Matsumoku?

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Author Message   Destroyer Username: Destroyer Registered: 10-2005 Posted on Monday, October 24, 2005 - 3:24 pm:    Were Ibanez guitars ever made at the Matsumoku factory, or were they made at the Fuji Gen Gakki factory from the start? The reason I ask is I've had occasion to compare an Ibanez FM Jr. side by side with a Univox Limited Edition (both Les Paul Jr. copies) and except for the shape of the peghead they looked identical. Eric   Tim_gueguen Username: Tim_gueguen Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Friday, October 28, 2005 - 7:01 pm:    I've never heard of Uncle Matt making anything for Ibanez, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened.   Japanguitar Username: Japanguitar Registered: 5-2007 Posted on Monday, May 28, 2007 - 11:58 am:    Matsumoku went out of business but they did make some Grecos in the 1970's including some of the Greco Strats in the late 1970's (they have a backplate with Matsumoku stamped on it). The Greco strats became Fender Japan strats in 1982. Seeing that Grecos (Kanda Shokai) and Ibanez's (Hoshino) were basically being made by the same guitar factories there is a good chance that the Matsumoku guitar factory made some Ibanez guitars in the 1970's and 1980's although the Fuji Gen guitar factory made most of the Grecos and Ibanez's in the late 1970's early 1980's.   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Monday, May 28, 2007 - 7:07 pm:    There are several clues pointing in the direction of Matsumoku as a manufacturer of early Ibanez models. For instance: Ibanezfreak1960 recognized several features of a sixties semi-acoustic Ibanez with a zero-fret as Ventura features, and there are indications that Matsumoku was involved in the production of Venturas. But until now, we are talking about clues, indications etc. Even Harry is still looking for more evidence, before putting things black on white: http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/12 /9079.html Although the indications are quite strong, the information is rather fragmentary and not very structured yet. Ginger   Japanguitar Username: Japanguitar Registered: 5-2007 Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - 3:53 am:    Although all the Japanese guitar factories could make any type of guitar they tended to concentrate on particular models so it was easier for them to get contracts from Hoshino, Kanda Shokai, Fernandes/Burny, Yamano or whoever. For instance in the early days Fuji Gen made Acoustics and Semi Acoustics but then they stopped making Acoustics altogether and mostly made solid bodies so Kasuga and Terada and Iida tended to make a lot of Acoustics from then on. Fuji Gen lost interest in making Semi Acoustics as well so Terada tended to specialize in Semi Acoustics. Even though Terada tended to specialize in Semi Acoustics and Acoustics they still made some solid bodies. So companies like Hoshino tended to use different Japanese guitar factories for different model production. The main guitar factories that probably made Ibanez models are Fuji Gen, Terada, Iida, Kasuga, Dyna and Matsumoku. What factory made which particlar model is pretty hard to know but educated guesses can be made by knowing what factory was specializing in what models at the time the guitar was made. Like if I had a 1985 Ibanez Acoustic then I'd forget about Fuji Gen making it. It would have probably been made by Terada or Kasuga. Other things like serial numbers and pickups and other hardware give clues as well.   Snowjays Username: Snowjays Registered: 9-2004 Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 12:51 am:    Japan, most of the early Greco guitars were made by Matsumoku and even shared a common catalogue with the Aria guitars in the late '60's. Some of the more unusual Ibanez, back when they used a nail on headstock logo, were made ex Matsumoku and Tiesco. For a peroid after the Tama factory became dedicated to drums, Ibanez scourced models from a number of factories until they linked up with Fujigen in the early 70's.   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 9:28 pm:    BTW, though you're mostly talking about electrics here, my 1981 Artwood 12-string AW-75 acoustic was made in Owari Asahi. I do not know what the name of the manufacturer in that city was (I have never seen it published anywhere), but apparently Hoshino at least had some of the Ibanez Artwood acoustic models built there. I recently saw an AW-60 from the same era with the same Owari Asahi manufacturer. (just adding to the confusion. )

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