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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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 Post subject: Oakland XI 100
PostPosted: Wed 11 Sep 2019 01:33 PM 
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Power Chorder

Joined: Sat 16 Jun 2012 11:01 AM
Posts: 16
Greetings after a long absence from the forums.

Here is an Oakland, purportedly by Uncle Mat. I am curious what the experts think?

My two cents: The seller says it is similar to a Thunder 3, VA 900 and TS 600 but I have trouble seeing that. The shape does resemble my VA 800, although I have seen a number of non-Mat guitars that seemed to copy that shape. I don't recall ever seeing a Mat neck-thru that was 3 ply like this one - I think 5 ply was typical. The serial number looks like Mat, but overall I would vote non-Mat.

The only thing I know for certain is that the former owner was a BIG Stephen King fan.


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 Post subject: Re: Oakland XI 100
PostPosted: Wed 11 Sep 2019 03:02 PM 
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Virtuoso
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Joined: Sat 25 Mar 2006 09:25 PM
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Location: Grand Absurdity, TX
Pics? I googled it and what I found looks a LOT like the Skylarks.
http://matsumoku.org/models/skylark/skylark_info.html
http://matsumoku.org/models/skylark/2596.html
I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they are Mats.

Anybody know what pickups are in them?

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 Post subject: Re: Oakland XI 100
PostPosted: Wed 11 Sep 2019 03:29 PM 
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Power Chorder

Joined: Sat 16 Jun 2012 11:01 AM
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The ad says MMK 53s so you must be right - this is a Skylark variant.

More's the pity about the paint job.


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 Post subject: Re: Oakland XI 100
PostPosted: Wed 11 Sep 2019 03:41 PM 
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Virtuoso
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Location: Grand Absurdity, TX
53's are my favorite. :love:
You have a link to or pics of the guitar you're talking about?

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 Post subject: Re: Oakland XI 100
PostPosted: Wed 11 Sep 2019 07:49 PM 
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Power Chorder

Joined: Sat 16 Jun 2012 11:01 AM
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Sorry I meant to include this in my first post: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/233337068713?ul_noapp=true


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 Post subject: Re: Oakland XI 100
PostPosted: Wed 11 Sep 2019 10:46 PM 
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Virtuoso
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Location: Grand Absurdity, TX
Ah yes, was a beautiful guitar... :barf:

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 Post subject: Re: Oakland XI 100
PostPosted: Thu 12 Sep 2019 10:05 AM 
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Virtuoso
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Joined: Wed 29 Apr 2009 12:32 PM
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Location: St. Catharines, Ontario Canada
This is (was) a beautifully made guitar.
The style is similar to the Skylark, but then so many of the Japanese manufacturers of the day seemed to "borrow" design elements from one another.

I tend to agree with Earthspin, the neck thru construction isn't in the Mats style so I would lean towards this being a non-Mats. The MMK53 link is interesting and a strong suggestion of a Mats' link, but again, MMK's do appear on non-Mats guitars (Hondo for example).
:dunno:

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 Post subject: Re: Oakland XI 100
PostPosted: Thu 12 Sep 2019 11:21 AM 
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Virtuoso
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Are we positive the Hondos with MMKs are not Mat? to my understanding, MMKs are found in certain Hondos but not all. Makes me think Mat might have been tasked to keep up with demand?
The only things I see that make me think "not Mat" are the stingers and the control cover. Everything else, including the truss rod cover, says Mat (Skylark) to me.

OR...

I actually have one of the middle Skylarks and have said that it isn't quite up to par with my other Mat guitars. Could the Skylark and Oakland be made by the same company and not be Mats?

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 Post subject: Re: Oakland XI 100
PostPosted: Thu 12 Sep 2019 07:30 PM 
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Virtuoso
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Location: St. Catharines, Ontario Canada
Quote:
Could the Skylark and Oakland be made by the same company and not be Mats?

Hmmm. . . :sneaky: Could the Skylark and Oakland be made by the same company and not be Mats?

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