pro II


Shielding on inside of lid.
Connection is done via the shielding flat black paint.



...and here we go.
Nothing ply in sight.Mark the text on the caps.Mark the blue wire used between the volume and tone pots.Only thing not stock on this guitar is the bridge pup which is a DM SD.
Mark the colours as well as insulation of the wiring leading to and from the pup switch.Note how the cavity is cut.All of it typicaly Mat.

http://www.102983.org/cpg145/albums/userpics/10003/DSCN3358.JPG
Link leads to a HUGE blowup of the last pic so that you can see what numbers asf.

Guitar basicaly only has one drawback.
It weighs like a friggin ton of bricks....but the craftsmanship is bar none.
No two ways about it.
What i´ve done to it apart from the "usual" bits n pieces is that i refretted it with Dunlop 6100.
Works and plays like a charm.

Wow! That didn't take you too long Jesper! Well done

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

Kees.
It´s one of those MAA things....

It's a terrible affliction. Speaking of which, when is our first meeting of 2010? Frenchy has been too-o-o-o quiet. (You just know he's up to something)

_________________
"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

Yeah you just KNOW he´s up to no good don´t ya....
Seing how sneaky he is...

Tell you what Barry...he´s under suspicion as the offerings of various Mats has stranded like a whale around here lately...
We´ve seen like ONE vantage VP700 up for sale in like a month..