The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

I know these are period correct and were produced in Japan but not sure if it's uncle matts. Anyone have the answer?

Much like Dr. Jorg, i am a fan of the flame!!! Seems a bit pricey but one of these in similar condition sold recently for $1000, so maybe it's not? It looks like a fantastic guitar!

https://reverb.com/item/76724837-penco- ... 0-s-walnut

I'm with you, that is nice!
For a semi in that shape with the case, I think the price is what I'd expect to see.
It very well could be a Mat. I'm leaning that way.
I'm not really in the market for this but if I were. . .

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Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday

First time for me on the Penco brand.

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MAA Member since June 29th 2009, taking one baby step at a time..... and failing miserably!

I'm not familiar with Penco either.
She's a beauty alright, but is it a 335 (solid centre) or a 330 (completely hollow) build? Normally the trapeze tail piece would indicate the latter, but not always.

Either way she'll sound great I'm sure.

p.s. I notice the seller mentions it's "lightweight" so likely a 330?

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"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
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On any semi-hollow or full-hollow the bridge is the dead giveaway nearly all of the time.

If this bridge is set in post anchors it is semi but if it has a floating bridge (usually rosewood base) it is full hollow.

This one is semi.

You're right on this occasion, that's a Nashville style bridge alright with beefy posts.
But the operative phrase here is "nearly all the time".

My Gibson ES330 has the ABR-1 bridge which definitely is not "floating"
Its posts are screwed directly into the top of the guitar, and the guitar is 100% hollow.

This of course is the 330 design. But I've also seen Gibson, and other manufacturer's versions with an ABR-1 bridge fastened to a centre block and with a trapeze tail piece. And it's called a 335!
So confusing.

Then there's the ABR-1 connected to a Bigsby! Gibson and Gretsch are both guilty of that one.
Very scary watching the bridge wave majestically back and forth!

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"A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants." -Chuckles the Clown
Guitars: https://legend.barryeames.com
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True.

I have a gibson 325 that is a full hollowbody with posts, no floating bridge. Not sure if that means squat, though!

Then there must be more under the bridge. Some simply had a brace that ran from under the posts to the back of the body. Not like a semi with it running the full length of the body but a rectangular block under the bridge. If it has an anchored bridge but seems full hollow get a flashlight and look under the bridge through the F-holes or the bridge pickup rout. There is no way an anchored bridge will remain stable if anchored in only 1/4" or so top. In particular if it is Gibson's horrible ABR1 with the 1/8" posts. There almost has to be something more under an anchored bridge.

Don't get me started on Bigsbys. I had more clients bring in their Gibsons with them because the bridge was flopping all over the place. The wood around the posts was almost liquified.

I have never looked, but I expect that there is a bridge plate of some sort there as there is with an acoustic guitar. I doubt that there would be any bracing as such since it is an arch top. The main point I was making above is that it definitely is not a floating bridge.

Scary as hell ain't it?
A roller saddle design would have minimized or eliminate the drag. The standard saddles were not meant to allow string movement fer crying out loud! That speaks more of cost savings than design to moi.

But when I worked at the guitar store I was also amazed to see Gretsch doing the same bloody thing on most of its models too! They had a beefier Nashville style bridge but the same old saddles.

That said, the Bigsby, when ideally set up, is as smooth as silk to use.

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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