The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Q&A, discussion, and information for the labels covered by The Guitar Gallery (Specifically and exclusively guitars made by Matsumoku up to 1987)
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PostPosted: Mon 24 Sep 2012 02:15 PM 
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First I want to give a big Thank You to the guys who did the work for this site ! Maybe a small introduction and information about my Guitar is a good 2nd. I have been the "only" owner of my Epiphone FT-350 El dorado. I went to my Relatives Music Store in Oct. 1976 to purchase my 1st Guitar. After visiting for awhile, I told my Aunt I wanted to purchase a new Acoustic Guitar. She went to the rack of Epiphones, ( they were an Authorized Gibson Dealer) picked this new Epi up and said "how do you like this one"? I had never actually owned a Guitar, yet I was quite familiar with the Instrument. Two of the Guys I lived with at this time ( College ) owned and played Guitars. Acoustics. I liked the Epi and it was brand new!! I said I liked it. She went and got a case for it and I started to get my $$$$ out ....She would not take my $$$$....She gave the Guitar to me along with the case and all the literature about the new Epiphone FT-350 El dorado ( Blue Label- Made In Japan ) included. I still have the Epiphone Catalog in a box somewhere and will do my best to try and post it. When I needed new strings or a capo or anything Guitar related she would not take my $$$. I used Martin Marquis at the time and as many of you know they needed changed very often. Anyway, one of my Friends was the Guitar Tech for a local band and he did the set-up for me. Taught me how to re-string it, how to clean the Strings after each session...he was a good teacher...he taught me to not just wipe the Strings...I was taught to wrap the string in a piece of an old T-shirt and completely twist and tighten it around each string then run it up and down the entire length. He very patiently taught me how to tune it and I began learning chords on my "own" six string! It has been the "only" Acoustic Guitar I have owned. I have played it everyday for soon-to-be 36 years. The Epi made its 1st trip to a Luthier about 3 months ago ( actually overdue ) he confirmed it had Brazilian Rosewood sides and back, Rosewood fixed Bridge ( non-adjustable), Rosewood Fingerboard and the neck is "set".... not bolted and a Spruce top. The neck has never needed adjustment...The Truss rod cover have never been off.
My Friend's "set-up" was perfect for me...very, very, nice action. The Luthier put 3 new Frets on it and I decided to have a Bone Saddle put on...I made a wise decision....it really helped let the brightness of the aged Rosewood ring out....also had a new Nut put on. What more can I say...not only has this Epiphone never been out of my sight...I would never, ever loan it out...since my Aunt and Cousin passed on....and they "gave" it to me I will never part with it. I love the way it sounds, plays and looks...it has some dings and scratches...after 36 years of daily use...moving with me...it should look like "players" Guitar. I have two other Guitars...both electrics...but the one I reach for everyday is my Matsumoku made Epiphone FT-350 El Dorado! I am not really sure of the year it was made or how long it was in the store before it became mine....all I know is...I took it home in October 1976, as a gift from My Aunt and I don't care....I just know this is one fine piece of craftsmanship and the sound, tone, and looks only get better. Not for sale is quite an understatement. I love this Guitar...as I love my Aunt and Cousin who gave it to me....it is part of "me" and I play it everyday...and have for the past 36 years. That my fellow Guitar lovers is my story!

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PostPosted: Mon 24 Sep 2012 02:32 PM 
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What a great story! Welcome here, I'm sure you'll fit right in.

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PostPosted: Tue 25 Sep 2012 07:35 AM 
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Welcome. Pictures of your much loved Epi would be appreciated. We are a bit short on information on the acoustic side of things.


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PostPosted: Tue 25 Sep 2012 09:42 AM 
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I will post some pics and try and dig out the original sales ticket and catalog that my Aunt provided me. At present, I am a bit technologically challenged, I have no means to take pics and upload. My Son, just started Fall Semester and is a Grad Assistant. He helps the old man out and I give him the "space" I wish I had received. He never fails me though and I will soon do this. I have this Vintage Harmony Electric ( early 70's Dimarzio Super Distortion neck pup, early 80's Seymour Duncan JB model Bridge pup) I recently re-purchased after 17 years. It is the "only" Guitar I have owned and sold and I wanted it back. I have asked my Son to come and take some pics of it...because I want to post this beauty on a Harmony Guitar site. I certainly hope it is OK to mention other brands of Guitars on this site....as I DO NOT wish to be thrown out, after one day. After Initially finding this great site, I tried and tried to Register but kept failing...this has been several months ago....now that I am here...I certainly wish to cause no trouble....Guitars are just to important to me and to hear and read from people who feel the same provides me part of the "spiritual" aspect needed to create Music. After I got my Epi, I subscribed to Guitar Player Mag. and for about 10 years read each issue cover to cover, learned a great deal along the way also. I have finally adjusted to being "home alone" all day and unable to do many of my other loves of life can be difficult. Yet, ya know, I can play and play and play my Guitars all day long....crank up the amp and "nobody" is here to stop me!!!!!! I usually stop when the Wife comes home from work... No worries though Guys, I will post pics and everything else I have on the Matsumoku made Epiphones I have!! I have had my arms around many many other brands of Guitars, you name one and I have prolly played it. Yet, only one made me feel my Epiphone flattop was inferior. A mid 1960's J-45, a co-worker brought to work one day. His Father had got the J-45 in a Pawn-style fashion...guy needed $$$ and put up his guitar for some money....neither the Father or Son played....I tried and tried and tried to buy this J-45....they would not sell it....I just kept going up on price...this was around 2001...and Musicians Friend sold new J-45's in the $1500.00 range....I offered more than that and they still would not sell it. I told another co-worker about this guitar and he had been a founding member of a semi-famous Rock Band in the 70's....he played the J-45 and told me why it sounded so good....it was "custom-strung"! He even took it home and compared it to his J-45 and Martin D28 and called Gibson about the Serial # and year made. I had only used the internet based Gibson website to look up the Serial #....so, even though he said: "his J-45 sounded just as good" I know it made a huge impression on him also. That Guitar is the only one I ever felt made my Matsumoku made Epi sound inferior. As stated earlier, I certainly hope mentioning other Brands of guitars on this site is OK....it is just my comparisons and experiences with Guitars that I do mention them. Pics will be coming soon I give my "word" !!!!!

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PostPosted: Tue 25 Sep 2012 09:46 AM 
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Welcome from me too oneowner36. Touching story, thanks for sharing it.
Epi's certainly have an interesting developmental history. The Japanese made instruments rate very highly...the current Chinese ones, not so much.
We look forward to seeing pix of her.

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PostPosted: Tue 25 Sep 2012 02:01 PM 
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To my Greeters, I say Thank You and look forward to learning from each of you and the site in General. I have viewed the 1974 Epiphone Catalog on this site and have read where other Epiphone flattops have bolt-on necks and adjustable Bridges. Not the case with my FT-350. So, I am aware of the several different Asian manufactured Epiphones. I sure wish I had the Matsumoku made EA-250 semi-hollow body model Epi, those who have one are very lucky individuals. I have wanted an ES style Guitar for a long time.....had a chance to purchase one once.....I am just to tight sometimes...most of the time actually!!! I have wanted to belong to this group for a long time and I will do my best to make contributions to the site, yet ( hate the word "but" ) I think, I will learn more than I contribute. My guitar is staring at me and I must get off this laptop now. I have been interrupted twice since I first started to warm-up much earlier today.

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PostPosted: Tue 25 Sep 2012 04:59 PM 
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A good story indeed :up: Hold on to that guitar, and welcome to the board! :)

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PostPosted: Tue 25 Sep 2012 05:36 PM 
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Location: A Pineapple below sea level, Holland (Europe)
Oh, by the way, I'm not a 'fellow Epiphone owner' (sold the ones I met years ago -regretably-, none of them acoustic), but I do play my Matsu-made Vantage VW-180 (a Martin-inspired dreadnaught, probably in many ways quality wise comparable to your El Dorado) on a daily basis, and occasionally change her out for my VW-150 or (classical) VC-120 or VC-150. Mine doesn't have the emotional value yours has to you, but a potential new owner would need to make a VERY BIG impression on me (both talent- and money wise) to get me to give her up. :P

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of gathering info on guitars by non-commercial guitar lovers. Why?


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PostPosted: Tue 25 Sep 2012 06:19 PM 
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Friends tomorrow you will see my cherished gift from my Aunt K. and Cousin B. the Epiphone FT-350 El Dorado ( blue label, and I have a flashlight making sure I do not miss anything on this Label, it is faded some...has a Big Epiphone style E, that looks like a C with a straight line through it, in the top left hand corner, with: guarantee void if number is defaced, underneath the E, to the right it says Style ______________ underneath that is Epiphone with FT - 350 underlined, underneath that is Model El Dorado all capital letters, underneath that it, says: Epiphone,inc and underneath that it says KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN...capital letters but small print....all of that is in a box with dividing lines for each entry and lastly underneath the box it says: Made In Japan..capital letters but small print.....in bottom right hand corner of Blue Label.....outside of the box....with the M of Made almost directly underneath the M of Michigan. That is what you will see tomorrow...I need to be near the University tomorrow and just spoke with my Son and he has no classes and said he would make time for his ole Pop. So, I will be out of this house and see my Son, who will one day take possession of my guitars. After looking through several boxes of my "stuff" as a great comedian once said, I did not find the Epiphone material....yet, I know there is another box....because I kept a diary of sorts during College and I did not find it or my very first pay check stubs which I know are in that box!!! I did find an old freezer full of magazines. My old Dean Markley hand made acoustic pick-up case....it seems I loaned that out, along with an amp to a "Friend"??? and it never seemed to find it's way "home". All I have is the case. I will one day run across the guy and ask him if he ever plans to return it to me. My Father is the same way...we loan stuff out and it never finds it way home. As I earlier stated, I have never, ever loaned my Epiphone to anyone and I have been asked several times.... tomorrow I will post pics of it...will try and show how low the action is! Just enough not to cause fret buzz and now with the bone saddle it projects much better and the sustain is much better and my ears are not what they once were...it is a joy to be member of a Group of Guitar lovers that know the Guitar I own is not a piece of junk. I have known this for 36 years and if there were no internet only the original owners would know this. Yet, a College Friend and I back in the late 70's were discussing the topic... in years to come if you could not operate a computer one would be considered illiterate, in 84 0r 85 my Wife and I had our 1st PC. "An Apple for the Teacher" was the sales pitch.
Oh, I wanted to mention this. There is a local Pawn Shop that has more Guitars, Amps, cases and Gig bags than most of the local music stores combined and low and behold there was this Epiphone FT- 160 or 165....the Robert Johnson style....it was like brand new...never had a set-up done on it..the strings were a 1/2 inch above the fretboard at the 12th fret...I think it was stolen....the Pawn Shop owner also knew what he had...wanted $225.00! I just made an edit to this post...I had left out where it says Model EL DORADO, that is located underneath EPIPHONE FT - 350. It has now been included....I just wanted to be as precise as I possible.

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Last edited by oneowner36 on Wed 26 Sep 2012 03:07 PM, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Wed 26 Sep 2012 07:15 AM 
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A Reply to GD K9, this local Pawn shop had a Vantage...that was a very fine looking solid body dark natural finish. It had big wings on the Headstock with soapbox style covered pups (two) had 2 string C clamps ( I sorry of my lack of knowledge of Electric Guitars) over the strings right at the nut. The neck was a bolt-on with a chrome cover saying S101 on it. Someone had done some very nice modifications to this Vantage....if indeed it was a real Vantage...I came home and did a search on this Vantage....it was priced for around $150.00....I was seriously considering buying it....went back a few days later...it was sold...gone....I missed my chance...I am telling you Friends this Pawn Shop has a huge collection of Guitars and a big turnover...the Guitar is there one day...gone the next! I have been looking for a semi-hollow body for awhile now. I keep checking at this Pawn shop. this Epiphone Ft - 160/165 ( I can't remember) but it is like the one in the Epiphone Catalog on this site and I saw it from the side and thought it was a Guitar just like mine. This guitar was like brand-new mint condition exact same natural spruce top and rosewood back and sides...everything just like mine only not a Dreadnaught (sp?) style. I know this Guitar came from my Relative's Music Store...I think they were the exclusive Gibson authorized dealer in our rural area and someone had stole this guitar from the original owner...I just don't believe the owner would Pawn it. I did want this Vantage GD K9. I just did not have enough knowledge at the time to make the buy. Since finding this site ( again, a huge Thank You to the guys who did the work) I have searched for a semi-hollow body Matsumoku make six string for months now....Gibson, their prices have doubled, since my last looks (2001) what's up with them?? And Like a reply to this post...I think they have driven the once fine name Epiphone into the Ground....they bought em out in the 1st place...so, they would not have to deal with Epiphone. I like Vantage Guitars....and I'm may not be worthy to own your Vantage GD K9...mainly because I'm a flatpicker and a jazz lover...I play so many different styles...like I said earlier....my neck is fast and smooth...Tony Rice or Al de Miola (sp?) would like the set-up my Friend did many years ago. Plus, the Maj 7th's and other bright chords sound really good coming out of it.. the world of Guitar has changed so much...and I have not kept up...someone tell my the best Guitar magazine to read and maybe my frugal mind will subscribe....just to try and catch-up and stay current. To GD K9, I very well may have seen a Matsumoku made Vantage, yet I think it was a custom built Guitar...the S101 had me confused....as did the big Wings on the headstock. I Would like to know more about your Vantage!!!!!!

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