The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

I have a Raven as I recently found out. I am not a musician but acquired this guitar years ago and see that it is a 1981 Raven. It is solid, not ply. The serial number starts with GG and on the washburn site, someone told me it stands for Gen Gaki who designed these guitars for Matsumoku. I have a link with a few photos.
http://gallery.mac.com/lonecow#100034&b ... &view=grid
Thanks for any info.

If GG stands for Gen Gakki, of which Gen Gakki do the speak of? There were several.

I'm inclinded to disagree regarding the serial number, as well as any Gen Gakki designing guitars for Matsumoku. That's almost like BMW designing cars for Porsche.

As time passes it looks more and more as if Matsumoku did not make the Raven.

Some of the high end Wing series were made by Yamaki.

Fuji Gen Gakki

More likely they were made by Fuji Gen Gakki.

All the specs are here on the site in the Models section.

Wherever they were made, I doubt the "GG" would mean Gen Gakki - to my understanding that wouldn't refer to Fujigen as a manufacturer. The Japanese word "Gakki" simply means "musical instrument co" - hence Tokai Gakki, Kasuga Gakki, Nippon Gakki etc.

If we ignore the first "G" then it's plausible that the number would work like a standard Fujigen serial - the guitar would be the 485th one to be built, in July '81. It's anyone's guess what the other "G" might denote.

Jon.

thanks, that seems to make a lot sense. Like I said, I do not play but my friend has played it and said the loves its punch and it kicks ass.

I have one and although it came to me in pieces the neck feels good. comfortable but fast.

Two Ravens here.. one starts with GC81, the other one with CA80 so it doesn't say much about the manufacturer. It would be nice though if we're able to crack the code of the letters.. it's a mystery so far.

H.

I just bought what looks like a Raven at music go round for 40 bucks.
It is black, bolt on neck, nice bridge system, string through.
The finish is not so hot, but I refinish most used guitars I get.
It was not playable, but has everything but tthe nut and the nut and washer on the jack.
I got it for 40 bucks.
I have already disassembled it to ready it for stripping.

It has a serial number on the neck plate that is "CB800xxx".
I am thinking it likely the CB has to do with the month and day, or perhaps the week of the year it was produced ( such as maybe C-2 and B=3 week 23, or somehow a month and day code),
The neck on it is CHUNKY, I think I will shave it down some before I finish it.
The neck is bolted on VERY strange. The part of the neck that fits the body slot has an area the full width from the fretboard to the neck fit, but it extends into the guitar and beneath the neck pickup beyond the end of the fretboard. Nice and snug fit... it occurs to me to make a set neck out of it.

I think I will replace the pickups in it with a couple of Epiphone LP pickups I have here, they meter out a little higher impedence.

Could be that the serial letters have something to do with manufacturing month/week but so far the code isn't cracked yet..

If you want to get rid of the old pickups (the original Raven-pups are stamped "goto" on the backside) please let me know, i'm looking for old Washburn pups to bring a wrecked T-bird back to life.

H.