Japanese Guitar History - Matsumoku and Aria Pro II

Nice man! Thanks!

 

Nice.. my number one gigging and recording bass is an SB1000 from around 1980.. impeccable build quality...

Be nice to hear more about them..

I have a Fender Master Series guitar from the Japanese factory from the 80”s which has been my no. 2 since then. Gibson beater. Nicer heel, chambered body...

 

I assume Fujigen unless Fender used others in Japan. Mid 80’s.. when production moved there

 

Kudos there. well done

I have a few Matsumokus, mainly Westones but I have an Aria Pro 2 in there too

 

I think this 82 Washburn Falcon is a Matsumoku. Originally mine in 82 and came back to me recently.


I may be buying this one...always liked the look after seeing Fogerty play one through the 80’s...but it may be another maker:

 

The teles I had 2, no pics though. They were pretty good quality.

 

Sure, YOU were happy. Your son? not so much.

 

Watched it, liked it. Thanks.

 

Actually, both pictures are my son, 36 years apart!


Actually, both pictures are my son, 36 years apart!

 

I have an Diamond Aria Pro Jet Axe. I tried the single humbucker thing for a while and am getting some new single coils for it again. Best action on any axe I’ve owned.

 

Matsumoku guitars and basses powered the NWOBHM. Good looking, fine sounding and exceptionally well built. I had the Vox branded standard long scale bass. It was a fine sounding, easy playing bass. In the early 80's, Gibson and Fender weren't the brands us trainee greebos aspired to. It was Westone, Aria, Vox and Yamaha. I still hanker after a through neck Thunder II/Pro II guitar and bass pair.

 

For a long time I've been intrigued by Japanese guitar manufacturers -- I've had an '80s Tokai, a couple of Westones and a '70s Yamaha SG1000 (ooh, heavy but really excellent).
Currently my only MIJ guitar is this Daion '81 Caribou electro acoustic, an odd fish if ever there was one. For a start it can stand up on its own, thanks to the lower body 'scoop', which was something of a Daion trademark. Build quality is very high, with highly figured back (arched) and sides, multiple binding all over the place and Daion branded tuners that still hold decent tune after almost 40 years -- it's had a hard working life and could do with a little fretworking, although it still plays OK. Nut and saddle are brass and give it a very bright tone, but they're easily changed I suppose.

 

Japanese guitars are really good quality and sound and play great. I have owned all but the Aria Pro 11 but heard a guy in a market place play one and it was good. I am currently searching for a Greco Black Beauty as I am confident I'll get a real deal guitar.
Thinks pinkpanda.
BTW saw John Fogerty play a whole concert on an Ibanez early Les Paul copy in 1972 only bringing out his Gibson for the encore. We had front row seats but after he started it didn't matter- the early Ibanez copy was great. Never knock a Japanese guitar- just try one- then be your own judge.

 

Some of the illustrations are wrong.

The guitar on the left at 5:27 is a modern "reissue", wrong pickups and wrong tailpiece.

The Vox on the left at 6:49 is Italian, also a 60s model, not 70s like captioned below. Japanese Vox guitars did not look like that.

 

Some Japanese guitars are indeed supreme. I love many old Ibanez, Greco,. and the right Aria Pro.

Like this RS-850 I picked up this week. Build is off the charts.
Big fan...try to find a Lefty anywhere.