Laguna Acoustic?

[cheepaxes]

I've offered to help an online friend who recently donated a guitar he didn't use to a charity in New Orleans that is helping musicians get back on their feet. He's looking for info on it for tax write-off purposes. Any ideas?

Here are some spec's:

Dreadnaught steel string acoustic
Solid spruce top
Solid (he's pretty sure) Indian Rosewood back & sides
Mahogany neck, bound rosewood fingerboard
All binding looks like wood

The brand is "Laguna" -- made in Japan. He believes this was
a "private label" brand of an importer he dealt with back in the
early 80's. He got guitars for his students there - they mainly
dealt with classical guitars.

Sound is good, not great.

Anyone? Steve?

-Scott

[VintAxe]

Hey Scott,

The only thing I know about Laguna Acoustics is in the brochure I have posted in the acoustic catalog section. The distribution company your friend is thinking about is probably Dauphin Music Company of Springfield IL. I'm sure you have probably already checked the Laguna catalog but you might also check the Dauphin catalog I have posted. Dauphin Music sold some handmade high-end classicals along with their import student models. I think Laguna began life as a California company founded by Kirk Sand and James Matthews. Apparently at some point the brand name was sold to Dauphin and they began to use the name on Japanese imports.

There is a thread on the old message board suggesting that Kirk Sand once lived in Springfield, IL making a connection between Laguna and Dauphin logical. Here's the post:

I have recently bought a Laguna l 25 ms. The only info I could come up with is from this site in a copy of a Laguna catalogue. I knew of Kirk Sands when we both lived in Springfield Il and I know he is in California building Sand Guitars. The Catalogue has a picture of Kirk Sands as the builder of this Guitar. I have emailed him at his shop, but no response as of yet. Does anyone have any more info on this Guitar? Original cost, or what it would be worth today? Anything.

Kirk Sand is still making guitars:


I realize none of this information answers your question concerning the value of your import Laguna. However, it does mean you'll need to distinguish between the American made Laguna's and Japanese Laguna's when determining value. Sorry I can't be of more help. sb

[cheepaxes]

Steve,

Thanks for the info. I don't have a record of my username and password for the catalogs so I didn't look there. I found a couple Laguna threads in the archives and sort of came to the conclusion that the Japanese and Californian Lagunas must be two different companies that chose the same name. I'll forward your post on to the guy with the Laguna.

BTW - I had a bet with myself that you would know something about this and you did. So I guess I won the bet. :)

-Scott