Best "MIJ" Acoustics from the 50's to 80's

[Everton FC]

This was on my mind as I played my CBS Masterworks. Looking forward to any responses!

[lone eskimo]

I have a mid 70's Fender F-95 that my cousin gave me and it is a pretty sweet guitar.. Spruce top- 3 piece Jacaranda back and sides, Ebony fingerboard and bridge, abalone Fender logo headstock.. Loud and clear. If you go to www.philsfenders.com you can see the whole series..

Mike

Originally Posted by Everton FC

This was on my mind as I played my CBS Masterworks. Looking forward to any responses!

If "MIJ" means Made In Japan, then my answer would be Kazuo Yairi. My Yairi is a 1977. Excellent instruments.

[gitarro]

http://www.guitarbench.com/2008/08/0...itars-profile/

Uchida started building in 1991 so barely out of the time frame you set...

[Wade Hampton]

High end Yamahas and Morris guitars are among the most impressive Japanese-made guitars from that era that I've played. Japanese-made Bozo and Lowden guitars from the early 80's can also be quite good - from what I understand, those were made at the Morris factory.

And the Ibanez George Benson model is simply in a league of its own:

Ibanez 40th Anniversary George Benson model

That one is fancier than the stock model one of my buddies owns, but they're great guitars.

Of course, this being the Internet, now that I've posted that somebody will chime in to inform me that Ibanez moved all their guitar production to China fifteen years ago or something. But the originals were made in Japan, and they're terrific instruments. I think that the George Benson model is the finest electric archtop guitar design of the past fifty years.

One Japanese-made guitar that falls a little outside of your search parameters in terms of the year it was manufactured, but which is an outstanding design, in my opinion, is the 1993 Takamine Santa Fe model:

1993 Takamine Santa Fe model

That was an example where if I'd had the money at the time, I would have bought one. They're just excellent stage instruments, and I like the somewhat unconventional aesthetics, as well.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Wade Hampton]

Another brand that I just remembered is Tokai: evidently they made some absolutely marvelous Martin copies during the 1970's that far surpassed anything any other company was doing on that side of the globe back then.

They're vanishingly rare, however, and while I've seen some photos of Tokai acoustic guitars, I've never knowingly been in the same room with one, much less played or owned one.


whm

[Everton FC]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

High end Yamahas and Morris guitars are among the most impressive Japanese-made guitars from that era that I've played. Japanese-made Bozo and Lowden guitars from the early 80's can also be quite good - from what I understand, those were made at the Morris factory.

And the Ibanez George Benson model is simply in a league of its own:

Ibanez 40th Anniversary George Benson model

That one is fancier than the stock model one of my buddies owns, but they're great guitars.

Of course, this being the Internet, now that I've posted that somebody will chime in to inform me that Ibanez moved all their guitar production to China fifteen years ago or something. But the originals were made in Japan, and they're terrific instruments. I think that the George Benson model is the finest electric archtop guitar design of the past fifty years.

One Japanese-made guitar that falls a little outside of your search parameters in terms of the year it was manufactured, but which is an outstanding design, in my opinion, is the 1993 Takamine Santa Fe model:

1993 Takamine Santa Fe model

That was an example where if I'd had the money at the time, I would have bought one. They're just excellent stage instruments, and I like the somewhat unconventional aesthetics, as well.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

The Morris F-15 discussed in another thread is still for sale here. $275.00. Probably too high, as it's been sitting for a bit.

What about the next level down, though. The Arias, Lyles... Et al... Any thoughts from anyone out there?

[bil]

I had a Daion Mugen Mark III that I bought new in Germany in the early 80's. I finally let it go in 2007 but for all that time it was my only guitar. I put a lot of miles on it and though I've moved on, there's always a special place in my heart for it.

[okeem22]

I believe the best bang for the buck is the early Yairi guitars, either Kazuo or Sada. 70's era and though not solid bodies, very nice guitars. The Yairis mastered the art of lamination. During this period, like many, they made Martin knockoffs and did so very well.
I had 2 different 0-16NY knockoffs that looked, played and sounded better than the Martins.

[fazool]

If you can find one of the rare and "hidden" all solid wood Aria's from the 80's, they are amazing and superb guitars.

copying another post of mine;

OK, a sentimental favorite cheap brand of mine is Aria Guitars from Japan. An entry-to-mid level guitar that peaked in the 80's. I have a soft spot for them since that was the first guitar I ever bought/owned.


Well, I did a lot of research about Aria, especially during their 80's heyday.

Here are three interesting tidbits of high quality:

They made an all solid wood guitar without any special marking on it.

They made a line of special high quality guitars with a small paragraph printed right on the front of the headstock about these finest woods opening up over time.

They made a very-low-volume line of guitars with a firebranded Aria logo on the back of the headstock. These were their most special "private reserve" guitars given as gifts to endorsed artists and very special dealers.

I've since researched, shopped, bought, restored and old several Arias from this era. I thought the naming prefix indicated construction (AW, SW, LW). I thought the higher numbers indicated higher quality. I thought the printed headstock was on the firebrand guitars only.

OK, here comes the silliness.

A model SW8 is all solid wood cedar/mahogany with satin finish
A model SW700 is solid spruce top, laminated rosewood body with gloss finish
LW600 is laminated spruce top, laminated rosewood body with gloss finish
LW30 is solid spruce over laminated rosewood body with gloss finish
LW40 is solid cedar over laminated rosewood body with gloss finish
AW20, AW200, AW??? is laminated body solid top
LW??? is laminated body solid top
SW40 is a firebranded solid spruce top, unknown body (but supposed to be solid) with the firebrand logo and the paragraph
SW30 is a solid spruce top, unknown body (but supposed to be solid) without the firebrand logo but with the paragraph


OK, OK,........don't try to make sense of it.

Basically:

The prefix means nothing it does not indicate wood or solid-vs-laminate construction.

The model number means nothing. It is not an indication of quality or appointments.

The paragraph on the front is sometimes on a firebrand but sometimes on a non-FB.


I can't figure them out.

They make cheap guitars but sprinkled in (with no rhyme or reason) there are gems.

[HHP]

Ibanez made a line under the Tama name that are still fairly sought after.

[SFCRetired]

Takamine, no one else competes with it. The 340 or the 360.

[KenL]

Of the 8-10 Alvarez-Yairi guitars I've owned, one was a dud (it was also the best-looking of the them all!). The others have all been stellar guitars, especially given what I paid for them.

I still own the best of the lot, a 1976 DY-74. It's all beat up (by previous owners, not me), but sounds like a million bucks. A D-28 knockoff, but it is brighter than a D-28, with more chime. It's in the shop right now getting new frets, and then it should be good for another 40 years.

Can't beat an old Yairi.

[noledog]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

High end Yamahas and Morris guitars are among the most impressive Japanese-made guitars from that era that I've played. Japanese-made Bozo and Lowden guitars from the early 80's can also be quite good - from what I understand, those were made at the Morris factory.

And the Ibanez George Benson model is simply in a league of its own:

Ibanez 40th Anniversary George Benson model

That one is fancier than the stock model one of my buddies owns, but they're great guitars.

Of course, this being the Internet, now that I've posted that somebody will chime in to inform me that Ibanez moved all their guitar production to China fifteen years ago or something. But the originals were made in Japan, and they're terrific instruments. I think that the George Benson model is the finest electric archtop guitar design of the past fifty years.

One Japanese-made guitar that falls a little outside of your search parameters in terms of the year it was manufactured, but which is an outstanding design, in my opinion, is the 1993 Takamine Santa Fe model:

1993 Takamine Santa Fe model

That was an example where if I'd had the money at the time, I would have bought one. They're just excellent stage instruments, and I like the somewhat unconventional aesthetics, as well.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

Originally Posted by SFCRetired

Takamine, no one else competes with it. The 340 or the 360.

+1...these Taks are outstanding unplugged & plugged. The workmanship/craftsmanship are excellent. Good call gentlemen!

[ship of fools]

I think some of the Yamaki early 70- 80's were some of the best mind you during that period almost all of Japanese guitar builders had at least several models that could give Martin a great run for the money.
http://www.oldguitar.jp/catalog/catalog.htm
you will find many builders on this list and a lot of them worked for each other at times so. ship