The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

My Fellow Epiphone owners, I have introduced myself on the new members, contributors, etc page. Please read my story there. I have pics of it at:

http://imgur.com/a/yOqbe#0

To all members that view my Acoustic....please feel free to post the images on this site...this is where it belongs. I have several posts on the New members, Contibutors, etc page. I am still finding my way around here.....so please take that into consideration before you judge me. I have tried for several months....maybe over a year...once I found this site....to Register and become a contributing member....and I do not intend to abuse the privilege. I do have 1976 literature...once I locate it...but once you read my story you will know why I have kept this very fine instrument and everything else pertaining to it. I still play it everyday and have for the past, soon-to-be, 36 years...I got it in October 1976. I do actually need assistance in posting the picture Gallery on this site and I do mean it when I said Please feel free to place it here.

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Searching for the "Gold" in what someone described as "the Golden Years"......

Fellow Epiphone owners: I went to purchase my 1st Guitar at my relatives Music Store in October 1976. I wanted an Acoustic since my college room-mates both owned Acoustics. One was the Guitar tech for a local Band...he did the set-up on this Epi....it was perfect for me. The black mark on left hand side is from one of his text books that fell on the case, in which my Epi was.I was stupid enough then to lay it flat on the floor with the top of case not latched, the large text-book fell right on top of the case and the cover side of latch dug into to top of the Epi, I had only had it maybe a month at most! What could I say, he was my Teacher, how to tune it, how to clean it, did the perfect set-up. I never have had anything in my life that did not have some kind of imperfections. Plus, he was my friend. it is just a reminder of times long ago. I know most of you have the electrics, I also have two Electrics, yet not matsumoku made ones. I do have the sales ticket and a 1976 catalog of Epiphones. My Aunt nor Cousin would take my $$$ for this instrument or anything else Guitar related, when I needed a capo, new strings, Music books all were gifts, I have picks 36 years old and I didn't pay for a new set of strings until 1982/83. I then Switched to D'Addario phosphor/bronze wound, on the advice of a local Music Store owner/Musician and have used D'Addario ever since. I am still brand new to this site and have not looked at all the fine instruments posted here. I hope to start that journey soon, I had to get these pics up to document the fact I was completely truthful to all concerned. As we all know, especially the Original owners, not ones that learned of the quality from this thingy called the internet, these instruments were made by very fine Craftsmen and are not Junk. The new Bone saddle I had a Luthier, very recently place on my Epi sure brings the brightness out of the Rosewood. I love this guitar and certainly hope some of you like it also. So, greetings to all my Epiphone Friends here. I have many posts on the Intro page with much more info about my Guitar, etc. My new Friend Squid Head assisted me in placing the link to the pics on this page and I have thanked him on the other page. Yet, I must give Squid another big Thank You on this page also. He has been extremely helpful to me and I certainly appreciate it!

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Searching for the "Gold" in what someone described as "the Golden Years"......

very cool guitar...I like the wood swirling on the sides. Welcome.

Very very nice, definitely something we don't see to many of.
Cheers & a big "Welcome" from me.

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My Guitars- http://matsumokuguitars.com/

My Son and I did the pics in his bedroom at his Rental House by the University and I wanted to show the Symmetrical swirls, I also always liked that little detail. As I tried to depict, they look to be perfectly symmetrical on each shoulder of the Guitar. The hardware is all original, with the "new" bone saddle and first three frets the only changes I have made in the 36 years since My Aunt "gave" it to me. I also recently needed to put some shellac below the pick-guard ( which you can see in the pics). I didn't know why these gouge-like scratches were there until recently also. I found I was in the habit of picking in front of the sound hole and my finger-nails were the culprits. I keep them a little long for finger-picking style playing and kept noticing they were getting deeper and didn't know why. Then I noticed I had my arm resting on top of side of the Guitar and was picking and strumming in front of the sound hole. I spoke with the Luthier I use and asked him what I could use to cover this particular spot. He suggested and said many Pickers use shellac to cover these. My Wife ( the Wood-Worker of the House) had a brand new can of Shellac that she said: "you couldn't drive a nail through" he hehe. So, I held the Guitar down on a hard flat surface ( of course, had a soft support under the neck) and let her do her thing. It is hard as a rock now and I don't see foresee anymore damage to that location. Plus, I am careful to hold the Guitar correctly now, I had developed some bad habits over the years and viewed a video ( over an hour in length) on proper technique and actually learned a great deal. The habit of placing my arm on top of the side of the guitar is almost gone. In Just one view and I found several things I was doing that I certainly was not taught many years ago. Thank You to all who viewed my one and only Acoustic Guitar that is still the 1st Guitar I pick up to start a session. If any of you read my posts on the other page, you'll already know I had a 4 year lay-off due to "no interest in all of my hobbies and loves of life". So, I am back to "practicing" 4-5 hours everyday. Will only learn "new" ( to me) material. I am like a kid again and cannot wait for my Wife to leave for Work in the morning so I can begin. That time has come and after I sent a question to another Member and this post I am ready!

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Searching for the "Gold" in what someone described as "the Golden Years"......

Oh, I almost forgot this. A Big Thank You to both Trevor and nexialist for the Welcome and very nice comments about my old Epi!

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Searching for the "Gold" in what someone described as "the Golden Years"......

In a previous post, I mentioned this style of picking and strumming with my arm resting on top of the side of the guitar and my finger-nails were digging into my guitar top in front of pick-guard. The shellac covering these gouges can be seen in the photos. I thought this was my own stupid bad technique of picking and strumming in front of the sound-hole. Well, I was watching an old video of Joe Walsh and Michael Stanley doing an impromptu acoustic version of "Lets get the show on the Road" ( a song from the 70's that was written by Michael Stanley and covered by Joe Walsh) Actually, Joe Walsh played and possibly produced the album by the Michael Stanley Band the song was originally on. Anyway, on to picking and strumming in front of sound hole with my arm resting on top of the side of guitar! To my surprise, Joe Walsh was playing the exact same way in this old video! Now, I am a huge, huge Fan of Joe Walsh and I feel a little better knowing that I was playing in a style that may not be that unusual. It does not repair the gouges or remove the shellac now covering them. Yet, if Joe Walsh plays acoustic guitar that way on occasion it does make me feel less stupid. By writing this, in NO way am I comparing my playing to Joe Walsh. Guitars, Electronics and Amateur Radio are interests we both share, yet, that is where it stops, we just share those interests, as far as knowledge and abilities in each one, it would be a one-sided conversation, Mr. Walsh would speak and I would be listening and hoping to grasp the meaning and concepts of his words.

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Searching for the "Gold" in what someone described as "the Golden Years"......

I like battle scars on instruments, especially wear marks. Makes 'em unique, to me. When guitars live here long enough to show wear that's specific to my playing style, that make 'em more 'mine', to me.



Joe Walsh rocks, too.

je

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...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

Joe's sound is very unique. He relies heavily on a face shifter. . .

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Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday

Jorg. I can't stop laughing....my laptop is shaking so bad in my lap it is almost impossible to type this !!!!!
OH Jorg, That is just too much fun !!!!
to My Friend Squid, I'm still laughing so hard, it is difficult to...yet, in the beginning I kind of like it too...yet, I was afraid it was gonna end up like Willie Nelson's old classical guitar. 2 sound holes on my old Epi. hey, here's an interesting thought my Luthier told me about another Luthier building a mandolin I believe, the wood he was using for the "top" had two knot looking blemishes in the wood, so he cut two sound holes in the Mandolin...according to the story, the knots were in adjacent locations.. one above the other... with the perfect amount of room for the strings in between. I love this site!!!!!

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Searching for the "Gold" in what someone described as "the Golden Years"......