# Made In Japan Badged Electric Guitars from 1960 to 1980 (A -K)



## Guest (Oct 5, 2015)

Very informative site that I stumbled upon.

Who Made My MIJ Guitar!?

Japanese Guitars M - Z

*Atlansia*

This guitar manufacturer started out as a parts supplier in the early 1970s. Atlansia didn't begin production of guitars under their badge until infamous engineer and designer Nobuaki Hayashi of Matsumoku fame became the company's president and chief designer in the late 1970s. Since then, Atlansia has continued to produce cutting-edge guitar designs in Nagano, Japan. The company did not make any other badged guitars other than namesake Atlansia.

*C.F. Mountain*

Company was founded in 1948 and made high quality acoustics. Maker of house brand C.F. Mountain.

*Chushin Gakki*

Chushin is still in operation today in Nagano, Japan and does business with guitar giant Fender. I believe that Chushin may have been a member of the Matsumoto Musical Instruments Association listed further down because both companies produced Fresher guitars during different periods....with Matsumoto beginning production and Chushin ending it (perhaps because the Association was disbanded?). During the 1960-1980 period they were responsible for badges Bambu, Cobran, El Maya and Hisonus as well as some Charvel, Fresher and Jackson badges. The company may have possibly made some guitars with the Aztec, Maya and Robin badges, but that is not verified. Guitars made by Chushin from this period are well-made and appreciated by guitar enthusiasts worldwide.

*Daimaru*

Founded in the city of Matsumoto, Japan in the early 1960s, Daimaru produced their own house brand, although they outsourced electric guitar production to Teisco during the 1970s period. Daimaru appears to have gone out of business after 1980.

*Daion Musical Instrument Company*

Daion was founded in 1962 by Yasuyuki Teradaira. Maker of house brand Daion guitars, along with JooDee and Johnson badged guitars. JooDee was made by master guitar luthier Shiro Tsuji. Outsourced work to maker Yamaki. Daion went out of business shortly after 1984.

*Daiwa Musical Instrument Manufacturing*

Maker of the Daiwa acoustic guitar. Will research this for more information.

*Dyna Gakki*

Dyna Gakki began production in 1972 in the city of Nagano, Japan. They manufactured guitars for Fender Japan and Greco, so they couldn't have been a terrible manufacturer as Fender is very choosy about outsourcing their product. Dyna may have been a source for Japanese manufacturer Yamaki. Dyna also produced the infamous Ibanez badges for a short period of time.

*Electric Sound Products (ESP)*

Founded in 1975 by Hisatake Shibuya, this wildly-popular manufacturer focused on making quality basses for export as well as electric guitars. ESP survived the 'copy' era and is still in business today. Badges made by ESP included their house brand ESP as well as Navigator during the late 1970s. A possible badge made by the company was Robin.

*Elk Gakki (also known as Miyuki)*

Makers of the Elk badged guitar from the early to mid 1960s to 1975, although other sources indicate that the Elk brand did not stop production until the early 1980s. Elk badged guitars came in clear acrylics in addition to colors in the early 1970s, which was an attempt to copy clear acrylics designed by the legendary Dan Armstrong in the late 1960s.

*Fernandes*

Fernandes Guitars started production in 1969 in Osaka, Japan. It grew and became one of the largest producers of Japanese-made guitars, rivaling competitors Fujigen and Matsumoku. Fernandes produced guitars with the Burny and Nady badges as well as house brand Fernandes. A possible badge made by Fernandes was the oddly named Orange guitar.

*Fujigen Gakki*

Fujigen Gakki began operation in 1960 as a classical guitar manufacturer, moving into the lucurative electric guitar markets in 1962. The company was the largest producer of Japanese guitars during the 1960-1980 period. They were known for producing high quality products, especially for the badged guitar market, which is why the company was selected by so many major American brands. It wasn't until 1970 that the company began making products for the venerable Ibanez brand, which was an unqualified success. Fujigen Gakki was the main manufacturer of choice for Greco badged guitars in the 1970 to 1980 period. They also produced guitars for major manufacturer Yamaha. Badged guitars made by Fujigen include Antoria, Epiphone, Jason and Mann. Badged guitars that may have been made by Fujigen Gakki were Marlin and St. Moritz.

*Guyatone*

Guyatone produced electric guitars for major guitar manufacturer Suzuki. The company also produced their house brand Guyatone. Badged guitars produced by Guyatone include Barclay, Broadway, Coronado, Crestwood, Futurama, Howard, Ibanez, Ideal, Imperial, Johnny Guitar, Kent, Kingston, Lafayette, Marco Polo (electrics only), Montclair, Omega, Orpheus, Prestige, Royalist, Saturn, Silhouette, Silvertone, Vernon, Winston and Zenta, an impressive amount of names produced by a single company. Other badges that may have been produced by Guyatone are Beeton (not to be confused by the Beeton Brass Guitar company founded in 1994), Bradford, Canora and Regent.

*Hayashi/Zenon*

Hayashi was one of the premier acoustic guitar makers among Japanese manufacturers from this time frame. Hayashi bought out small manufacturer Zen-On in 1968 during a period of expansion for the company. Credited with making Pearl badged acoustic guitars, Hayashi was also responsible for making Cortez, Custom, Emperador and Mountain acoustics.

*Hitachi Gakki/Hitachi Musical Instruments Manufacturing*

I'm unsure if this company existed or not, but since many major electronics manufacturers jumped into the electric guitar market in the 1970s, it seems reasonable that Hitachi could have ventured briefly into guitar production. A seller of the badged guitar "Splender" claims it was made by this company. Yet another seller claims the badge Slendon was made by this company.

*Hoshino Gakki Ten/ Tama*

Hoshino Gakki were known primarily for producing Ibanez guitars during this time although that wasn't the only badged guitar they made. Badged guitars produced by Hoshino include Cimar, Cimar by Ibanez, Hy-Lo, Penco, Howard
Tama Industries began guitar production from 1962 to 1967 as a factory of Hoshino, producing more badged Ibanez guitars as well as Continental, Crest, Goldentone, Jamboree, King's Stone, Maxitone, Star, Starfield (some), Tulio and Jason. Tama eventually took over badged guitar production from STAR Instruments in the mid-1960s.
There's some evidence that Tama began producing guitars under their own badge from 1975-1979. I'm unsure at this point if this Tama had any relation to the Tama that existed under Hoshino Gakki Ten.

*Hummingbird*

Little-known manufacturer in operation in the early 1960s until 1968. Humming Bird made electrics that were copies of Mosrite guitars. It's possible they also made acoustics.

*Iida*

Iidi began manufacturing guitars in 1958 in Nagoya, Japan. Iida is still producing guitars, but mostly in their factory located in Korea. They were mainly responsible for producing acoustic and semi-acoustic rather than electric guitars for major manufacturers Ibanez and Yamaha. There is speculation that Iida may have assisted Moridara for a short period in making Morris badged guitars, but that is not verified.

*Kasuga*

Kasuga produced their own house brand in Kasuga guitars. For a brief period of time the company produced Yamaha acoustic guitars. Kasuga guitars were first sold in America in 1972. Unlike many Japanese manufacturers who outsourced their guitar production in other factories outside the main maker, Kasuga produced all their products in-house. Badged guitars known to have been made by Kasuga include Conrad, Emperador, ES-S, Ganson, Heerby, Hondo, Mei Mei and Roland. Kasuga went out of business in 1996.

*Kawai Teisco*

Kawai Teisco was founded by Atswo Kaneko and Doryu Matsuda. The company also produced the popular Ibanez badge in the 1960s. Kawai Teisco made their own house brands Kawai, Teisco, Del Rey and Teisco Del Rey. Badged guitars produced by the Kawai Teisco factories include Apollo, Aquarius, Arbiter, Atlas, Audition, Avar, Ayar, Barth, Beltone, Black Jack, Cameo, Cipher, Concert, Cougar, Crown, Daimaru, Decca, Diasonic, Domino, Duke, Emperador, Heit Deluxe, Holiday, Imperial, Inter-Mark Cipher, Jedson, Kay, Kent, Kimberly, Kingsley, Kingston, Keefy, Lindell, Marquis, May Queen, Minister, Noble, Prestige, Randall, Recco, Regina, Rexina, Sakai, Satellite, Schaffer, Sekova, Silvertone, Sorrento, Sterling, Swinger, Tele Star, Top Twenty, Victoria, and Winston. Possible badged guitars made by the company include: Astrotone, Demian, G-Holiday, Lafayette, Master, Orange, Tamaki and Trump.

*Kyowa Shokai*

This company, which may have been a distributor as opposed to a manufacturer, was a member of the Matsumoto Musical Instrument Association. They have been credited with Camel and Fresher badged guitars, although Freshers were also made by Chushin in the late 1970s.


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