Help me identify this guitar....Please!

[badpsymon]

I feel this guitar is early Ibanaz/Fuji... I think. The thing is its autographed.
The story is it came from out of an old music store in LA which was in business during the 60's. The grandson who is elderly himself was cleaning out his house and found this with other items and said no had been in that garage in over 40 years. I bought it at a yard sale. No markings at all, not even made in Japan. Thanks for the help.

[VintAxe]

Hi badpsymon.

Stylistically, your guitar reminds me of instruments built by Kawai between 1963-1965 or so.

These instruments were produced in several variations so it's hard to pin down a model number for all of them. Here's a Kawai S-160 that shares many common features with your guitar:

[jeng3000]

[wilburphilly1]

It looks very familar.

I could be wrong but I think that is an Ibanez from the '60s. Model No. 883 or something like that.

They were sold without logos many times back in the '60s and 70's and retailed at discount stores throughout the USA.

I know they also used those rocker switches too and had the same headstock shape.

[wilburphilly1]

This also could be the Ibanez model No.4583T

[wilburphilly1]

They used to use little rectangular metallic like stickers that had Made In Japan on it. These were easily removed on purpose and accidently too.

Back in those days, it was pretty much a general consensus in America that anything made in Japan was cheapo stuff...except transistor radios.

And the WWII vets didn't take too kindly of anything from Japan. That sentiment was no doubt passed on to their sons who were likely the ones buying guitars in those days.

I remember seeing a guitar like this in 2 Guys and EJ Korvettes shopping centers. These were both retail chains in New Jersey in the '60s & '70s.

[DeMontGuitars.com]

WOW!
this is an early Matsumoku made guitar! never seen one quite like it, or as early as this i think. Does the neck plate say "Steel Reinforced"?
That is early Matsumoku headstock, and the pickups are a variation on what i know to be matsumoku pickups.

this is similar to early Ibanez/Hoshino 883 (which I have in my collection) and at first glance, I too thought Kawai. You can see the difference in the headstock though.

when i get a chance i'll post some photos that should convince you that it is Matsumoku

[VintAxe]

Pictures of your guitar would be great; we are always eager to learn more about these mostly undocumented instruments

[DeMontGuitars.com]

ok, here we go. The more I think about it from every angle, the more I'd like to discuss this. I hope some others have some input.



not the best photo, i know. I will have better photos when I get my personal collection online. I would love to document more guitars such as this

This is [strongly believed to be] an early Matsumoku made guitar. The neck plate is the traditional 'Steel Reinforced Neck' neck plate. I had always thought this neck plate to have been ONLY used on Matsumoku guitars, but I believe recently I'd seen it used on several rare Ibanez guitars. This could be that Hoshino Gakki had some outsourced to Matsumoku. I will converse with some of my collector friends and see what they think about that idea.
of course I could just be totally incorrect about seeing the neck plate on another guitar.

Points that may lead one to believe this is Kawai:

*headstock shape similar to, but not exactly as the known kawai models
*bridge often used by Teisco/Kawai
*wide chrome truss rod cover often used by Kawai
*lack of zero fret --which is sort of 50/50 shot anyway on old MIJ


I love the chance to think about this and discuss it. Thanks for the opportunity!

[Sancho]

Personally, I'd be more excited by the Hendrix autograph.....

[concrete_charlie]

Wow, that does look like a Hendrix autograph! Anyway, I was searching through the posts and thought I'd add a pic of one of my own weirdo guitars that's identical and labeled "Douglas"




The whole article I wrote can be found here:
http://drowninginguitars.com/2011/10/09 ... as-guitar/

I've seen a few of these Douglas branded guitars and always wondered which factory churned them out. And check out the single screw neck plate!!