The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

There is so much here that doesn't jive. 1-piece neck, pickups, tuners, neck plate and bridge/saddles. Don't get me wrong, it is a nice guitar (save for the shoddy tuners and one piece neck). It may very well have been made in Japan but many of the Memphis were made by other manufacturers.

But hey, if people buy into it I have a can opener I swear on my mother's grave was made by Matsumoku that I'll painfully let go of for $400.

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/155188580

One thing this has going for it are the pickups- they look like original Bill Lawrence L500s circa 1980 (chrome surround, curved blades). You also see these pickups in some Hondos- usually claimed by the seller to be Matsumoku.

-Steve W.

I have one too...

Well played, sir!!

I will say, though, that the body does look like an uncle mats. That neck, plate and tuners could be replacements, no?

Daions looked very similar as well as C. F. Martin. Some Korean Hondo IIs looked similar. The Hondo IIs in this class although Korean were actually pretty nice guitars.

The tuners are covered gear (cheap) so not really an upgrade. I doubt the neck has been replaced.

Those pickups are darn good copies if not original Bill Lawrence blades. A few Arai Pro IIs sported DiMarzio pickups but I can't recall a single Uncle Matt that came equipped with L500s.