# Older Guitar



## nick (Jul 22, 2011)

Hi Folks,

New member here. Does anyone know the approx value of an Iwama KW - 200 guitar? How do I post a pic?

Thanks


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

Is this your guitar...???...

Older Acoustic Guitar - Ottawa Musical Instruments For Sale - Kijiji Ottawa Canada.


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

It's actually an offshoot brand from Suzuki...

Kiso Suzuki Violin Company: Labels 

"Kiso Suzuki apparently then became a manufacturer of guitars in 1951 and worked with other distributors and trading companies to manufacture guitars for not only the Japanese market but also for the overseas market. Some notable companies/names under which Kiso Suzuki distributed guitars: Iwama Trading; CSL Gypsy; Tomson; Kansas; Takeharu; Halifax; and possibly many more. They also made some mandolins, cellos, and violins."

"One of the divisions/brands was Takeharu, which was a collaboration between Kiso Suzuki and a famous composer, Yamamoto Takeharu."

***This may be the reason the headstock reads "Y Iwama"...


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

To post a pic go to Photo Bucket and register. Upload your picture to to Photo Bucket. Then copy the image code by running your mouse over the pic at Photo Bucket. Click on IMG Code and then past it into your post. Presto! Your picture will be included in your post. Regards, Steadfastly


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

Check out this vid...there are several on Youtube...

[video=youtube;o0FGA8HT6fQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0FGA8HT6fQ&amp;feature=related[/video]


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## nick (Jul 22, 2011)

*Older Iwama*



jimihendrix said:


> Is this your guitar...???...
> 
> Older Acoustic Guitar - Ottawa Musical Instruments For Sale - Kijiji Ottawa Canada.


This is my guitar. Pics in next post.

Thanks


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## nick (Jul 22, 2011)

My Guitar. Any thoughts on it's value?
Thanks


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

If it has a solid top-minimum $200


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

jimihendrix said:


> It's actually an offshoot brand from Suzuki...
> 
> Kiso Suzuki Violin Company: Labels
> 
> ...



Well I can tell you that info is incorrect...I have a 1948 nylon string Suzuki and a 1950 pick guitar made by Kiso Suzuki.....both are dated on the labels...so I`d be careful about other info where that came from.


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

Click on the link...read the right hand column...the company was merged *before* the war and split afterward...the label in the poster's pic reads "*EST.1941*"...which is within the correct time period of the company... 



[h=2]Kiso Suzuki Guitars[/h] Kiso Suzuki is the name of a now-defunct guitar company from the Kisofukushima region of Japan. This region is well known for it's mountains and trees, and the lure of the region with it's valuable lumber brought craftsman to the area - one such interest was, of course, guitar-making.Kiso Suzuki and Nagoya Suzuki were one company before the war - a 3-factory company started by Masakichi Suzuki that produced the well-known "Suzuki Violin" violins. But after the war the company was split up into the Suzuki Violin Company (now Kiso Suzuki Violin Company) and Suzuki Violin Manufacturing Company (now Nagoya Suzuki Violin Company). And there the relationship ended.

Kiso Suzuki apparently then became a manufacturer of guitars in 1951 and worked with other distributors and trading companies to manufacture guitars for not only the Japanese market but also for the overseas market. Some notable companies/names under which Kiso Suzuki distributed guitars: Iwama Trading; CSL Gypsy; Tomson; Kansas; Takeharu; Halifax; and possibly many more. They also made some mandolins, cellos, and violins.

One of the divisions/brands was Takeharu, which was a collaboration between Kiso Suzuki and a famous composer, Yamamoto Takeharu.

More history of Kiso Suzuki is a mystery. Trying to piece the numbering system used for their model numbers and serial numbers is also a mystery.

Kiso Suzuki guitars have very comfortable necks – and that makes them very playable . Sometimes you'll find 'zero' frets installed -intonation was a problem with some acoustic models - and they generally sound great then.

Re: the serial number: on many of the models the first one or two numbers in the serial number stands for the year in which it was manufactured; from the 60’s to the 80’s. I have never seen a definite 1950's guitar yet, mainly because I don't know enough about them yet.The other prefixes/suffixes ...W, C, S, VS, D, G, A, T, R, O, J...may follow other common meanings.
W = Western model
F= Folk Model
C= Cutaway
E=Electronic
K=?
S=?
VS= Violin Sunburst color
D=Dreadnaught shape
G=Grand Concert shape for classicals; some 'G' acoustics however had a Gallagher type headstock
A=?
T=? Takeharu sometimes
R=?
O=?
J=Jumbo shape

Some woods used were Linden, Rosewood, Maple, Ovangkol, and Nato. Spruce and Cedar were used for the tops – usually laminated for the overseas market, as laminates don’t readily crack, but some models are solid tops. There is a popular theory about solid tops sounding better, but there is disagreement on this matter by some well-respected people. See the website . Lutherie Myth/Science: Quartersawn Wood is Stronger and Stiffer Than Flatsawn.

Suzuki laminates were generally very good quality, and many people feel there guitars, even though laminated, sound better than many solid tops. Suzuki craftsmanship surely played a role in the sound too.

The numbering system is usually tied in with the price. An F100 would have been 10,000 yen, an F130 would have been 13,000 yen, an W250 would have been 25,000 yen and so on. But some models are lower numbers yet very ornamented, so it doesn’t seem like this always holds true. (see the F35 scrollwork on the fretboard).

One interesting thing that stands out is the change in labels. If you’ll notice, there were a few different labels. Were there different divisions or contract manufacturers? I don’t know at this time.

There are thousands of players worldwide who would like to know more about their Kiso Suzuki guitar. It's a common story that when someone has G.A.S (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome) and needs to let a guitar or two go, the Suzuki is the one that stays behind and can't be replaced. If you own a Kiso Suzuki guitar - congratulations on what you probably already know - that you own a well-crafted and good sounding instrument. One that is still undervalued in the opinion of many players. Maybe you'll hang on to it and see that there is something special about many of their instruments. In any case, as Tetsu said..."Have a nice life with Suzuki guitar.”


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