# Morris F-15 acoustic from the 70's



## Sketcht (Feb 10, 2010)

I have a Morris F-15 acoustic that was handed down from my parents. I think it was purchased in the mid 1970's. Any opinions on the company/make of this guitar? They made me learn on this before they would buy me an electric to ensure I was really interested in the hobby.


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

Like a lot of japanese copies they made some great and some not so great guitars.

You would have to do research if your guitar has a solid top etc.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

thats right...I have 3 Morris acoustics but all more recent. They did and still do make some outstanding guitars but they also made a lot of low end stuff. No date on the label? 
A couple of the old models were reissued for a chain store called Shinseido in Japan and they were all solid wood top end models selling for as much as some Martins...but great guitars. Their current high end line up is ridiculous quality, but not cheap.


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## Sketcht (Feb 10, 2010)

*The label*

The label in the body of the guitar shows where the year should be (Ano), but there is no date just a six digit serial number. It said it was inspected by J Moridaira. 


Here is some great info I found from guitars101.com:

The Morris Guitars company has been building quality handcrafted instruments for a long time. Mr. Toshio Moridaira, the founder, was the first distributor in Japan to carry both Fender and Gibson lines. In 1964, due to his working relationship with Gibson, Mr. Moridaira was able to visit the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. An employee at Gibson nicknamed him “Mori” at that time.


In 1967, he founded the Morris Guitars company. He named it Morris, taken from the nickname given to him a while back. Morris produced copies of dreadnought and small jumbo models based on Martin and Gibson designs. Since then, Morris Guitars have enjoyed an outstanding reputation in Japan and other countries for making high quality guitars.

Now I just need to find info on the F-15 model.


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## Sketcht (Feb 10, 2010)

*Late 60's Takamine*

I also have a late 1960's Takamine. Well, my Dad does and I won't own it until it's willed to me. It's in mint condition and I can't wait to get my hands on it. Not that I'm eager for him to pass of course, it's just great to know it's there waiting for me. I'll post some pics soon.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

http://www.oldguitar.jp/book/jiyuu/SJ/SJ_013_69_08-04.jpg


heres something I found and have on my bookmarks, just remembered it was there actually. So you can see the F-15 is listed there, I don`t see the kanji for solid anywhere there so I`d guess it isn`t. The guy who posted the catalog didn`t list a year so he doesn`t know I reckon...but you have a ballpark year anyways, and somethimes thats as good as it gets with old MIJs, I know... I own a whole bunch and have many unanswered questions.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

another page...I can ask my wife to read what it says later when she gets home if you like.

http://www.oldguitar.jp/catalog/morris/Morris_75_01_0002.jpg


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## GuyB (May 2, 2008)

I wish you luck to find infos on your Morris ! I have one made in the 70's, it's a hollow body very well built, superb jazzy sound. Here's the link to the photos :

http://photos.globetrotter.net/albums/album.asp?param=473480

I was never able to find any informations on this guitar neither from Morris or anybody else.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

they certainly were not as well known for their electrics as they were for their high end acoustics, I don`t think they made many electric models and I`m not sure how long they made them for ...closest I can find to your electric is this one, it retailed for 48,000 yen in 1973. Don`t think you are the only one who can`t get information on older MIJ guitars, I own a lot and have many questions I`ve been trying to find answers to for quite a while, it seems record keeping was not a priority at the time. But there were so many brands in the `70s that it may have been impossible to keep track of them all even for the people building them, I have seen dozens of brand names on line and in shops...dozens, and I doubt there were that many factories so it looks like a few factories were making guitars for anybody who wanted to put a name on a headstock. 

http://www.oldguitar.jp/catalog/morris/Morris_73_05_0006.jpg



Moridaira is still in the import business, last catalog I got showed them importing all kinds of instruments, Taylor guitars among them...not sure if they are the only ones bringing Taylors into Japan though. Haven`t seen a catalog from this year yet.


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## GuyB (May 2, 2008)

Mine looks a like the one in your photos, the MA-B. but not exactly. On mine it is written "Global sound" on the little plate on the headstock to get acces to the truss rod.

If you look at my photos, the #5, can you tell me what's on the headstock : under "Morris", it looks like IGS or something ?

How much is 48,000 yen in 1973 ?


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

thats why I said the one I posted was "the closest" to yours, I did read what you wrote and had seen the pics, I noticed the differences, but as I said, it`s very difficult finding precise data on many of the older MIJs I have as well, just the way it is.
I have no idea how much 48,000 was in 1978...do some research. But I believe we are ballpark for the year of yours.


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## Sketcht (Feb 10, 2010)

It's pretty similar to these. the discrepancies are that the "Morris" logo is different. The logo on mine looks very similar to Martin & Co. Mine doesn't have double fret dots on the 5th fret.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

there is a series of books on Japanese guitars and one volume is dedicated to Morris...all the other have several makers guitars in them with many pics and articles, but the one on Morris has a lot of photos of all the label changes and headstocks they had, and there were many . Thats the only one of the books in the entire series I don`t have, I know about the Morris guitars I own so didn`t feel the need to buy the book, there seems to be a connection to a brand named Hotta...either Morris was Hotta before or they bought the Hotta name...not sure, but the Hottas are included in the book.


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## davm444 (May 10, 2008)

sneakypete said:


> thats right...I have 3 Morris acoustics but all more recent. They did and still do make some outstanding guitars but they also made a lot of low end stuff. No date on the label?
> A couple of the old models were reissued for a chain store called Shinseido in Japan and they were all solid wood top end models selling for as much as some Martins...but great guitars. Their current high end line up is ridiculous quality, but not cheap.


Check the brace inside on the upper bout, Sometimes there is a stamped date there.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

I have an S-61, with the catalog from the year it was made...the other is n M-2000, guess the year...and actually, I don`t have the 1975 any more...it was dated on the label...so it`s 2 Morris for me right now not 3.
Heres an F-15 on Yahoo Japan with a BIN price of 10,000 yen...same logo as yours?

http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h139345945


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