Talk:Matsumoku

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Sources for this Matsumoku article are as current as I could find. The interview with Shiro Arai in the November 2006 edition of Guitar Buyer magazine (England) cleared several long held misconceptions about the relationship between Matsumoku Industrial and Arai and Company. According to Aria founder Shiro Arai, Matsumoku was always a subcontractor to Aria and one never owned the other. Also verified in this article was Singer's ownership of Matsumoku.

I've also translated several articles from Japanese guitar magazines including Vintage Guitar Japan and Japan Vintage. Both collaborate Singer's ownership of Matsumoku from 1952 until it dissolved in 1987. Vintage Guitar Japan stated Matsumoku's preference for allowing Arai and Company to contract orders with Matsumoku specified or implied as subcontractor. Matsumoku simply found it easier to focus on building guitars when they didn't have to worry about contracting orders and Arai and Company had an existing business network in place.

I would like to post a photo of a Vantage or an Electra guitar, so if anyone has one, feel free to place it in this article. PioGraphica 12:31, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Update

Finally got around to performing a long overdue update to my initial article. I added the Distinguishing Characteristics section and updated info throughout. I have been generally pleased with the lack of wild editing - something that makes me feel that the article is acurate and informative. I do plan to edit what I just added today, simply to add a few days to look at my syntax. PioGraphica 05:34, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] A little more info

(translated from Japanese guitar magazines)

When Shiro Arai approached Matsumoku about making complete guitars in the early 60s, they were at the time making guitar necks for Guyatone. Matsukoku explained to Arai that they had made complete guitars and violins for several years in the 50s, but had trouble selling them. Arai's idea was to do everything by contract, which greatly appealed to Matsumoku. Matsumoku made its first guitars for Arai in 1964 and production continued until early 1987. According to one former worker, the original guitars made by Matsumoku in the 1950s were labeled Ruby, or Gemstone, or possibly Redstone (he can't remember.) Most were steel stringed folk style guitars of average quality, however, some were acoustic and electric archtops.

Matsumoku made Yamaha's first line of Strat copy guitars. They are called Super R'nRoller, SR-400 & SR-500, and are almost exact copies of Fender's guitars including the large CBS headstock shape. Production was moved to Yamaha's new factory. The headstock changed to Fender's older, pre CBS style, and the maple necks had a maple fretboard laminated onto them. (Matsumoku made Super R'nRollers have one piece maple necks.) Prior to this, Matsumoku made necks and bodies for various other Yamaha electric guitars.

Before WWII, Matsumoku was primarily a cabinet maker specializing in Butsudan. At some point around 1937, the factory came under the control of the Imperial Army (or Navy.) Production was directed by the Army. Many workers were conscripted, and therefore, do not know what was made there. When a few of the workers returned after the war, they said that the factory was still standing, however, the machines were completely worn out due to over use. But because it was operational, Matsumoku received work as soon as the war ended. A post war reconstruction program granted them a loan for new saws and mills (from the US) which they had in place around 1951. When the Singer contract was granted, it too provided expansion capitol through another reconstruction program. PioGraphica 00:54, 14 July 2007 (UTC)