# Masterworks CBS MWG 580 acoustic



## marcos

Just picked up this little gem this afternoon. Checked it on the old interweb and so many conflicting reports from being a p.o.s. to being a great guitar. It sounds really nice, no issues other than a few finish cracks. Body is small like a parlour size.
Looks like a oak neck, mahogany back and sides, spruce top. Anybody own one of these and can tell me if i struck gold or dirt.
I put a new set of strings on it and cleaned it up and wow!!! Sounds pretty awesome.
Thanks


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## marcos

A few pics


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## marcos

Any more info on this little gem would be appreciated


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## Blind Dog

Def' gem. 

Oh, and a big congrat's! How did you come across it? I live for scores like your CBS.

Edit: ran a across the pos post while looking for additional info. A guitar that was poorly maintained, purchased by a guy who was cranky after his bus trip. I suppose any company can build some sub-par models. First I've heard of a pos early Yairi tho. A good guitar is a good guitar. Sounds awesome, plays well, looks good? Yours is _likely _not a pos.

Edit: this turned up in the banner suggesting Reverb ad's this morning. Link. 
It's the same info I had, and more. 

Saw some interesting Kazuo Yairi factory vid's on Youtube. I've only ever seen one guitar (lately), and it triggered a memory of looking for my first guitar as a boy. Would have been around '70 in Kingston Ont. I remember flipping the price tag, on the one I saw recently (BC), and thinking, "Should have bought the one I considered as a kid." It caught me eye, but I didn't play it. The price took it well out of the realm of my impulse buy budget.


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## greco

marcos said:


> ....tell me if i struck gold or dirt.
> I put a new set of strings on it and cleaned it up and wow!!! Sounds pretty awesome.
> Thanks


Maybe you struck dirty gold!

Congrats!!

I am looking for a small bodied acoustic and scour Kijiji constantly. 
My day will come...I think I have some good Karma owing to me.

ENJOY!!


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## marcos

greco said:


> Maybe you struck dirty gold!
> 
> Congrats!!
> 
> I am looking for a small bodied acoustic and scour Kijiji constantly.
> My day will come...I think I have some good Karma owing to me.
> 
> ENJOY!!


Thank you buddy.


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## marcos

Blind Dog said:


> Def' gem. As I understand it; Kazuo Yairi made them (in Japan) for Fender, when CBS owned Fender, circa '65. They're rare, worth a fair dollar, and they weren't ever cheap. Whoever told you they were pos, likely isn't somebody to take further instrument advice from.
> 
> There could be a Yairi label under the Masterworks -- _not_ that I recommend removing the Masterworks.
> 
> Thank you for all the info. The guitar was bought used about 4-5 years ago at Spaceman Music in Ottawa from my friends neighbour. I was over at his place and he mentioned the guitar and wanted to sell it. He had paid 400. with taxes and case and thats what he wanted. For some reason, the guitar just fit me perfectly so i took a chance.


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## Steadfastly

marcos said:


> Just picked up this little gem this afternoon. Checked it on the old interweb and so many conflicting reports from being a p.o.s. to being a great guitar. *It sounds really nice*, no issues other than a few finish cracks. Body is small like a parlour size.
> Looks like a oak neck, mahogany back and sides, spruce top. Anybody own one of these and can tell me if i struck gold or dirt.
> I put a new set of strings on it and cleaned it up and wow!!! *Sounds pretty awesome.*
> Thanks


If it sounds pretty nice and awesome to you, then it is a great guitar no matter what others may say.


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## Everton FC

marcos said:


> Just picked up this little gem this afternoon. Checked it on the old interweb and so many conflicting reports from being a p.o.s. to being a great guitar. It sounds really nice, no issues other than a few finish cracks. Body is small like a parlour size.
> Looks like a oak neck, mahogany back and sides, spruce top. Anybody own one of these and can tell me if i struck gold or dirt.
> I put a new set of strings on it and cleaned it up and wow!!! Sounds pretty awesome.
> Thanks


Getting to this late in the game, but I found a MGW-560. I'll post a photo. $65.00 at Value Village a few years ago. At the time, I wasn't familiar with the whole CBS purchase of Fender in the mid-60's. But I saw "MIJ" and had to have it. Mine's a Grand Auditorium style. Yours shines much brighter than mine! Yours, like mine, was made in the late 60's/early 70's. They were not Fender's best guitars... But they are fine. I have Elixir Custom Lights on mine. Sounds fine. My binding needs to be fixed around the edge... But nothing major - no cracks... few dings... Stays in tune. The "P.O.S" CBS acoustics were made much later. Different label in the sound hole. 

Good link below. I had dug up some history on the whole Fender-to-CBS story... If I can find it, I'll post it. 

CBS Masterworks acoustic guitar (Guitarsite)

You have a gem, in terms of a nice MIJ acoustic. Looks great.


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## Everton FC

Old thread, I know. But... What strings are you using on this?


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## Rudder Bug

I just got a 580 in a trade for some repair work. The top seems a tiny bit warped and there are some cracks in the finish but I will rehydrate her. She sounds really nice, amazingly loud for its size.


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## Everton FC

Rudder Bug said:


> I just got a 580 in a trade for some repair work. The top seems a tiny bit warped and there are some cracks in the finish but I will rehydrate her. She sounds really nice, amazingly loud for its size.


My MWG-550 is laminate top and sides. Ladder-braced, very boxy sound. But fun to play. Needs a truss rod adjustment (slight) and could use an ever-so-slight saddle shave (huge amount of saddle on some of these...) But of a belly, but the bridge is firmly secure. Now have Elixer PB 10's on it.


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