# Matsumoku



## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

i know that everyone looks for more info...Univox, Unicord, Westbury, Aria (and Aria Pro II), early Epiphone, and washburn...all these guitars were made by the Matsumoku factory...

heres a cool article...
http://www.myrareguitars.com/1984-quest-atak-6-mkii-electric-guitar



> [h=1]Matsumoku’s Atak Gains The Ad-Vantage (Vintage 1984 Quest Atak-6 MK II Electric Guitar)[/h] Posted on February 1, 2012 in 1980's Vintage Guitars, Guitar History, Vintage Guitars.
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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

i have a Univox LP that i love...at some point someone put some DiMarzio's in it...it frickin Rips!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Here's a rather large thread on Matsumoku guitars: http://www.guitarscanada.com/electric-guitar/25144-vintage-vantage-matsumoku-japan-1976-1986-a.html


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

I have one of the Washburn Ravens that has a broken russ rod. If I want to fix it, I pretty much have to have the fingerboard taken off. It would probably be a nice guitar too.


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## Guest (Feb 2, 2012)

ezcomes said:


> i have a Univox LP that i love...at some point someone put some DiMarzio's in it...it frickin Rips!


Is it wine red by any chance? with a rectangle case/yellow lining?
I had one that I gave up back in '86/7.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I've shown this before but, hey it's a Matsumoku built Epiphone Riviera...


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

deleted due to technical problems


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Ah-Hah! Finally found a promo pic of my guitar, 1980-81


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

my first guitar was one like this, only it had phase switches, and coil taps, and a chicken head knob that didn't do anything.


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

My Matsumoku made 1977 Electra "Elvin Bishop" 335


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

^ Nice ! Here's mine . 1979/'80 Cutler , Dimarzio Dual Sound in the neck and SuperII in the bridge.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Bubb said:


> ^ Nice ! Here's mine . 1979/'80 Cutler , Dimarzio Dual Sound in the neck and SuperII in the bridge.


Nice headstock inlay-


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

Cool ..yours ? What breed is it ? I've also seen that inlay on some Aria LP copies .


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

One thing I have wondered about,the neck joint on Arias.My LP is a set neck,however,there is a bolt that goes through the tenon into the body along with the glue . Is that typical Matsumoku construction ? I should take a pic and post it up .


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

nice guitar!


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

I`m gonna be the only bummer in this thread...I saw and bought an early Gneco tele type a few years ago and had them ship it to me. Got the box, opened it and was shocked to see how bad the guitar was, I mean the sorriest POS MIJ I have yet come across and I ain`t kiddin` either. After less than an hour I faxed the shop to tell them I was sending it back and by the time I opened the box and returned the guitar I guess it was about an hour total. It was a great learning experience and it has served me well, `cause I know not everything Matsumoku made was great, or even good. 
Back to your regularly scheduled Mats love festa.


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

I have a few Mat made instruments and so far they are great! The only problem I came across was the early 70's Epiphone 335 copies that had a soft neck pocket.... the Aria branded ones did not suffer the same problem... makes you wonder...?!?

My '66 Semi Hollow Aria bass kicks ass....


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Bubb said:


> Cool ..yours ? What breed is it ? I've also seen that inlay on some Aria LP copies .


It's a Granada, but the music school I went to had a sticker with their name on it--that sticker eventually came off.
I'm thinking of doing a waterslide transfer logo with a made up brand name on the headstock.
My bass does have Granada inlaid on the headstock though.


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## soldierscry (Jan 20, 2008)

Here is mine be for I upgraded the pickups


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

soldierscry said:


> Here is mine be for I upgraded the pickups


Is that a Quest ?


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## soldierscry (Jan 20, 2008)

shoretyus said:


> Is that a Quest ?


Yes it is. i put some js moore pickups in it it sounds and plays great.

[h=3]http://www.tonefordays.com/[/h]


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

since its become a picture thread...


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Details please....



ezcomes said:


> since its become a picture thread...


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Here's a link to some pics of an early to mid 70s Matsumoko Epiphone semi hollow body bolt neck.

http://www.matsumoku.org/models/epiphone/ea-250/pics.html


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

don't know much about it...from what i can gather its mid 70's univox...pickups are dimarzio's i believe...not the originals based on all the pics and details i've seen/read...the biggest is that they are rather 'hot' and only two screw, not the three screw pickups that Univox had...

black with cream binding/pickgaurd...i had to replace the knobs b/c it only had two when it was given to me...and i've replaced the input jack and plate, the original plastic plate snapped on me


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

Here is one of my Mat made guitars... It's a late 70's hollow body... I really dig it!








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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

Frenchy said:


> Here is one of my Mat made guitars... It's a late 70's hollow body... I really dig it!
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That's nice!


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

^^^That IS nice!

That's in terrific shape too.

Is that another Aria, Pierre?


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

Very Nice!!!!


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

sulphur said:


> ^^^That IS nice!
> 
> That's in terrific shape too.
> 
> Is that another Aria, Pierre?


Thanks guy's,

She is a real beaut! It's an Aria alright, it's the 2312 model as far as I can determined. I bought it from the original owner that took real good care of her and never gig her outside his home. He always put her back in her case so I am doing the same... not one scratch on this baby. She is full Maple,front,sides and back.... Plays like a dreams..:bow:


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

muddy said "sugah ne'r wuz so sweet" nice guitar


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## Johnny (Nov 30, 2010)

I have owned quite a few Matsumoku made guitars (mostly late 60's early 70's) and have found most of them to be pretty decent in terms of construction and playability. I researched the Quest name a while back after picking up this rare Left Handed beauty (I'm a lefty) complete with original Quest hard case. This design makes me think of what might have happened if a Fender Jag-Stang mated with a Jackson (A Jack-Stang!!!). Talk about rare!


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Quest had some killer Jumbo acoustics too. Ed's Music sold a few. My brother inlaw got one. I had a chance at one but had to pass because the usual cashflow thingamajiggy.


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## Spellcaster (Jan 7, 2008)

This is my recently rebuilt Raven made by Matsumoku.....










I'm still looking for a headstock logo if anyone's got one they'd like to part with. I also have a Matsumoku-built Raven Les Paul currently awaiting restoration.


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## Tugbar (Mar 1, 2011)

*My Mats*

*Vantage AV315

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*Aria Pro CSB300
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*Quest Atak 1
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*Ventura EB2 copy
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*Granada LP copy

*


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## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

I am currently looking at perhaps acquiring one of those old-time matsumoku guitars. There's two interesting ones on kijiji in my area now, a westone thunder and a vantage vs600. Similar model with similar prices. I tried to get information online but anything about those years is scarse. Is there anything I should know about those two Matumoku made guitars from 81-82?
Any pointers greatly welcomed.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Jamdog said:


> I am currently looking at perhaps acquiring one of those old-time matsumoku guitars. There's two interesting ones on kijiji in my area now, a westone thunder and a vantage vs600. Similar model with similar prices. I tried to get information online but anything about those years is scarse. Is there anything I should know about those two Matumoku made guitars from 81-82?
> Any pointers greatly welcomed.


Um, well,.... FS: - 1980/81 Epiphone Riviera MIJ - Matsumoku built


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## flyswatter (Apr 6, 2016)

ezcomes said:


> i have a Univox LP that i love...at some point someone put some DiMarzio's in it...it frickin Rips!


Those DiMarzios could have been stock. I had a Univox LP from the mid-70s that had replicas (possibly Gotohs?) of the cream covered DM Super Distortions from the 70s. Before I had identified them (wondering if they were actual DMs), DiMarzio told me themselves in an email reply that some of their early pickups went into those 70s "pre-lawsuit" guitars.


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